Paddock shelters

[SugarCubes]

My stalls open to private paddocks and I’m looking for a roof only shelter to put in the paddocks so I can lock the horses out of their stalls more often (I failed to build an overhang on the back of my barn, big mistake!). I have two paddocks that share a fenceline and I thought something like this could work to provide shade/shelter to both paddocks. I think I’d put it against the barn, so they’d walk out of their back doors and be under the shelter. http://www.cactushorsecorrals.com/Horse-Shelter-Trussed-with-Legs-p/hs824t.htm

If I center it over the fenceline, both horses would have a 12x8 area that is covered. But, it says 8’ t-posts - surely it’s taller than that, right? Any how do you think it’s anchored? I’d be worried about wind…

Or does anyone have a link to something similar?

[Simkie]

I think that’s 8’ tall. It’s one 8’ T post leg (the middle back) and 4 8’ L post legs (the four corners.) Eight feet tall is plenty tall enough for horses, unless you have giant giraffes?

You’d anchor it like anything else portable–with any variety of earth anchors.

How about just building an overhang off the barn? They can be added after the fact It will cost more than this roof, but it sounds like that’s really what you want!

[SugarCubes]

[QUOTE=Simkie;8800427]
I think that’s 8’ tall. It’s one 8’ T post leg (the middle back) and 4 8’ L post legs (the four corners.) Eight feet tall is plenty tall enough for horses, unless you have giant giraffes?

You’d anchor it like anything else portable–with any variety of earth anchors.

How about just building an overhang off the barn? They can be added after the fact It will cost more than this roof, but it sounds like that’s really what you want![/QUOTE]

Ok, I was thinking it was 8’ then would have to be buried so you’d end up with lower clearance. If it anchors to concrete piers or something and it 8’ tall that is perfect!

I’d love to add an overhang, but my roof is too low to do that, so I need something like this instead. Plus, for under $500, hard to beat

[NoSuchPerson]

An open-sided run-in shed is soooo easy to build. Unless you need it to be portable, why not just do that?

I’m a little old fat lady and I can built a 10’ x 10’ run in shed with a metal roof all by myself with lumber and roofing pieces that I can haul in the back of the truck and handle on my own. If you can get the guys at Lowes to cut your corner braces for you (and if you go when they aren’t busy, they often will), you don’t even have to cut any lumber.

[Simkie]

It looks like that company expects you to use their anchor post, pounded or cemented in, then clamp the shelter legs to the anchor post.

I imagine they’d walk you through the details if you call

[SugarCubes]

[QUOTE=NoSuchPerson;8800493]
An open-sided run-in shed is soooo easy to build. Unless you need it to be portable, why not just do that?

I’m a little old fat lady and I can built a 10’ x 10’ run in shed with a metal roof all by myself with lumber and roofing pieces that I can haul in the back of the truck and handle on my own. If you can get the guys at Lowes to cut your corner braces for you (and if you go when they aren’t busy, they often will), you don’t even have to cut any lumber.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I actually thought about that - it looks pretty simple to make.

[arlosmine]

Car port.

[PeteyPie]

That’s what I have where I board. Be sure that you take into account the orientation. Figure out where the shadow will be (especially) in the afternoon so that the horses are able to stand in the shade. The shelters at my barn are along a fence and in some paddocks provide zero shade in the afternoon because the shadow is on the outside of the fence. Fortunately, there are trees in that paddock which do provide shade.

I think my shelters are more like 9’ high at the shortest side which works well.

These types of shelters are simple, sturdy, and very low maintenance. They are anchored well and wind is not an issue.

The photo you show looks like they are about 8’ deep by maybe 16’ or 20’. If I were building a shade structure, I would make it deeper, more like 12’ deep because it provides better shade and especially because it provides better protection from rain. When it is windy, the rain comes in at an angle and there may be very little protection. Fortunately, we receive very little rain here.

The only thing I would be concerned about is if you live in a very cold place. My horses are in California, so there is no issue of getting lips or tongues stuck to metal in the winter. I bring this up because I posted this question on the forum once, asking if people living in states with cold winters ever had that issue with their horses. The answers were surprising (lots of Yes! answers). I wish I could remember who posted that her horse got his eyelid stuck to frozen metal and tore it. Yikes!

[SugarCubes]

[QUOTE=PeteyPie;8801098]
That’s what I have where I board. Be sure that you take into account the orientation. Figure out where the shadow will be (especially) in the afternoon so that the horses are able to stand in the shade. The shelters at my barn are along a fence and in some paddocks provide zero shade in the afternoon because the shadow is on the outside of the fence. Fortunately, there are trees in that paddock which do provide shade.

I think my shelters are more like 9’ high at the shortest side which works well.

This type of shelter is simple, sturdy, and very low maintenance.

The photo you show looks like they are about 8’ deep by maybe 16’ or 20’. If I were building a shade structure, I would make it deeper, more like 12’ deep because it provides better shade and especially because it provides better protection from rain. When it is windy, the rain comes in at an angle and there may be very little protection. Fortunately, we receive very little rain here.

The only thing I would be concerned about is if you live in a very cold place. My horses are in California, so there is no issue of getting lips or tongues stuck to metal in the winter. I bring this up because I posted this question on the forum once, asking if people living in states with cold winters ever had that issue with their horses. The answers were surprising (lots of Yes! answers). I wish I could remember who posted that her horse got his eyelid stuck to frozen metal and tore it. Yikes![/QUOTE]

:eek: Oh my gosh! Poor pony! I’m in the midwest so now I’m thinking something similar but with wooden posts would be better! Good point on the orientation too…my barn faces east, so when the horses are out back in their paddocks they just bake in the afternoon sun. It’s a good 10 degrees hotter back there than in the front.

[NoSuchPerson]

[QUOTE=PeteyPie;8801098]
Be sure that you take into account the orientation. Figure out where the shadow will be (especially) in the afternoon so that the horses are able to stand in the shade. [/QUOTE]

I started putting shade cloth “walls” on my run-in sheds to solve that problem. It’s pretty effective and the equines seem to like it. I think they feel like no one can see them behind the shade cloth, yet they can see out. And the breeze passes through the cloth pretty well.

[Mallard]

Guess it depends on where the OP lives.
That would not hold up to any sort of snow load…

[Macimage]

Those types of shelters are used quite often here in S. Calif. We get very high gusty winds here in the high desert so the posts are cemeted into the dirt.

We usually built a 3 sided shelter under it but you won’t need that with your barn.

As someone already mentioned, be sure to figure out their orientation so that you can maximize the shade.

[Hermein]

Where is your barn–i.e. deep south, Alaska, Ohio, etc.?

Consider, in addition to sun position, prevailing winds, direction of rain storms, how much snow if any, lowest and highest temps.

I’m considering this stuff now, but I will have enclosed shelters–stand alone stalls, really.

I hadn’t considered horses getting their tongues stuck to metal. :eek: Wonder if it would be smart/practical to wrap any metal posts that appear to be delicious and in range? Duct tape?

PS: 16hh is 5’4" at the withers with 4 on the floor. Will 8ft roofs withstand any airs above the ground that your horses might perform?

[VF1]

Shade Cloth

[QUOTE=NoSuchPerson;8801141]
I started putting shade cloth “walls” on my run-in sheds to solve that problem. It’s pretty effective and the equines seem to like it. I think they feel like no one can see them behind the shade cloth, yet they can see out. And the breeze passes through the cloth pretty well.[/QUOTE]

NoSuchPerson What type / where are you purchasing shade cloths. I’m interested in purchasing a few. Do they help with flies as well?

[SugarCubes]

I’m in the Midwest and we do get some snow. I was wondering about snow load as well, I wouldn’t be able to order this particular shelter anyway, they’re out of CA, I’d need to find something closer…but I like the price and design of the one I linked.

This isn’t going to be used as their primary shelter, they have stalls for that. I feed their hay outside and I’d like to have shade over that area, they get so hot. It’s also more for me to be able to lock them OUT of their stalls when it’s nice out, but have peace of mind that they have protection if it gets too hot, or if a surprise rain shower pops up!

[Marla_100]

Ask NoSuchPerson to be your online mentor and build your own shelter. Haha.

What she described is pretty simple to build. I just put one up that extends over the fence into two overnight paddocks. Because of windy rain storms, I
made mine as two separate open stalls 16X16 w/ metal roof. Side posts are 4X4 lumber set in cement. Roof is bolted on for strength and windproofing.

Horses love it. I just bought some large tarps to enclose the sides for winter
as I have one horse who can’t tolerate much cold.

PM me if you need other help or have questions.

[SugarCubes]

[QUOTE=Marla 100;8801784]
Ask NoSuchPerson to be your online mentor and build your own shelter. Haha.

What she described is pretty simple to build. I just put one up that extends over the fence into two overnight paddocks. Because of windy rain storms, I
made mine as two separate open stalls 16X16 w/ metal roof. Side posts are 4X4 lumber set in cement. Roof is bolted on for strength and windproofing.

Horses love it. I just bought some large tarps to enclose the sides for winter
as I have one horse who can’t tolerate much cold.

PM me if you need other help or have questions.[/QUOTE]

I would love to be able to DIY this…I’m just not too confident in my construction skills, and DH doesn’t even know what a hammer is :lol:! Do you have plans? It seems simple enough, except for the corners…

[Marla_100]

No plans, I just sketched out what I wanted and the dimensions so I’d know what length lumber to buy. I also planned the metal roofing sizing so none of the panels needed to be cut.

Google will probably have some photos of similar ideas or pm me your email and I can send you some pics taken during construction and finished ones too.

Are you positive you can’t just build an extension on your current barn roof?

[NoSuchPerson]

[QUOTE=VF;8801763]
NoSuchPerson What type / where are you purchasing shade cloths. I’m interested in purchasing a few. Do they help with flies as well?[/QUOTE]

I buy it on the roll at Lowe’s in the garden department. I attach it to 2x4s at the top and bottom by putting the 2x4 along the edge and then rolling it, so the shade cloth is wrapped completely around the 2x4, then secure it with staples (staple gun and staples also from Lowe’s ). I attach the 2x4s to the shed posts, then secure the sides of the shade cloth to the posts with 1x2s running vertically down the post on top of the shade cloth.

Finish with a 2x4 at horse butt height inside the shed so the horses can’t rip out the shade cloth by rubbing against it.

The first shed I tried this on still looks great after 3-4 years.

I can’t answer the fly question. Where I live, I don’t really have many flies. Gnats, yes, but not flies.

[NoSuchPerson]

[QUOTE=SugarCubes;8801792]
I would love to be able to DIY this…I’m just not too confident in my construction skills, and DH doesn’t even know what a hammer is :lol:! Do you have plans? It seems simple enough, except for the corners…[/QUOTE]

PM me your e-mail address and I can send you pictures. And you don’t even need a hammer - you can do it all with screws and a cordless drill/driver.