Shipping Containers as stables?

Charmel

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Has anyone used Shipping containers as stables?
Whats your experience?
For a small 12h or under pony....boarded out all the way around and insulated. size 8ft by 20ft, with a wooden stable door and a window?
 

Capriole

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I've seen shipping containers used but it wasn't lined and insulated, and imo that didn't work, though the owner would disagree.

Interested to know how people have gone on with them fitted out properly as you suggest though! I've seen some decent looking conversions on ebay (I was just nosying, mine are much too big to fit, lol)
 

Angus' yard

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I wouldn't personally use one for a stable. However for many years my mother had one as a hay/ straw barn with a massive tarp over the front. Worked beautifully
 

putasocinit

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Dont they sweat inside, as in condensation running down the walls, also need more than i window i think. What would the floor be like, if metal it will eventually rust and pony will put foot through it.
 

Pinkvboots

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They get so hot in the summer at our old yard we had them as hay sheds and tack rooms, and in winter they are freezing I suppose it is because they are metal, I wouldnt want to put a horse in one to be honest.
 

Nudibranch

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They do get extremely hot in summer, we were renting one for storage and when you went to open up it was sweltering. I know it would have a door and window but metal does absorb the sun's rays.
Our dive club uses one as storage but it is on the north side of a very large barn so it stays more temperate - that's the only way I could see it working if at all.
 

goldenchestnut

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LOL , should ask my hubby what they are like, he was in the army and shipping containers where used as their accomadation when they were in Bosnia years ago.
 

Booboos

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They get extremely hot in the summer and extremely cold in the winter. You could sort those problems out with extensive changes (insulation, ventilation, windows, etc) as after all they can be used as homes, but why spend the money? It should be cheaper to just get a wooden stable.
 

Spudlet

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You would need to add insulation, as people have said, and I'd be worried about the pony's urine weakening the floor over time. I don't think even rubber matting would help as there will still be joins where urine can seep down, potentially weakening the floor.

Tbh, by the time you've got your container, got it in position and sorted those issues out, a normal wooden stable would probably be cheaper, and a lot less hassle!
 

Charmel

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These containers have already been converted into offices so completly insulated and boarded out. They suffer no more change in temp inside than my wooden stables. The floor is metal, then wood then rubber. Wondered if anyone has already converted one into stables.
 

Roasted Chestnuts

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I had my horses in shipping containers as stables a 15.2hh TBx and a 14.3hh welsh d x. They were fine in them, the TBx was in a 17x10 and the 14.3in a 22x10 never too warm or too cold and floors were solid metal covered in rubber.

17x10 and 15.2hh

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22x10 and 14.3hh

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Charmel

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Thank you Black Bestie, really helpful.

I am getting these containers completely free so it will just be the cost of putting doors on. Much cheaper than wooden stables.
 

Roasted Chestnuts

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Thank you Black Bestie, really helpful.

I am getting these containers completely free so it will just be the cost of putting doors on. Much cheaper than wooden stables.

Your welcome I never had to worry in storms about the roofs coming off and if I got the chance of a couple free over buying or building wooden stables I would do it again :)
 

wallykissmas

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They sweat really badly, I used to have one and it was awful, hot during the summer and got condensation running down the walls and off the roof during the winter even after making holes around the sides all the way round. Would use one if it was free but wouldn't buy one.
 

Roasted Chestnuts

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They sweat really badly, I used to have one and it was awful, hot during the summer and got condensation running down the walls and off the roof during the winter even after making holes around the sides all the way round. Would use one if it was free but wouldn't buy one.

Good point about the roof staying on.

For me though 10ft is too narrow, I'd not put more than a pony in them.

As you can see my guys don't look cramped in them :) I also never found they sweated, the were open at the front with wooden doors as you can see and side doors also, the farm stables which were indoor stone had more condensation running down the walls than these did :)
 

Capriole

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Personal choice though, and personally I think 10ft is too narrow for a horse. I'm sure most manage ok but I prefer a bit more room for mine.
 

Charmel

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Mine would be for a couple of ponies both under 12.2 and they would have one 20x10 container each, but I know the BHS approved riding school locally has stables 10ft by 14ft for their horses, and they seem to fit fine. My horses are in 15ft x16ft but thats just because they are old cow sheds and that is the size they are. Its the actual conversion that I am not sure of. Any pics of the conversions, how doors hung frames added, overhang added etc would be helpful.
 

WelshD

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I have to say those dont look anything like 10ft wide perhaps the outside measurement is 10ft but by the time they have been insulated the inside measurement is somewhat different. I would be worried about a horse getting cast in one of those even if 'officially' the measurements are ok

OP for your ponies I think they would be ok though
 

rema

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Sorry but there seems to be some confusion over what a shipping container is..The photo's posted above are not of a shipping container but of a refrigerated unit that has come off the back of a lorry..A shipping container is a all steel construction and will sweat in summer and be like an ice cube in winter....And 10ft wide is as wide as you will get due to width regulations of the haulage industry..
 

Capriole

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Sorry but there seems to be some confusion over what a shipping container is..The photo's posted above are not of a shipping container but of a refrigerated unit that has come off the back of a lorry..A shipping container is a all steel construction and will sweat in summer and be like an ice cube in winter....And 10ft wide is as wide as you will get due to width regulations of the haulage industry..

Agreed.

And Jinglejoys, people may live in heavily modified and chopped about ones like the ones in your link, which do look interesting, but I wouldn't want my horse in a cramped little space like a standard container :) Like I say, it would probably do well enough for ponies, lined and insulated.
 

MileAMinute

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I wouldn't personally have mine in a setup like the above.
However, nothing ventured nothing gained and all that - if they are free, give it a go, you might find it works for you like Black Beastie's horses.
 

lachlanandmarcus

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The other thing is that some peeps put them in thinking they will count as mobile and therefore no pp needed. Many Councils don't take that view, to be classed as mobile the structure needs to be readily moveable which means something on skids and towable intact with equipment on site, which they don't regard such containers as being on several counts.
 

Roasted Chestnuts

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Charmel the one with the black horse in was two 11x10 Shetland pony stables that I took the partition down and made one unit. It was thick wooden struts screwed in then uprights of the same thickness bolted on to support the partitions and doors :)
 
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