Design your horse paddock shelter with shed designer.
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What is a horse paddock shelter?
A horse paddock shelter (sometimes called a run-in shed, field shelter, paddock cover, or three-sided shelter) is a welfare-driven structure that gives horses unrestricted access to shade, wind protection and rain cover while they live out at pasture. It's the simplest equestrian build on the property, and the one with the strongest welfare and insurance argument.
ShedDesigner paddock shelters are built from 100% Australian-made BlueScope steel, clad in Colorbond®, and engineered to AS/NZS 1170.2 wind loading for the actual paddock they sit on (Standards Australia, AS/NZS 1170.2:2021 Structural design actions, Part 2: Wind actions). Sizing, orientation and cladding are tuned to RSPCA welfare guidance and Equestrian Australia's stable construction standards (RSPCA Australia, Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Horses).
Sizing for the herd that lives in the paddock
The single most common buyer mistake is underbuilding. A shelter the dominant horse can corner the others away from is not a shelter, it's a status symbol. RSPCA Australia and most state-based equine welfare codes recommend a minimum sheltered footprint of around 3.0 to 3.5 square metres per horse for ponies and small horses, climbing to 4.5 to 5.5 square metres per horse for warmbloods and larger frames, with enough open frontage that no horse can be physically blocked from entering.
Common sizing across ShedDesigner paddock shelter templates:
- 2 horses (ponies / small horses): 6m × 3.6m (~22m²), single open front
- 2 horses (warmbloods): 7.2m × 4.5m (~32m²), single open front
- 3 to 4 horses (warmbloods): 9m × 4.8m to 12m × 5.4m (~45-65m²), wider open front, sometimes split centre post
- 5 to 6 horses: 12m × 6m or two separate shelters at opposite ends of the paddock, especially if the herd has a strong dominant pair
If the herd has known bullies, splitting one larger shelter into two smaller ones at opposite ends of the paddock typically reads better in welfare terms than a single oversized build.
Three-sided versus fully enclosed
Almost every Australian paddock shelter is three-sided. Horses won't reliably enter a fully enclosed structure with a single roller door, which means the build fails on welfare grounds the moment the dominant horse blocks the entrance.
Open side orientation. Standard practice is to orient the open side away from the prevailing wet-weather wind direction. In most of southern Australia that means open to the north or north-east, with the closed back facing the south-westerly weather front. Your dealer reviews local prevailing wind data and BoM exposure for your block at quote stage.
Roof slope and ridge height. Plan for at least 2.7 to 3.0 metre interior ridge height for ponies and small horses, climbing to 3.6 metres for warmbloods, to keep horses from striking the roof when they rear or lift their heads sharply (RSPCA Australia, Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Horses, ridge clearance recommendations). Single-pitch (skillion) roofs are most common and give the cleanest run-off pattern.
No internal partitions. Paddock shelters are not stables. Internal partitions create traps where a horse can be cornered. If you want stalls, see horse stables instead. If you want an arena cover, see horse arenas.
Slab, floor and footings
Most paddock shelters sit on engineered piers driven into the paddock substrate, with no slab. The floor is usually compacted hardstand topped with rubber matting or sand, drained away from the open front so water sheets out rather than pooling under hooves.
A concrete slab is rare in paddock shelters because horses don't tolerate hard, slippery surfaces well in the rain. Where buyers want an easier-to-clean floor (often near foaling time), the slab is poured with a brushed surface and rubber matting laid over the top.
Before you get quotes
100% Australian-made BlueScope steel. Structural framing and Colorbond® cladding. BlueScope's COLORBOND® steel cladding for sheds and garages carries a warranty of up to 15 years against corrosion to perforation, with the exact period set by location and application (BlueScope, Garages & Sheds Warranty). Check your build on BlueScope's online warranty estimator. Lighter Colorbond® colours (Surfmist, Pale Eucalypt) carry higher solar reflectance than darker greys, which can reduce internal temperatures meaningfully on hot summer days when horses are sheltering from heat rather than rain (BlueScope, Solar Reflectance Index data for COLORBOND® steel).
ShedSafe accredited dealers, no exceptions. Every dealer on ShedDesigner is ShedSafe accredited under the Australian Steel Institute programme, which independently assesses dealer design and engineering against the National Construction Code and AS/NZS 1170.2.
One design, multiple quotes. Your paddock shelter design goes out to dealers covering your region. Every quote prices the same shelter, in the same steel, to the same engineering, to the same orientation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How big should a paddock shelter be for two horses?
Plan for around 6m × 3.6m (22m²) for two ponies and 7.2m × 4.5m (32m²) for two warmbloods, with a clear single open front. RSPCA Australia recommends a minimum of around 3.0 to 3.5 square metres per pony and 4.5 to 5.5 square metres per warmblood inside the sheltered footprint, with enough frontage that no horse can be physically blocked from entering by another.
Should a paddock shelter be three-sided or fully enclosed?
Three-sided is standard and welfare-recommended. Horses will not reliably enter a fully enclosed structure with a roller door, which means a closed shelter fails on welfare grounds the moment the dominant horse blocks the entrance. Three-sided shelters with the open side oriented away from the prevailing wet-weather wind direction give every horse uncontested access in any weather.
Which way should the open side face?
In most of southern Australia, the open side faces north or north-east, with the closed back wall taking the south-westerly weather front. Your local dealer checks prevailing wind data and BoM exposure for your specific block before quoting. Coastal and tableland properties sometimes need the orientation rotated 30 to 60 degrees off the standard rule of thumb to handle local microclimate.
What roof height do I need for warmblood horses?
Plan for a minimum 3.6 metre interior ridge height for warmbloods and 2.7 to 3.0 metre for ponies and small horses, to stop horses striking the roof when they rear or lift their heads. Single-pitch (skillion) roofs are the standard pattern and give clean rainwater run-off away from the open front. Equestrian Australia's stable construction guidelines and the RSPCA's welfare standards both call out ridge clearance as a welfare line item.
Do paddock shelters need a concrete slab?
Almost never. Most paddock shelters sit on engineered piers driven into the paddock substrate, with the floor finished as compacted hardstand topped with rubber matting or sand and graded to drain away from the open front. Concrete is rarely used because horses don't tolerate hard, slippery surfaces well in wet weather. Where a slab is poured, it's usually brushed and covered with rubber matting.
Can I move a paddock shelter between paddocks?
Yes, with the right footing system. Paddock shelters built on engineered skid bases (rather than fixed piers) can be towed or dragged between paddocks for pasture rotation, which is common practice on operations running rotational grazing. Skid-base sheds carry a slightly different engineering pathway under AS/NZS 1170.2 because they aren't a permanent structure. Talk to your ShedDesigner dealer at quote stage if rotation is important to you.
What's the difference between a paddock shelter and a stable?
A paddock shelter gives horses unrestricted, voluntary access to weather cover while they live out at pasture. A stable confines a single horse to an enclosed stall, usually overnight or during an injury or training schedule. Different welfare expectations, different sizing, different ventilation requirements. For an enclosed stall build, see horse stables. For a covered training space, see horse arenas.
Other Equine designs
Horse Dressage Riding Arenas
Covered riding arena designs for dressage and training. Large spans with clear interior space.
Horse Stables
Boxes, breezeway, tack and wash bay built to the NSW welfare code. ShedSafe accredited dealers, BlueScope steel.
Horse Float Storage
Steel sheds sized to a horse float, with the eave height that actually clears the door once the roller drum is in. Optional tack and feed bays.
Horse Sheds
Multi-purpose horse shed for small acreage. Feed, tack and stall under one roof. ShedSafe accredited dealers, BlueScope steel.