Project: 3 Side Horse Shelter w/ PICS

pitotshock · January 18, 2010, 11:52:08 AM

Just thought that I would share some info on the 3 sided horse shelter the wife and I built last summer. It is mostly (~85%) out of recycled rough cut 2x6's of pine/spruce/cedar that came with the farm when we bought it. It's 10'x20' with a 12' high front and a sheet metal roof. We live up north where a heavy ground frost and large snow loads are possible

The Drawing

The Picture

isawlogs · January 18, 2010, 12:10:46 PM

Thanks for the reminder. I got to get one done for this summer. I will do it a little differently , and a little smaller , same shape , three sides , 10 X 12 feet wide , I will put mine on skids to be able to drag it from pasture to pasture, three of the pastures have no trees for shade. Having it on skids will also making the cleaning out of , much easier.

pitotshock · January 18, 2010, 12:28:25 PM

While I certainly see the utility in having a moving shelter, the only problem is the wind. I can think of 4 farms within a 15 minute drive from our farm with a shelter sitting on its roof right now. No ground anchor and a big wind equals a building on it's roof...

Our whole farm is hills and flat spots are a premium, so this shelter basically sit on the only flat spot in the paddock, so I don't need the mobility so much.

Patty · January 18, 2010, 04:20:32 PM

This is very nice. I have been wanting to build a similar shelter for the fat horse and little donk we have. My problem is I need to have the bottom 3/4 in concrete, so when the fat horse leans into it or scratches her hindend against it, it won't collapse or bend like the previous shelters we have had her in.

She is a 1 ton marvel, that horse!

pitotshock · May 08, 2010, 09:31:09 AM

Sorry for digging this old post up, but with a new summer up here, my wife and I built a second shelter the same as the first. We took some pics during construction to show others how it was built. Maybe someone who is looking to start their own project might get some ideas from this one.

Start with the posts 6x6" 16' up front and 12' in back

Add outside girts

Brace the front middle post

Nail on the beams

Put up the roof rafters with blocking

Roof Strapping

Outside sheeting, ours is recycled boards from around the farm

Chuck White · May 08, 2010, 09:36:31 AM

Looks like a pretty nice building. ;)

DanG · May 08, 2010, 11:01:09 AM

Yes, that's a nice shelter. The only thing I would add is some siding across the front, from the roof down to the level of the back side. That would add a little more protection from blowing snow, and help with the wind load a bit.

Shelter for horses varies quite a bit with differing climates. This one is great for the cold North, but a one-sided shed is preferred down here. Our horses just naturally seek shelter from the heat more than from cold, so a more open configuration is preferred. Any cold winds we get are always from the North, so that's the side that gets the wall. Our nags use their shed to get out of the hot sun, but don't go in there to escape the cold or the rain.

Magicman · May 08, 2010, 10:11:18 PM

Quote from: DanG on May 08, 2010, 11:01:09 AM
Our nags use their shed to get out of the hot sun, but don't go in there to escape the cold or the rain.

Was that the couple of nags that I saw hanging over the fence ???

Nice shelter Pitotshock. I like the "reused" lumber.

DanG · May 09, 2010, 12:22:50 AM

Yeah Lynn, that was a couple of them. They're just a couple of old retired guys. Linda's riding horses are at a friends farm where they do their riding and training.

thecfarm · May 09, 2010, 08:14:35 AM

Looks alot like what I built for the wife.I did close in the front some.I made 2 big openings on the front just to keep the wife happy.She wanted to make sure the horses were protected from the weather. I made each opening a little more than 4 feet wide.They did not like the noise from the rain pounding down on the steel roof.They would take off running away from it when we had a bad shower. When it would snow they would face it,but would not go into it.They used it more in the summer to get away from the flies than they would use it all winter.We kept blankets on them all winter too. My wife would have a fit watching the snow pile up on their backs when it was snowing out.

gary · May 09, 2010, 08:36:29 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on May 09, 2010, 08:14:35 AM
Looks alot like what I built for the wife.
If I tried to put my wife in something like that I would be the one staying there.

thecfarm · May 10, 2010, 06:26:15 AM

That did not come out right. :D

Ramirogold · August 16, 2018, 12:59:20 PM

I know this is an old post but I still want to share the project I did together with a good (= handy) friend of mine ;D ;D ;D ;D

WV Sawmiller · August 16, 2018, 02:37:20 PM

I built something similar last year for a firewood shed. I just used 4 locust poles for uprights.

During construction

Pretty much finished - just clean up left.

My horse and mule tend to use their sheds more during the summer when it is hot and the flies are out. The heavy shade repels the flies for some reason. They will not enter the shade. Horse and mule stay in during the day and get out and feed more at night.

thecfarm · August 26, 2018, 05:39:10 AM

Ramirogold,welcome to the forum.
Looks like it will work.

Chuck White · August 26, 2018, 06:41:53 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Ramirogold!

moniquerene23 · October 21, 2019, 10:54:15 PM

Hi, I was hoping someone had a supply list for this awesome shelter? I cant seem to find it anywhere

WV Sawmiller · October 22, 2019, 03:21:33 PM

Monique,

What size do you plan on building - 10'X12', 10'X16', 10'X24', etc? What do you plan on using for siding - board & batten, OSB/Plywood, metal, lap siding, etc.? What do you plan on using for roofing - shingles, metal, etc. What is your snow load - slope of roof/height differences between front and back? What is your planned rafter material and spacing - 2X4/2X6, 16" centers/2' centers, etc. ? How much overhang do you want on the front, back and sides - 1', 2', etc?

Lots of the box stores have a computer program and if you show them this drawing and answer the above info they can probably spit out a BOM in very short order.

Its not that hard to calculate once you make up your mind about the above details?

moniquerene23 · October 24, 2019, 05:32:59 PM

Quote from: pitotshock on January 18, 2010, 11:52:08 AM
Just thought that I would share some info on the 3 sided horse shelter the wife and I built last summer. It is mostly (~85%) out of recycled rough cut 2x6's of pine/spruce/cedar that came with the farm when we bought it. It's 10'x20' with a 12' high front and a sheet metal roof. We live up north where a heavy ground frost and large snow loads are possible

The Drawing

The Picture

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on October 22, 2019, 03:21:33 PM
Monique,

What size do you plan on building - 10'X12', 10'X16', 10'X24', etc? What do you plan on using for siding - board & batten, OSB/Plywood, metal, lap siding, etc.? What do you plan on using for roofing - shingles, metal, etc. What is your snow load - slope of roof/height differences between front and back? What is your planned rafter material and spacing - 2X4/2X6, 16" centers/2' centers, etc. ? How much overhang do you want on the front, back and sides - 1', 2', etc?

Lots of the box stores have a computer program and if you show them this drawing and answer the above info they can probably spit out a BOM in very short order.

Its not that hard to calculate once you make up your mind about the above details?

Oh man ok maybe I can ask one for them when I go to town this weekend. I was trying to do one 10X12 and we are trying to make it out of plywood and 2X4 and 4X4 (we have lots of extra from a previous project). We are wanting to put Sheet metal up top for roofing. Thank you for your time in replying and help!

Brad_bb · October 25, 2019, 08:07:10 PM

Nice shelter OP! One thing I've been seeing lately is over in England when they have a post out in the open that is exposed to horses, they stack old tires over the post to protect the post.

WV Sawmiller · October 25, 2019, 10:19:32 PM

Quote from: moniquerene23 on October 24, 2019, 05:32:59 PMOh man ok maybe I can ask one for them when I go to town this weekend. I was trying to do one 10X12 and we are trying to make it out of plywood and 2X4 and 4X4 (we have lots of extra from a previous project). We are wanting to put Sheet metal up top for roofing. Thank you for your time in replying and help!

Monique,

I'd think 4X4 would be a little small for the uprights and I'd want something like a 2X12 for the header on front and back to rest the rafters on. Assuming 8' height you should be able to close in the back with 3 sheets of plywood and 5 sheets should do both the ends with another couple of sheets to close the gap above the ends depending upong the slope.

If I had excess 2X4s and plywood I'd likely buy 4- 6X6 (Height dependent upon slope based on snow load in your area). I'd buy 2-2X12X14' headers for the rafter to rest on. I'd buy 1X4 or 1X6 strips to go under the roofing and extend them out 6" on either side to have a 15' wide roof if using 3' metal sheets for roofing, 14' with no extension if using 2' wide panels. I'd use 12' rafters covered in 12' long metal sheets. The back header would serve as the nailer and I'd use 2-2X4X12's on the back as parallel nailers and 3-2X4X10 on each end as parallel nailers and probably one more above end depending on the slope. On the front I'd use 1/2 sheet of plywood cut into 45 degree angles as bracing to keep the shed from ricking side to side. I'd run my rafters on 16" centers and my strips under the metal on 2' centers.

My woodshed shown above is 10' X 12' and other than using plywood for siding and 4 native locust poles for uprights those are the materials I used. I made my roof 12 X 15 using 5 sheets of 3' wide metal roofing. As you note I did not close in the gap above the ends.

Good luck.