Those little shelters

[mizbeth]

I know this has been asked before and a few times, I think. But someone or several folks have made these shelters for their horses. They have used cattle panels (or something similar to them), bent over in an oval shape and covered them with tarps. They look nice and appear effective.

Can someone post the photos of them again, and also how exactly they made them. How do you close off one end, or do you?

I have just leased 18 acres of pretty lush pasture (a rarity these days) that has no shelters, but does have trees and am looking for the most effective, inexpensive way to make a shelter for them.

Other ideas are welcome too,

Thank you,

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

Like these:

Panel shelter

Panel shelter

 

[Marty]

I can't find my old pictures but to close off one end I cut a section of field fence and wired it to the panels. I also used gobs and gobs of bungys across the structure to keep wind from getting under the tarps and blowing them up. Worked for quite some time. Good luck.

 

[mizbeth]

Hi

Yes, those are the ones I'm thinking of. Marty did the end piece you cut cover the end completely or just up to the height of the panel with space at the top where the panels bend? Or did you make them the height of the end piece panel? Then did you cover the entire end like the one in the photo? (that one does not have panel it looks like, only the tarp for cover).

Are the panels in the photo 16' or 20' panels? I have lots of 16' panels, full ones and smaller ones that I have cut 8-10 ft.

I have saved these photos before too, but they must be on my other computer as I could not find them on this one.

Thanks for your help........

 

[Davie]

Hi Beth

I use these in all my outside pens and paddocks. Our winds are mostly out of the N or S so I face mine where they arch in that direction.

I take 1 16' cattle panel and set it inside 4 "T" posts (securing the panel to the "T" posts with heavy duty zip ties-bottom, middle just befor they start to arch over) which I set about 5-6 ft apart (you can do it closer or farther depending on how much height you want on the shelter). I find with mine that the 6'x8' tarp works best and I need 2 for each shelter. In the summer I put the tarp higher up the side so ther is more airflow and leave both sides open. I change out the tarps in the winter and I place those lower on the structure for more warmth.

I lay the first tarp down on the south side as most of our winds are out of the north. Then overlap the North tarp so that the overlap is facing south. Before I put the second tarp in place I run some clothsline cord through the two tie down hole that are going to be on the top. I anchor the tarps down flush with 1 edgeof the panel with heavy zip ties and then fold the excess tarp underneath at the other end and secure the edge with zip ties in the tie down holes. I then take the clothsline and tie it to the bottom of the south facing side -- it held keep the wind from picking up the second tarp in high wind -- you could also take a couple of lengths of clothsline and run from side to side about 4" from the edge and anchor at the bottom edge of the cattle panel.

In the winter to enclose 3 sides I start with the back panel first, Starting at the bottom I zip tie the tarp to the cattle panel structure making it as tight as I can. It will leave an opening at the top for air circulation. Then cover the sides as I normally do. I usually cover the west side as we seldom have winds from the east. I don't use extra support on the third side in the small pens as I try to put them in a corner were there is already a supporting fence that help hold the tarp in place.

If I do the enclose shelter in the bigger areas the I do cut a piece of cattle panel to fit the side I want to enclose and use it to support the tarp. That way in the summer I can take the extra panel off and have good air circulation.

They work really well and I do change the tarps in early spring and just before winter.

I also use these to cover my round bales, I just use 2 cattle panels that I overlap and secure with wire at the top and that allows me to make the opening about 16 feet. I just use and extra tarp and start with the first tarp and center it over the top of the structure and then the side. It works great to keep the round bales from rain or snow and the horses can also get around it to eat and have some shelter.

Sorry I don't have any photos of them as I just have never taken any. Cost for each shelter--Cattle panels are currently about $17.00 each, 2 tarps - $4.00 each, bundle of clothsline or heavyduty twine $3.00. If you are putting up a single cattle panel shelter it runs less than $30 for a new one and the to replace the tarps it costs me less then $12 per shelter depending upon how many tarps I'm going to use for each one.

Nice thing about these-- you can easily move them around--take the tarps off, cut the cattle panel from the "T" post, pull up the "T" post and you are ready to move the structure or reuse the panel and "T" posts for fencing.

Love them and easy for me to do by myself.

 

[mizbeth]

Thank you guys!

Davie are you saying to put two together the long ways so you have a panel that is 32' long? And then made the shelter?

In any case I'm going to try one/two of them this weekend. They came and mowed today and boy does it look nice out there. I have never seen so much coastal - tall coastal too. This must have been some fancy hay field at one time. Some weeds too but that won't matter. I will pull the horses off it at night though, so they don't eat around the clock.

Thanks again for your help.

B