# Looking for ideas on all-natural horse shelter, no construction allowed



## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Part of my land where I have some paddocks is in a natural zone that doesn't allow any type of construction other than fences. There aren't any trees there, but I could plant some. What I'm looking for are ideas for ways to build natural shelters that will shield from pretty strong wind, rain, and light snow (and sun in summer). Has anyone here ever done this before? Used some sort of tree/bush combo to create a natural and effective shelter? If so, I'd love to hear about it and/or see pictures. I haven't been able to find a single thing online.

My concern is whatever bush I put there my horses will eat the leaves off and whatever tree I put there will get knocked over because it'll be too new to have deep roots and won't be able to withstand horse butts rubbing on it.

Thanks for your input!


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Subbing to hear the suggestions.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Could you use stacked rocks?


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

Could you fence around the newly planted trees, until they rooted and grew stronger? Or plant them outside the fence so it makes a windbreak, like a privacy barrier?


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

You could buy some large round bales (perhaps old hay someone is looking to get rid of for free) stack them as a wind break, cover them in tarps (to keep the horses from eating them) and then stretch another tarp over the top. All of it is easily reversible.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Drifting said:


> Could you fence around the newly planted trees, until they rooted and grew stronger? Or plant them outside the fence so it makes a windbreak, like a privacy barrier?


I was thinking I could plant a hedge outside the fence as a windbreak, but I don't know how to get shelter on the sides or overhead.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Reiningcatsanddogs said:


> You could buy some large round bales (perhaps old hay someone is looking to get rid of for free) stack them as a wind break, cover them in tarps (to keep the horses from eating them) and then stretch another tarp over the top. All of it is easily reversible.



Hmmmm.... I actually have a bunch of crappy large square bales not suitable for eating (too much dirt in them from moles digging up the ground) that I could stack for sides and back. BUT... I know my boys...they'll pick at that **** tarp until they get it undone and then they'll eat the crap hay and it'll fall down.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I think i would do the hedge, then plant some trees inside. Fence them off so the horses can't scratch on them. When they grow a bit bigger and can't be bent over, you could remove the fence. Maybe space them out so the horses could stand between/under the branches (once grown)


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Drifting said:


> Could you fence around the newly planted trees, until they rooted and grew stronger? Or plant them outside the fence so it makes a windbreak, like a privacy barrier?


I could perhaps. Young trees wouldn't be much for keeping the rain off, though.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

Some horses are convinced they are reincarnated giraffes and will happily trim your trees.


Here in the wind plains state. we plant shelter belts to protect fields and pastures from the elements. In my area, cedars or pines are planted to provide wind breaks on the north and west sides with elms or cottonwoods planted on the south of east side of the cedars for shade. However, it takes years for an effective windbreak to grow to the size to provide protection for livestock, depending on the growing conditions and types of trees chosen, over 10 years.


For immediate shelter from winds, rains, snows, and ice, fences would be you best option-----just build it solid so it blocks the prevailing winds and the horses can get up against the other side.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Could you use stacked rocks?


I'm not sure. Do you mean for a windbreak? If I make three walls, that would be considered a construction.


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## Reiningcatsanddogs (Oct 9, 2014)

How about something like this? 

I have built shelters out of "natural" materials for people using logs and brush, but if creating three walls is going to be considered construction then your only option is two walls....










Or a much larger version of this....











Which may or may not be sturdy enough for horses


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Could you hang tarps from trees to kind of make a roof? Once the trees are big enough?


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Or what about like a shelter logic shed? They're easy to move around, its not construction because its not permanent? 










ShelterLogic Equine Run In Shed, 12 ft. W x 20 ft. L x 8-3/10 ft. H - For Life Out Here


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

A skid type shelter is not considered permanent.
A good stockade fence makes a nice wind block.


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## Mulefeather (Feb 22, 2014)

evilamc said:


> Or what about like a shelter logic shed? They're easy to move around, its not construction because its not permanent?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was going to suggest this also. They typically are able to get around zoning laws because they are considered a non-permanent structure. 

As far as rainfall, most horses are content to stand out in a downpour without a second thought. It's really wind, sun, and heat that you have to protect against in most areas. 

I also like the idea of planting pines. They are tough, grow well in lots of different climates, and eventually the needles will create a nice "bed" of pine straw as the needles fall off over time. Horses also generally don't eat them, even as seedlings, if there is better food available.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

People get around those planning laws in the UK by using 'mobile field shelters', because they're designed to be moved around they don't need any planning permission. I know some local councils do go around checking but I have a friend with one and its only been moved twice in 9 years.
Might be worth looking into if your area of France has similar laws
Mobile Field Shelters - Jon William Stables UK
If the land is agricultural and approved for livestock in the UK its fairly easy to get permission to put some form of shelter on it because animal welfare says that livestock should have sufficient shelter if they're living outdoors so France might not view it the same way


Hawthorn is a fairly sturdy fast growing hedge but to have something thats all year round weather protection you need to look at evergreens really


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## jgalejs (Jul 10, 2016)

Any rules against a table and chairs? =P 









**I do not own this image


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Well, if you want a shelter,with a roof, can't you put up a horse shelter that is on skids\?
You can still plant a wind break shelter belt behind it
Don't need anything fancy, just something like the one in this link

Hubby builds our own, which vary abit, but are basically open on one side, and on skids. If you have lots of wind, you do want to anchor those skids down!

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-servic...ype-shelters-from-875-free-delivery/515166490


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Prairie said:


> For immediate shelter from winds, rains, snows, and ice, fences would be you best option-----just build it solid so it blocks the prevailing winds and the horses can get up against the other side.


Except that if the OP has significant winds, a solid fence is likely to blow down. Should find out what max wind speed (and direction) is for that area, and do some engineering calculations.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I was also going to suggest looking into structures that aren't considered permanent. 

Horse Shelters & Feeders


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## Abzeez (Aug 22, 2016)

In one of the paddocks we have a wall of pine trees. The horses prefer them over the lean to that is there. There are probably 8 or 9 pine trees and the horses cozy up in between them when it's freezing rain and blowing strong winds.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

I knew I could count on you guys! Thanks for all the good ideas. I'll post pics of what I eventually do. I thought of one more item I'm going to include here for anyone looking at this too... I'm not sure it'll fly with our city hall, but worth a shot! I wouldn't put those white walls up, but maybe a log or two as "posts". I'm not sure what I could use as the support structure underneath other than concrete, which would be why they'd say no, but hey, it's not visible and the land is still usable so maybe...


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

evilamc said:


> Or what about like a shelter logic shed? They're easy to move around, its not construction because its not permanent?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



If they want to get picky, they'll say no to this as well, because I'm not even supposed to use the land as hay storage with a green tunnel like this. It's very frustrating.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

ecasey said:


> I'm not sure. Do you mean for a windbreak? If I make three walls, that would be considered a construction.


I just meant stacking them up, no mortar, so they could come down quickly. If you used native rock and didn't mortar them, here you'd be considered to have a non-permanent structure and wouldn't run afoul of permitting or permission to build laws. I don't know how they'd view it in France. 

Something like this or even a 3 sided shelter with stone on the sides.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

jamesqf said:


> Except that if the OP has significant winds, a solid fence is likely to blow down. Should find out what max wind speed (and direction) is for that area, and do some engineering calculations.



We've had 100 mph+ straight winds and our solid fences hold. Heck they even were fine after a few smaller tornados hit us. It sure didn't take any engineering calculations, but it does take good workmanship, using quality materials, and sinking those fence posts down at least 3 feet.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

So, curious, are you in some sort of suburb, as I find those building codes strange, in areas zoned for small acreages even
If they allow livestock, seems rather weird not to allow any shelters, even those not permanent !
Do you live in some sort of official park, with 100 year leases, and not true land ownership?


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

I have seen a picture somewhere of a beautiful woven side and top for weather protection. It could be grown into a shelter with training of whatever tree or shrubs a person chose.

So a living shelter....


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Smilie - It's France!!!
Local councils there are worse than local and Parish councils in the UK and put all sorts of blocks in place especially if they think it will spoil the look of the countryside. Surry (UK) was making rules on all sorts of stuff to prevent horse owners from making the views look untidy


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

If you plant a hedge and trees then you are going to have to keep the horses away from it for at least five years and even then it will not be offering much shelter.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

In the UK you have to have planning permission to put in an arena. There are instances where horse owners have been in trouble for having show jumps in their fields.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Smilie said:


> So, curious, are you in some sort of suburb, as I find those building codes strange, in areas zoned for small acreages even
> If they allow livestock, seems rather weird not to allow any shelters, even those not permanent !
> Do you live in some sort of official park, with 100 year leases, and not true land ownership?


No, I live in FRANCE! haha. If you live here, you'd understand the complexity of that statement. They are crazy here about their zoning. There's the agricultural zone, where I could build a shelter if I held a special designation personally as a person who raises animals for a living (and paid the taxes associated with that status), and then there's the natural zone which is supposed to remain totally natural, and cannot be used for raising animals or growing food. Probably putting up a fence is illegal too but no one enforces that part of the code. But they sure do enforce the no structures part. They fear that people will slowly morph the structures into habitations. France remains quant and beautiful in part because of all the restrictions, but this one annoys everyone including the mayors who have to enforce the rules. They do not care at all about the welfare of the horses because they can always say: "Move them to an agricultural zone." BTW, this zone is right off my back yard and side yards. My house is plunked down right in the middle of all of it.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Foxhunter said:


> In the UK you have to have planning permission to put in an arena. There are instances where horse owners have been in trouble for having show jumps in their fields.


Strangely enough, I can put in an arena! But no cover over it, of course. Just sand and fences is fine, though.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

ChitChatChet said:


> I have seen a picture somewhere of a beautiful woven side and top for weather protection. It could be grown into a shelter with training of whatever tree or shrubs a person chose.
> 
> So a living shelter....


I wish I could see a picture of that! I've searched to no avail.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

Since the pasture is right off your backyard, could you put a shelter for the horse in it?


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Prairie said:


> Since the pasture is right off your backyard, could you put a shelter for the horse in it?


I also have 4 dogs that go nuts when they see the horses moving around, and stinging insects and flies that hang out with the horses, so I don't think I'd want them right in my backyard. I love them, don't get me wrong, but our living environments don't exactly compliment one another.


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## ChitChatChet (Sep 9, 2013)

This is pretty neat looking. Doesn't meet your requirements though.

Still searching to see if I can find that woven shelter.

This one cracks me up.










Our ponies often live in our yard. Its no more buggy as we have cows on 2 sides of our property.

I'd personally look into hedges of some type. If the wind is blowing and its raining it will all goes sideways so the hedge would protect. We live on a prairie I notice the horses much prefer wind protection to rain protection or even both.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

I love the table and chairs idea. I'm pretty sure they'd make me take it down if I did it, though.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

> I'd personally look into hedges of some type. If the wind is blowing and its raining it will all goes sideways so the hedge would protect. We live on a prairie I notice the horses much prefer wind protection to rain protection or even both.


I've noticed mine prefer wind protection to rain too, if they have to choose. But if they can have both, they'll take both.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

There are many ways to control flies and other insects so that shouldn't be an issue. Dogs can be trained to behave around horses---our 4 dogs sure are! However, where to put the shelter is your decision.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Do you have any hills that you could dig into to make an earth shelter?


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Prairie said:


> We've had 100 mph+ straight winds and our solid fences hold. Heck they even were fine after a few smaller tornados hit us. It sure didn't take any engineering calculations, but it does take good workmanship, using quality materials, and sinking those fence posts down at least 3 feet.


I suppose it depends on what you consider to be quality materials. I've got a stretch of 3-board wood fence (installed by the previous owner) with 4x4 posts set in concrete - typical fence construstion - and had most of the posts snap off at ground level.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Prairie said:


> There are many ways to control flies and other insects so that shouldn't be an issue. Dogs can be trained to behave around horses---our 4 dogs sure are! However, where to put the shelter is your decision.


We use just about every fly and insect trap/repellent known to man, but it doesn't help much. We have them hanging in the trees (8) of them and they're filled in 2 weeks (two kinds, 6 for regular flies, 2 for stinging insects), on the ground, fed via the horses' food, spray on their bodies (both the toxic kind and natural kind)... we sure trap and kill a lot of them, but there are plenty more that survive to annoy and bite. Where I live is insect heaven...wet and warm with lots of forests nearby and long grasses. So I really can't have the horses within 100 feet of the house or we'd have to wear fly masks and spray ourselves too.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

JCnGrace said:


> Do you have any hills that you could dig into to make an earth shelter?


I don't, but I'm thinking about making one! I'm going to ask our city hall if they'd allow me to build a steel structure and then cover it with earth and grass to make it look natural.  I suspect they'll say no, but it doesn't hurt to ask!


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## Rain Shadow (May 1, 2014)

Have you considered moving?


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Rain Shadow said:


> Have you considered moving?


Ack,no! I just moved here in May! lol


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

you could plant a lot of trees around the structure so it looked natural.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

stevenson said:


> you could plant a lot of trees around the structure so it looked natural.


I should have done that before I built the structure, because now that the mayor has seen it and told me it needs to come down, it's too late.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The 'living wall' is usually made out of Willow that you train to grow entwined among a lattice type structure - the UK primary/junior school my youngest son went too had one but the horses would eat it faster than it would grow 
We couldn't build stables on our paddock in the UK because of the agricultural restrictions - could have had a field shelter but that wasn't what we needed - we were able to build our stables on our garden area because it was suitably sited as to not cause problems for other homes. Our dogs soon got used to the horses being led up and down a narrow pathway at the side of the house every day so I think yours would the same


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

I recollect having seen the picture of the huge table and chairs in a similar article, where it was challenged by the authorities.

It was allowed to remain however; under the classification of Art.


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

What are the dimensions of the area the horses are in? How many horses need to be sheltered? What about making a solid fence on two sides at the a corner of the fence then tarping the top for a roof. It would be triangular but if the solid parts were blocking the prevailing winds it might work. If they don't like a tarp, then maybe thatch (which would be hard with only two walls).


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Something I thought of today while I was at an event...what about getting like chicken wire/cattle wire, making it into like a half circle run in type thing, then covering it with brush? or growing like something on it like thick ivy? I'm bad at explaining 

Kinda like this?


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

When I was a landscape designer we had roses that we used called pegging roses. They had long, flexible canes that you would pull over and pin down. Not large enough for a shelter but there are roses with 20-30 foot canes that you could do something similar with as well as hedging portions for a wind break. they grow quick and the more you prune the thicker they get. Since you can put up a fence then that could be your beginning support. Here we use a rose called Rosa laevigata (Cherokee Rose). You would have to double fence to keep keep them off of it the first couple of years. Well dug in and fertilized with horse manure compost and they grow like crazy. Once up and thick the horses can prune them for you. Mine don't have a problem with the thorns but that is an issue I considered. There are some less thorny and others without thorns that aren't quite as vigorous. The other option is Silverberry (_Elaeagnus pungens) though that can get quite large and take up a much larger area but my son used ours as a fort and cut out the inside so there was a large room under the canopy. It grows quickly. _


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## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

I didn't read every reply- but ten years ago we planted a shelter belt of tiny (10 inch tall) spruce trees in our pasture. They are now 20 feet tall and so thick you can't walk between them. Within five years they were six plus feet tall and very dense. The horses go behind them in our harsh winters to seek protection from the north winds and snowstorms - while they have a very nice and **very expensive** run in shelter to go in.


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## ecasey (Oct 18, 2013)

Well, according to Snopes, that's not the real story behind that picture, but maybe it could work anyway.


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