I see all kinds of horses running around in sheds on the internet and in magazines. There are plans to build them out of wood and kits to build them out of pipes, boards, and angle steel. I would like to go over the pros and cons of some of them.
There are plenty of horses that have just made it through the winter with just the occasional bale of hay. I guess the horses, given a choice, would rather you spend your money on hay than a shelter. I hate to see them standing in the rain with their backs hunched into the wind. A run-of-the-mill shed can cost a bit of money that we all hate to part with, but a shelter could be a wise investment. If a horse is in the rain and wind, he has a high chance of getting sick. Too much sun is also bad. If they get sick it will cost you to get the vet and the medicine. Not only that, but you lose what you had the horse for in the first place. Pleasure to ride it. Young foals don’t have time to develop their immune systems very much and it would be a shame if something happened to one of them. I’m sure we all know this. It’s just something that happens that we don’t like.
Now, if the wife convinces you to part with the money, what should you buy? Most people tend to buy something that is too small. We all have a boss horse and he’s going to hog most of the shelter, so he needs something that gives the boss about two-thirds of the room and then the second one gets the rest. For two horses, you need a 10 x 20 or 12 x 24. It may look large and some wasted space. But it’s a shame to buy or build something too small and have a horse outside looking at the boss inside the shed.
Build versus buy a team
Many of us think we are carpenters and would like to build a horse shelter and save money. It’s not that easy to end up with something that’s strong and tight enough to withstand a good wind storm. You might end up with something you want to keep horses away from during a storm.
Lumber run in sheds
There are companies that advertise on the internet a shed kit made from pre-cut lumber that is ready to nail down. Looks good, probably need a machine to set up some of the 6 x 6’s. Probably take a couple of men a couple of days to put it together. The price is almost as much as some of the metal kits and the labor is three times as much. You will also need a backhoe to dig the corner post holes. Being anchored that way, the taxman might be interested in that too.
One of the disadvantages is its wooden construction. Do you have any horses that have the binding habit? It may not look as good in the spring.
Metal Run In Shed Kits
I have noticed a couple of metal games on the market. One is made of 2-inch metal pipe and the other is made of 3-inch angle iron. I can’t figure out the thickness of the tubing or the weight but the angle iron is 3/16 and the frame kit is over 600lbs and 1200lbs when finished. I would like to compare the weight of the pipe. The liner for pipe one is bolted to slip clamps on the pipe and the angle iron kit has the liner bolted to the angle iron. They both have the ability to stake it out in case you are in a windy area. Both look better than the wooden ones. Whichever path you choose, I’m sure the horse will appreciate it.