[DandG]

Hi All,
We are looking at getting a new property in Wales or Southern Ireland. We have found a lovely place with 4 acres of good grass and  a brand new stable block containing 3 stables a tack room with toilet and wash hand basin in Ireland.

We know nothing at all about horses and don't want to rip anyone off, so what would be a fair price for diy livery and what would we have to offer. We are trying to work out if it is better to keep the stables or convert them into holiday rental. We would prefer to keep the stables for the livery idea. Also is it correct to assume 1 horse per acre?

We would be very keen to offer a good service so that everyone was happy.

Any help you can give would be great.


Thanks in advance
Dee

[Rosemary]

We pay £32.50 per week for DIY livery, £15 for grass livery (£10 for Shetlands, for the nuisance value  ). The £32.50 includes loosebox, all forage (grass, hay in summer, hay or haylage in the winter), use of 60m x 40m all weather arena. It's a big yard, 40 boxes plus the grass liveries. All boxes are full and there's a waiting list.

[Hardfeather]

With respect, the fact that you know nothing about horses is not a good start in running a livery yard. You need to get yourselves an education quickly.

DIY livery would certainly be your best option, as owners would do all the work and would probably not rely on you too much in terms of management of their horses. However, there will inevitably be times, such as early mornings/evenings/clients' holidays or illness, when you will find yourselves having to handle horses and perhaps make important decisions in the abscence of others.

Running a yard requires great responsibility, not only to your clients but also to the wider equine industry, particularly when it comes to recognising and taking correct action in case of disease. Horses can be injured in the field and require immediate veterinary treatment. Equally, there may be injuries/illnesses which are difficult to identify/diagnose which may not be of an urgent nature and which will require only to be monitered carefully.

Livery yards can be hotbeds for social dissent, and not only among the owners, as horses do not always see eye to eye, often leading to problems with turnout/stabling. The best you could wish for is a harmonious yard, but fall outs and misunderstandings are often the order of the day.

I only say this because, from your post, I get the impression that you may think that all you have to do is provide the facilities and the business will take care of itself.

Please don't be put off by this, however, because if you are well armed with knowledge of horses and their management, you will be in a better position to take and keep control of your own yard. Choose your clients well, draw up contracts. In the event of having a vacancy, ask your existing, good clients about any prospective clients before you agree to accomodate them, and that way you should be able to keep things sweet.

Nothing irks livery clients more than a clueless yard owner, so prepare yourself.

Good luck.

[Hellybee]

If you do decide to go ahead i would  most definately employ recommended  a knowledgeable and trustworty yard manager, so a salary post,  perhaps someone who can also take livery there.  Like Aengus has said its a huuuuuge responsiblity and there are so many things that can go wrong, even more so as you are new to the world of horses, it s impertative that you have a knowledgable person to work it, and deal with issues as they arrive, plus the routine shoeing, trimming, teet, worming programmes etc, rotation,  first aid, what s normal, what s not etc etc etc.   Theres an awful lot to think about, and well worth researching what other yards offer.

Good luck

[Roxy]

I agree with the above posts - there is a lot to consider when running a livery yard.  With all due respect, 4 acres is not going to keep many horses.  You would have to arrange alternative turnout/grazing when the fields need resting - clients would not be happy if they came on the assumption they had all year turn out, then found they had to keep their horses in as there was no grass.  This would mean either you or the horse owner providing bedding, hay and feed, which all costs money.

You need to have good insurance in place, to cover yourself for everything that may happen.  Injury to horses, owners, riders, visitors to the livery yard etc. etc.   The fencing has to be good, and suitable for horses.  Because there is only 4 acres, the horse poo would need to be collected daily, to keep the grass in good condition.  Then there is the maintenance of the fields, topping the grass, rolling, chain harrowing etc.

As a horse owner I would want preferably a menage to ride in - floodlit for winter nights, or at least a flat field.  I would also want good hacking from the stables, not on to busy roads.  Would you specify all geldings, or all mares?  Quite often on livery yards the mares and geldings are separate.

I would also prefer there to be a knowledgeable person at the livery yard, who would be able to feed my horses when I was unable to (happy to pay a little extra for this of course) be there for the farrier, vet etc. if need be.  Also it would be reassuring to know they could spot when my horse was ill or something wrong, and call a vet.

If it was do it yourself, the client would be just paying for stable and grazing, and provide all their own feed and bedding.  Do you have facilities for each person to keep their bedding and feed?  What about keeping tack at the stables, and rugs etc?  I would not be happy having a communal tack room, as you never know how honest the other horse owners are.

If it was part livery, then you would provide bedding, hay or haylage, and have to muck out the stables and turn out and bring in each day.  For this you could charge a lot more.  Again, have you the storage for the bedding, hay etc.  And would you be confident handling horses, putting on and taking off rugs (most wear a stable rug at night and then have an outdoor rug in the daytime)

You also have to remember that people will be coming and going all the time ......early morning, late evenings.  Probably bringing friends, children, etc.  They may have a horse trailer and want to park it at the yard, will you have the room, and is there room for clients to park their cars.

I would also advise you to check with the local council re planning permission for a livery yard.  If it is causing extra traffic on a road, or will affect neighbours, there may be restrictions.  I know when I put in for my stables, I had to say it was not for a livery yard.

If possible go and visit a couple of livery yards before making a decision.  That will give you an idea of whats what.

I am not putting you off, just want to make you aware that there is a lot to consider.

Perhaps the easiest way, is to advertise the stables for one person to take on, or two friends, and just do DIY, so they do everthing themselves.

[Frieslandfilly]

Hi Dee

We did exactly that a year and a half ago, bought a 5 acre DIY livery yard, the only difference was that my daughter who lives with us has been riding and had horses for years so her contribution was vital.

I had not ridden nor been around horses since I was a youngster (distant memory)! I knew nothing about running a livery yard,  but learnt a great deal in a short space of time (mostly how to errect fencing, and how to tell the horse owners exactly what you want them to do, or not to do without losing your temper LOL) Luckily the girls I have on my yard are brilliant, and in the begining I relied on them to answer any questions I had. We charge £100 per month which includes a stable, water and straw, they buy thier own feed and hay (this was advised by the insurance company). I got insurance from NFU who are great at this type of business. We are lucky enough to have the free use of a paddock in the village which the bigger horses use twice a year for about 6 weeks at a time. There are 2 tack rooms, 1 feed room, 1 menage (outdoor) a hay barn and plenty of parking. We also have a temporary contract for grass only which is £10 per horse per week and £5 extra if they want to use the menage, £10 a month to park a horsebox inside a secure area, gaurded by the dog at night!

I buy the straw wheels from a local chap and they are £10 a wheel, and hay wheels are £15

You talk about holiday homes but why not combine the two, you could have horses staying on a temp basis while the owners are on hoilday in the area, i.e a riding holiday.

Hope that helps, and as long as you have helpful, reliable owners on your yard you should be fine, you would have the details of the owner and the horse, plus the deatils of thier vet and presuming you have had dealings with animals before you would be able to make a sensible decision in case of an incident such as injury or illness, mostly this would involve getting hold of the owner quickly so that they can come down and decide on the best course of action( I have only ever had to get hold of them for escapees, the fencing was old and rotten when we first came here) You should at the very least learn how to handle a horse incase of escapes and develop from there. As it is DIY the owners will or should be doing everything for themselves.

Dawn

[DandG]

Hi All,
As is usual for this great site, thanks very much for the sound advice from you all. It's foucussed our minds, we would not have a problem with neighbours as ours is the only place for miles.

We will look into it in greater detail but think once my other half reads all the posts, he will decide on turning the stable block into rooms for b & b.

Thanks again for all the great info
Cheers
Dee

[Roxy]

I was about to say maybe the B & b guests would be easier to deal with than horse owners, but not so sure, given the way some of the human race seem to act when in someone else's home!!

Good luck in your venture, whether it be liveries or B & B