HELP! Building a shelter

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Jessica H

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We bought our first mini 1 1/2 months ago. Right now he's still at his old barn. We're going out to start measuring out his new pen at my aunts house today and we were just wondering how much area does one mini need? Before we got him he was in a stall almost 24/7 and turned out in a small round pen for about 30 minutes a day, so we definentaly are going to get him a grazing muzzle at first because my aunt has alot more grass than he's used to. He will have a buddy, but not in his pen because it's a BIG horse, so we're building my mini's pen next to the big horses pasture.

I know I need to get no climb fence probably...what about a shelter? Does anyone know any good ideas on how to build one? My uncle and grandpa would build it...but they'd need a relative idea of what they're doing.
 
:saludando: HI there, well know some have used calf huts for shelter and we built one from lumber but put on a steel roof. Our run in shed is 10X12 for teo minis. Ours also each have a box stall in the barn, which is always open to them with a box fan and water. The run out, pasture area I'm not sure as I'm not good with measurements but minimum I would say an acre..good luck sounds like you're certainly improving that boys life. Good for oyu!

Maxine
 
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Actually, a QUARTER of an acre is plenty big for one mini (even two!). He's going to need enough space where he stretch his legs in, unless you plan on exercising him outside of it regularly.

My husband built some decent 3-sided shelters at our old place using treated posts in concrete, sheets of plywood for the walls, and sheet metal for the roof. Be sure to make the roof slanted, and high enough for a person to be able to stand up under.......for clean-out purposes.

Congratulations on getting your little guy!

MA
 
Minx - Wow, I would have never thought of using a calf hut... I think we have some of those laying around actually. THANKS!

Miniv - Thanks, 1/4 of an acre sounds about right...because regular horses need 1 acre...I think. lol. Yes, we exercise him twice a day actually. Once around 8 in the morning before he gets "breakfast" and then once at night before he get's "dinner". They usually last between 20-30 minutes each but once it starts getting cooler we're really going to start working! He's sooo fat! :bgrin
 
Here are pictures of some of our little barns. They are like pole barn style. The stalls are 12x8. The wooden run-in shed is 16x8 and the carport we use as a run-in shed is 18x21 (and lined w/ wood). My husband built these and they were pretty easy and inexpensive. Nothing fancy at all but work well. The oldest is the 2-stall one pictured, which he built 8 years ago and it's as good as it was new. We're going to be building another 2-stall one and another 3-stall one. The small stand alone stall is 8x8 and attached to a small pen. My paddocks are not large, either. Probaby not really more than 1/2 acre or so. NOTHING fancy at my place, except a few of the horses :bgrin But it works really well for us and the hoofed wonders.

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Actually, a QUARTER of an acre is plenty big for one mini (even two!). He's going to need enough space where he stretch his legs in, unless you plan on exercising him outside of it regularly.

:bgrin Wow, I didn't realise all they needed was a quarter of an acre, my girls are spoiled, they have almost an acre for the two of them!
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Im short so when it was time to make the mini shelters I wanted CUTE ONES< lol So hubby made them 12X8 but only 5 1/2 feet tall they look like cute lil dog houses, lol

Where do ya find these calf huts? those would be great for my goats...
 

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