The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: Buffy the eggs layer on September 27, 2012, 09:05:48 am
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Hi :wave:
my sister has recently set up a small livery yard and is looking for customers. She has put some leaflets in the local feed merchants, add in the local paper, leaflets at a local horse show etc but without much luck.
she has plans to build an outdoor schooling arena but needs some customers in order to raise the cash for it. Do you think that this is putting customers off?
Any ideas of how she could promote it better?
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TBH given UK weather patterns these days unless it is very cheap or has fantastic hacking when other local yards dont, a livery yard really needs to have a manege. Also people are sometimes wary of taking the big step of moving the horse there unless the manege is already built, rather than 'to come' as it isnt unknown for promises of facilities to come never materialising in the livery yard world.
It is also a very poor time in the horse market with a lot of people downsizing their horse numbers or even giving up altogether because of the costs.
But all this depends on how much is being charged, what other advantages the yard has over the competition.
She could try advertising on HorseystuffforsaleinScotland facebook group - it is very active (just sold some hoof boots via it myself) and the ads are free, and there are plenty of Fifers on there.
One other thought, a popular option might be to specialise eg set up a Paddock Paradise track system on the grazing (google for details) and have a low/no grass turnout option. Lots of people with lami prone horses really struggle to find places which dont fertilise the land like mad or have any options for horses that can have much grass. They might well put up with no manege for a while to get this option for their horse.
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Thanks for this reply,
lots of food for thought. Shes not very IT friendly so Facebook would be a step too far for her though probably the most useful way of promoting it.
I think that you are right about the need for a a menage. Do you think it would need to be undercover as a result of the weather?
She does opperate a low grass system so perhaps promoting that feature would be a good idea.
Thanks for the suggestions
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Undercover would be lovely and she would be overrun with applications BUT it would be very expensive and would certainly never remotely be paid for my DIY liveries. A lot of DIY places have turned into part livery only just because thats the only part they made any money on, plus the added liabilities in the animal welfare codes these days mean they can end up liable if a horse is abandoned or neglected.
So even with Scottish weather, a decent outdoor manege would be acceptable for liveries.
The paddock paradise thing would basically mean that rather than having a big field with lots of grass and fat horses, there is a track made around the outside of the field (normal perimeter fence then electric for the inner bit) so the horse get less grass and their hay/water etc are spread at different points on the track, also ideally there is a mixture of surfaces incl eg some pea gravel which is very good for conditioning the hooves of horses who dont wear shoes (an increasing number). The inner electric fence can be moved inwards gradually if more grass is needed, or hay crop can be taken off it (or both).
I would encourage her to consider the facebook advertising route, as her client base (likely to be younger females) will look there for sure and it is easy to set up a FB account - if she fills the yard and doesnt want to be on FB permanently she can always delete the account once the yard is full. Also she should put her yard on the website Liverylist which is also often used.
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She can be checked by the BHS having this approval may bring people in for they know its got all the proper safety checks. Insurance would be a must as much for herself and any clients.
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Depending where she is she needs to look at other available livery yards in the area and offer something they don't to appeal to a different market.
You don't say what her hacking is like locally - that is a big deal for most potential liveries particularly the happy hackers which are bread and butter for most yards that don't specialise in competition dressage or SJ or hunting.. If it's x miles of offroad tracks then say so, if it's only 5 minutes from a town, say that.
If she offers just grazing livery that is a good pull for the M&M types like myself who don't want to (or can't afford to) pay for stables and these folk would prefer good offroad hacking to arenas, buy into the low grass grazing options and probably come en masse at a time when many yards move to not allowing turnout at all :( If she was close enough to me and offered a field based grazing rate (ie rather than per head) I'd book a field for temporary resting of my own land and I wouldn't be the only one I'm sure with multiple equines and grass that needs sprayed or rested or cross grazed or fences repaired etc, she'd probably do good business with mares being weaned off foals bred at home for instance if offering short term decent rates. Or if she's right by St Andrews or the coastal villages where tourists go, she could offer holiday livery for folk in caravans and cottages - but dependent on her hacking quality again..
A few random thoughts, good luck to her :)
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Thanks everyone for all your great suggestions. I will pass them on to her next week when she comes to visit.
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Hi I am desperately looking for a paddock or field in fife for a rescue pony. Does your sister have any space at all this is an urgent move from England ASAP. Where in fife is she please?? X
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Hi Mel,
I hope you got sorted with my sister and good luck with your rescue pony :fc:
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Hello,
I have just read this thread about livery where about in fife is your sister based. I have 5 horses and 2 ponies that i urgently need to find livery for by the end of the month any info would be gratefully appreciated thanks :)
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Hi Vicky
sorry for the delay in replying. Im sure she would love to have you all. I have PMd you her number.
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hi, were is ur sisters place please, i am possibly looking to move my 3 ponies from very busy livery yard to somewhere a little smaller
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Hi, moving to Dalgety Bay in the spring this year, looking for livery for 4 horses - 2 mares who would need stabling, 2 geldings who can potentially live out all year providing there is grazing/ hay available. Would be grateful for any thoughts or knowledge of available spaces. DIY or assisted. Thanks
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Hi,
I will PM you the contact details and you can see what you think.
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Hi,
I will PM you the contact details and you can see what you think.
How's your sister's livery yard doing? Looks like quite a lot of interest on here :fc:
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Hi Rosemary,
she hasnt had much responce to her posters and leaflets and shes not an IT person so wont do forums or face book. Perhaps spring will be a better time. More people move yards in spring I think.
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Did no-one trap from here?
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Hi,
Me and my partner are currently looking for livery for our three horses, in Cupar area if possible. I'd be grateful if you could PM me details.
Thank you!
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Hi Rosemary,
no, so far no joy. The stables are made by Le Chavalier and are lovely and she can offer livery or DIY options. She offers sectioned pasture for those who need to keep their horses weight down and has lots of off road hacking but it might be the lack of an indoor school that is putting people off.
I know she has plans to build a schooling arena but needs the customers first in order to fund it.
Perhaps the demand for yards is just not quite as popular in her new home as it is down here in Yorkshire.
Hi Purplefinks,
I will pm you her number.
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I got a catalogue in TSF for a company called McVeigh Parker - they do a 40m x 20m riding arena for £1924.24 - that doesn't include hardcore and topping though. It includes gates, fencing, retaining boards, two membranes and drainage pipe. Although, obviously, it's not under cover.
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Where in Fife is it, even roughly? There are limits to how far across Fife you can drive on a regular basis to see ponies, particularly in winter in bad weather, but if you say it's towards Dunfermline, Tayport or Newburgh way it might be clearer who can consider it ??? I can't see someone in Dalgety Bay travelling to Wormit or someone from St Andrews side of Cupar going to Abernethy..
And tho she may not be a regular IT person wanting to use social networking, she might find a friend will do her a one page static site with webs.com or weebly with her phone number, half a dozen photos, a price list and a description of services and facilities.. and a location ;)
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Hi Rosemary,
thanks for the details of the arenas I will pass it on.
Ellie, they are all brilliant suggestions, thank you. She is in Crail but as you clearly know the area better than I do so you would know if the location is part of the problem.
e
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Hi Rosemary,
I passed on the info about the schooling arena to my sis. A couple of potential customers came to look at the weekend who seemed really nice so if they decide to move in she will have the funds to set up a school. I know she would love to build one as she would love to be able to school her horse too.
We are going up to visit her in a couple of weeks so I hope the snow stays away.
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Hi
I am looking for a livery for my pony. How can I contact your sister? Do you know if she still has space available?
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Hi Rosemary,
just to let you know that my sisers new customers moved in a couple of weeks ago and she has now had her schooling arena built! She is also hoping to install a porta cabin too with a tea room etc so her customers will have somewhere to sit and shelter from the cold.
:horse: :excited:
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That's brilliant, Buffy - wish her the best of luck from us :thumbsup:
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Thanks Rosemary,
I think one of her customers got a ryeland tup from you, so I recon if they keep coloured ryelands they must be ok!
:sheep:
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Great to hear she is up and running. Do hope it all works out well.
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Hi I knw u posted this ages ago but Thot I'd try any way where abouts is ur sisters yard ? I'm need two stables does she have any room ?
Thanx heather
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Hi I know this was pug up ages ago but Thot would ask anyway does ur sister have room for 2 ? And where abouts is she ?
Thanx heather
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Hi
Can you send me more details about this livery yard in Fife e.g. location, availability and contact details?
Thanks
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Hi
Can you send me more details about this livery yard in Fife e.g. location, availability and contact details?
Thanks
Possibly best to email or PM the original poster :thumbsup: