Violent Storm 11 - wooden stables advice

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cronkmooar

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I am expecting Violent Storm 11 here in the next few hours :eek:(about Gale 9 at the moment!)

What is everyones thoughts on what to do with stables:

Should I shut top doors - cutting down some ventilation but possibly protect roof (onduline not tiles) and also make much more comfortable for inhabitants?

Also worried that top doors might rattle off tie hooks so if best to keep open should these be tied back??

If left open is the roof more likely to lift off?

Will onduline stand up to this force of weather?

Urgent thoughts and experience very much appreciated:D
 
If you are remotely worried about the buildings then I'd turn the horses out. Not worth the risk of them being caught up in the building in any way.

And then close the top doors etc to protect the actual building. How scarey for you, hope it passes without any damage to any livestock or property.
 
Thanks

That is also a thought on my mind too - however field is right next to stables and house - so worried about flying debris from that too.

Surely these things can stand up to a bit of wind :D ??? - seems ok at the moment there is nothing to make me suspect there could be a problem - just trying to do the right thing - and would be very happy if some nice person from say the Hebridies could confirm they have wooden stables and they have remained intact:D
 
Vents at each gable end, so no not opposite doors.

Can see the sense in doing this - how about closing doors on in habited stables (3) and leaving doors open on empty stables (3) - would this allow flow through ???

Bit of a dilema this one!
 
i would turn the horses out.

a few years ago i kept my horses on a private yard with just the owners 2 horses, it was blowing a gale there and we agreed that the horses should stay in, i went up about 11am to check they were all ok and the wind was getting worse. the owner went up about an hour later and decided to let the horses out as the wind had picked up so much the roof was lifting a bit.
thankfully she did let them out because my 2 stables were wrecked. the roof had been picked up, turned and dropped again (like a tornado had passed through), if my horses had been in then the one would most definately had been killed, the pony MAY have survived but doubtful.

since then i've always made sure they are turned out when the wind picks up, at least in the field they can sort themselves out better.
good luck, hope you don't have any damage.
 
If you do put them out, just make sure they are upwind of the stables because if the roofs do go, they could land on the horses in the field.
 
At my old yard we had wooden stables and never had a problem in gales, the one that weren't being used we shut the top doors to stop draughts and tied all the other ones back so they couldn't come loose. But if you are really worried then I would turn out, horses much less likely to injure themselves. We did have a couple of field shelters got picked up and carried by the wind over walls etc, but they were completely open fronted and not dug in to the ground at that point.
 
Poor you, I would have all horses out (not sure, but doubt they will blow away!) and open everything to let it pass I guess. Where abouts are you?
 
Riding High OMG - what a nightmare - glad all were safe.

Fatpiggy (it seems very mean to address some one as that so apologies) this is the problem with turning out as wind direction is over stables and house into field!

Horses out at the moment - not bothered but to be fair are used to this level of wind - just going to try and move my glass garden table as I suspect leaving out will result in disaster:eek:

Smirnoff - this is good to know - horses will be ok with any banging etc - 5th November was extreme to say the least and they seemed to enjoy the show!

India pony - Isle of Man - right by the sea!
 
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Not sure if this will help but it can be useful to understand the different reasons why buildings collapse in a gale.

I can think of a couple

1. pressure of the wind. ie the wind leans into a rickety building or fence and blows it over OR it catches loose bits of building and rips them off, slowly destroying them.

2. bernoulli effect - if there is low pressure outside (created by strong wind) and higher pressure inside a building (because the doors are shut) - then a lifting effect is applied to the roof. This is the effect that makes planes go up, boats to sail forward and roofs to detach.

Each one requires a different approach. Close the doors if you think they are likely to blow over or leave them open if you think the roof won't stay on.

Either way, the horses are going to be terrified if indoors.

I don't envy you the sleepless night ahead. I hope that all goes well
 
I've had two field shelters act like aeroplane in the wind.

Two solutions: 1. Close top doors no wind.

2. Punch holes in back to let wind through

Either/or but defo get the horses out. My shelters travelled some yards but all horses fine although my ultra careful mare won't use them now!

Good luck
 
I would turn out but only if there are no big old trees....a friends ancient Shetland was killed by a branch blown down on top of her :-(( Also only if your horses are calm in storms, mine prefer to be in, they go crazy outdoors when it's wild.

If (big IF) the stables are sturdy and well maintained they should be fine tho. We are in the Cairngorms and right overlooking the peaks and the SW gales come straight at us. Our stable building is wooden, and also raised up at front cos of sloping ground levels, and has an onduline roof. It was built 2-3 years ago and has had no issues at all with the gales.

I tend to close the top door on the exterior gales side, it is a mini barn so pony can still look over the internal door at her pal, and there is a window within the exterior top door so she can always see out. But if I was worried about the roof I would possibly leave windows open both sides. BTW Ive never had a top door rattle out of the hook but you could always tie them to the eye with baler twine just to be sure. Stables should not lift and fly like field shelters if they have foundations and are properly coach bolted and concreted in.

At least flying onduline is (while still dangerous) less risky than flying sheet metal roofs! Onduline also tends to have less of an overhang, overhangs are not good news with high winds. Our house in this wild location has no porch and no overhanging roof, they knew what they were about when they built it in the late 1700s!

Good luck with the storm, its the only thing I dislike about where I live, I dont get much sleep when the severe gales come. But I bet it will be fine and the horses will be les stressed than you are!
 
QR

Thanks to all for the replies very much appreciated - its very windy out there!

Just went and stood in stables and nothing is rattling lifting or in any way seems unsafe (at the moment)

Defo not worried about collapse (they are well built and relatively new) or lift off (took precautions when they were put up - bolted down with chemical anchor pins and bolts)

So bearing this in mind it is really only the roof I would be worried about - and not the joists the actual onduline which lets face it is a light weight material

Not keen on the keep them out due to location of field and also there is rain and squwals (?) forcast - one horse is 23 so it seems a bit harsh (ok thats probably me being a bit soft:rolleyes:)

Fencing is brand new this year so it better stand up to the slight breeze:D but in any event if the fence went they would be contained on my property so could not get near any traffic - as I said live by the sea - haven't been out but I would suspect the road is closed now anyway.

Think as someone said its going to be a long sleepless night:D there are some very strange noises comming from the house roof at the moment!
 
lachlanandmarcus - just seen your reply - this is exactly what I needed to know regarding the onduline thank you so much for posting.

No overhang - infact folded round edge and nailed in with the onduline nails and each stable has grills between them so everyone can see each other if doors are shut.

feeling better about this already - just need to get from field to stables now - which I will probably do sooner rather than later not that they seem to care at the moment:D
 
Found this, it may give you some comfort, especially as you know the roof was constructed properly:

"Onduline has been tested at wind speeds up to 120mph (192km/h). At tests at the Yardley Research Centre have found Onduline suitable in hurricane and earthquake conditions."
 
Slightly Foxed said:
Found this, it may give you some comfort, especially as you know the roof was constructed properly:

"Onduline has been tested at wind speeds up to 120mph (192km/h). At tests at the Yardley Research Centre have found Onduline suitable in hurricane and earthquake conditions."
Click to expand...


Thank you - the stables are looking a safer bet than the house now :D
 
Having spent 11 months in a static caravan in our exposed Cairngorm location and having an OH (working away then) whose version of reassurance was to tell me 'Dont worry the caravan is pegged down, so it wont overturn' but then add 'its more likely the roof would peel off and then the sides'.....; I reckon the horses are def better off AND they had their stables 4 months before I escaped from the caravan into the house!
 
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