small mini shelter

[Fanch]

Hi, I know this topic has been covered from many angles, and I started by searching around on the forum, but didnt find what I was looking for.

See, Im a university student and Ive found a home for myself that included free horse board for my one mini! However, the pasture he gets has no shelter and no trees; I know horses are build to deal with the weather, but to have no shelter at all seems a little much. He does come into a stall in the barn every night so he can get away from the elements during the night (and my land lady feels safer that way.)

What Im looking into is building a small, non-permanent, 3-sided shelter (im thinking 6 feet by 6 feet; just enough for him to stand in during bad weather) However, thats where my knowledge ends. I need something fairly cheap because of my budget ($200) that also will stand up to the weather; I dont really want to find it flipped over in the morning

Has anyone done something like this before? Can you tell me about it? Pictures? Any help or advice would be so appreciated at this point; Im starting to rip hair out!

 

[Ashley]

A couple fence posts (4). Bend a cattle panel in a u shape between the posts. Then cover the panel and one end with a tarp.

 

[Jill]

Here's a link to see what Ashley's talking about:

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=124296

 

[Fanch]

how do these stand up to snow?? I live in a fairly cold part of bc, canada so I need something that wont collapse from the snow.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Calf huts are nice especially when you find them used. They hold up nicely and you can move them around depending on the wind direction. They don't blow over. Love them

 

[Ashley]

There used in MN. Like anything you have to keep snow off top but that shouldn't be to hard

 

[mdegner]

We have used half or a quarter of a corn crib and covered with a tarp like others have mentioned. Those plastic calf pens are OK too. Bottom line, he does come in to the barn at night and frankly he is probably OK outside during the day without a shelter at all. I am not quite as far north as you are but I am in MN and ours get very furry and sometimes don't even go in the field shelters at all until it gets really brutal. (We did end up building permanent shelters--telephone poles, steel beams, etc--after the tornados last year, but they don't use them often)

If it isn't in your budget, going in the barn at night is sufficient, in my opinion.

 

[MajorClementine]

I vote for the calf condo. The man I bought Major from used them for his studs (mares all in a barn together). It was movable, easy to clean, and durable. I liked that you could put straw in them and it would stay in and stay dry.

 

[minifreishorsefarm]

We've built a small shelter out of wood before. Its pretty heavy so wont blow around and fairly inexpensive to make. You should be able to make one for under $200. Otherwise a calf hutch works great as well.

Marsha

 

[Marty]

Kudos for you not allowing this guy to stand out in the weather. Mother Nature is one nasty so n so.

Since he will also need shade and relief in the summer as well, I'd go for a 3 side lean-tu and be sure to make it high enough for you to get in without bending over. I know you said portable, but its pretty cheap and more secure to ram pressure treated posts in the ground and board up the sides and roof. It won't go anywhere like that and still give plenty of oxygen in the summer time. You can do it for $200. Wish I was there to help you.

 

[MindyLee]

I seen ya emailed me.... ( I get tons of request emails on these) LOL

So here ya go!

6x8 4 sided run in

2 adults can move it

cost aprox $100-$150 each to make

2 minis under 34" can fit

4ft tall in back

6ft tall in front

6ft deep

8ft long

materials: 2x4's, 1/16" plywood, damaged bundles of shingles at Home Depot, paint, screws.

PICS!

Hope these help!

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

We've made many shelters out of FREE shipping pallets. The ones that are approximately 4' x 4' work very well. Two for the back, 1 each for each side. If you can find an 8' shipping pallet, you put that over the top, or just use some 2 x 4's to support the roofing. We would then use plywood or metal siding for the walls and roof. Most of the stuff we use is scrap. We've only had to buy nails.

Here's a link for a goat shelter which I've also made to give you an idea. You can leave the front pallet off if you like. http://www.ehow.com/how_4841114_goat-shelter-out-wood-pallets.html

The last one we made was in Missouri for the goats. We used the 8' pallets for the back, sides and roof. We covered it with tar paper before putting the metal roof on. The sides were plywood.

You can also google "pallet shelters" and find all kinds of ideas. The only tricky part is fastening the pallets together.

One time we even made pens out of pallets. Four to a side, makes a nice mini pen approximately 16' square feet. We would add pallets inside to build a built-in shelter.

Here's a link to a previous topic I started here on the forum with ideas on using pallets: http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=117965&st=10

Kari

 

[hoofhearted]

My compost heap is made of pallets..never thought of a shelter! We have to come up with something soon..cold weather is closing in.

 

[Jill]

We've never actually made or used one of the cattle panel shelters, but I know other members have and have been happy with them.

I was just showing H pictures of them. We have lots of "extra" cattle panels as well as metal posts that are not in use. I think that we are going to set up some of these as a weekend project in some of our paddocks, and possible replace an existing "goat house" with one. In some of the miniature horse paddocks, I'd like to do some that have two panels end to end (twice as long / side by side) as axillary shelter to give the horses more options. I figure it can't hurt, and the materials are mostly here and not in use.

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

Cattle panels are great... Until the trailer you're living in gets hit broadside by high (100 mile an hour) winds, does a log roll and ends up crushing the panel shelter... which is what happened to us last year (August). The trailer was destroyed... with three of us in it!

Kari