building a new shelter

[lisam]

I need to build a shelter big enough for one mini. I prefer wood. Anyone have any ready-made plans, or dimensions?

 

[Happy Valley]

My run in shelter is 8' x 10' and serving three minis who never go in except to eat or during heavy rain. I've read that 8' x 8' is enough for one. Depends on how much you plan on keeping your horse confined in the shelter. The front is 8 feet high and the back 6 feet. It has three 4" x 4" posts on the front and back, three sides are covered with that sheet siding stuff, and I cant remember the name. The top is galvanized metal. It cost about $600.00 to put up, labor and all. (Barn in planning stages, this is temporary)

The horses seem to like it well enough, and it suits me. It will make a good chicken coop or shed when the barn is built.

 

[Marty]

HI Lisa, do a google search and use the words "horse habitats" and "horse shelters" and then you will find lots of links you can click on to give you ideas.

 

[Farmhand]

I build most of mine like this. I use 2x6 treated T&G. This one has a shingle roof, I am going to the metal now. About $300 8'x6' was the last one I am working on 6' high in front 5' in the back.

 

[Bramblehill]

We just built a shelter using the plan for a goat shelter from the Jan/Feb. 2006 Hobby Farms magazine. It's plenty big enough for 2 minis and cost less than $100 to build. Of course, they stood outside and looked at it today in the middle of a rain storm!! Glad we didn't sink more $$ into it!

 

[lisam]

Thanks, guys. I'll certainly try that search, Marty, good to hear from you! I've been quite a stranger here.

Farmhand, your shelter is really nice! I hope mine will turn out as well.

 

[Farmhand]

We just built a shelter using the plan for a goat shelter from the Jan/Feb. 2006 Hobby Farms magazine. It's plenty big enough for 2 minis and cost less than $100 to build.  Of course, they stood outside and looked at it today in the middle of a rain storm!!  Glad we didn't sink more $$ into it!

531117[/snapback]

​

Is there anyway you can post the plans or email them? Interested in seeing what it looks like, need to make some more. The ones I built take a couple of days.

 

[liltnt]

I purchased a storage shed from lowes. its 8x8 and Darb loves it. of course he is only in it when he is eatting but both of my boys go in with its hot outside. Its kind of cute looks like a barn but ts only 8 feet high at the peak. I painted it red ad white. And build it my self.

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

Farmhand, your shelter is beautiful!

I too would be interested in getting ahold of the Hobby Farms mag or plans.... I am planning to build a shelter for our three pygmy goats. For now, they love their igloo dog houses....but I'd like something bigger that I could feed them in too. (for now they also have a run in area into the barn).

My hubby builds sheds and shelters for a LIVING. He built our 36 x 40 barn in a day and a half with help from two guys. But he just doesn't have the time...so thought I ought to learn so I can build my goats something too!

Love Farmhands shelter!

Angie

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

Bramblehill,

Could you take a pic of yours? Plans or no plans, I love lookin at pictures for ideas! That cheap to build? Wow!

 

[Bramblehill]

I'll try to take pictures tomorrow and see if I can figure out how to post them. It's certainly not a fancy thing, just a shelter to keep out of the rain and wind, and hopefully shade them from our blistering heat in the summer. It's made of 3 4x8 sheets of 3/4 " plywood and is on skids so it can be portable enough to pull into rotating pastures. It took us (I use that term loosely, I just held the screwdriver) about 3 hours to construct. My kind of project!

 

[Farmhand]

I just found that Barnes & Nobble has the magazine (Hobby Farms), will pick one up tomorrow and post the directions.

 

[Farmhand]

I will post what I scanned, if the moderators feel it is not appropriate for me to post this on the forum, remove it and I can email it to anyone that wants the plans.

It may be a little small for mini's. The magazine has a lot of good articles in it.

If it is too small to read I can send anyone a larger size, this was just easier to upload for me. (I have dial-up at home).

 

[lisam]

Thanks for the plans. I made some shelters like those goat shelters at my old place. They worked fine for one horse, and were portable so we could move them from place to place. My bigger minis didn't use them, though. I'm sure they could be made bigger. Perhaps I'll do something along those lines, although I sure do like the one you posted the pic of, Farmhand!

 

[evedex]

If you are looking for shelter in a paddock....for one horse only....might I suggest the easiest thing to do is purchase a rubbermade cupboard unit. It is the one they show to house a riding tractor and has a sliding roof.

I assembled it without the doors and put a rubber mat on the floor and it works great. You can slide back the roof to make poo clean-up easier.

Two horses can't fit in this shelter, but it is great in the stallion field as he is by himself. I have had it 3 or 4 years now and it is still like new.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Can I give you guys just one word of warning? Please don't use sheet metal for the sides of your shelters without lining it with wood!!! If you have ever seen what happens when a horse punches a foot through bare sheet metal and then pulls his foot back out you wouldn't even think of using it. Those little metal sheds that you can buy and assemble need to be covered in wood from kicking height on down.

 

[lisam]

Is this the rubbermaid one you are talking about, evedex? Where did you purchase yours? About how much was it?

http://www.rubbermaid.com/hpd/consumer/bigMax/BigMax.jhtml

 

[evedex]

No, that isn't the one I have....mine is a few years old and I am not sure they make it anymore (didn't see it on that website).

I don't know why the one pictured wouldn't work.

Please be advised, however that the plastic shed floors are slippery so please use a rubber stall mat on the floor or a sheet of plywood or something so your guys don't fall down.

Good Luck.

 

[countryrose]

I found this page, think this is the one being mentioned.

I use the horizontal stg one for two bales of hay at a time here.

http://www.bettymills.com/shop/manufacture...CFRWMIgod70yuDA

 

[MyLittlePita]

Hi, I am a new owner of a mini and didn't have anywhere for her - so we had to put in a paddock and a shed - outside measurements 8x12. Inside there is one stall approx 6x7 and room for storing a couple of bales of hay and couple of bags of shavings. I wanted more than just a three-sided shelter - so we opted for a mini-"barn". It has worked out very well. (I'd include a picture - but I'm new to the forum and haven't figured out yet how to insert a photo.)

Good luck with finding something for yourself.

...mylittlepita