A soon to be new YO looking for support and advice

Welcome. Are you building a purpose built yard or a shed that you can put stables in? Id love to build a yard, so give details! :D
 
Gosh! Good luck anyway.

Don't know whether there's anything on there re. YO's, but the BHS website might have something on there which might help you? I know I downloaded a Loan Agreement when I needed it (and altered it to fit my own needs), so dunno whether there's like a YO or Livery agreement or anything?

This might give you a framework of something you could use with your own livery clients. Remember always (sorry being morbid, but v. necessary) to include the "euthanisia phrase" i.e. words to the effect that in the event of emergency if the owner cannot be contacted the attending vet has the right to PTS on humane grounds. Awful, but necessary.

Never ever under ANY circumstances have anyone on the yard without a livery agreement signed and witnessed.

As a YO you WILL unfortunately have at least ONE difficult client in your "career"; so you will need to develop a shell of steel and decide how you will deal with awkward situations like having to arbitrate between liveries.

An empty yard (or empty space on the yard) is heaps better than a troublesome livery who will neglect their horse, badmouth you to everyone at equine events, won't pay their livery fees on time/if ever and will generally be a pain in the hinterland.

Get them to pay by direct debit if you can possibly do so.

Get your local Fire Officer and Crime Prevention Officer to have a look at your place and take any advice they may give (hint: their advice is free!). You may also have to give consideration to installing a professional CCTV/security system as well.

Following on from above point: make sure you've got the dreaded H&S sorted: so First Aid Kit/Appointed person, accident book(s), First Aid (and First Aiders! - you may have to train and/or your staff as well); fire escapes & fire equipment, etc etc

Make sure you fill in your tax return on time (easy to forget!). And keep good records throughout the year. We use an accountant, just is easier.

Consider what insurance your yard will need and also what permissions you will need from local council etc., as well as licensing (BHS??) if you're going down that route.

There's more............ just brain is struggling at the mo, so I'll leave the rest to someone else on here!

Finally..... enjoy! You're unlikely to make a mint at it, but you WILL have fun I can guarantee that. You'll meet some lovely owners, and super horses, and will be able to join in with their struggles and successes. In over 20 yrs of doing DIY here we've only in that time had one truly lousy livery, and she left after a month thank God!
 
Good luck and in addition to above make sure you have Rules in place so livery's know what the expectations are - especially important with DIY's as they have far more equipment to bring in and you can end up with a yard looking more like a second hand mucking out tool shop!

Also sort out muck heap removal and field maintenance so you can build into rules.

I have only had one livery and it's not an experience I want to repeat but having the horses at home makes me a more than a little anal and possessive!! I think you are quite near me (West Kent) from your previous threads so will keep an eye out for your yard.
 
Thriller yes I'm building a purpose build yard with stables for between 8 to 10 horses plus usual extras tact room hay shed. I'm also looking at a sand school plus other extras so I'm very excited

Thank you all for the infomation about what I need to consider tbh I think ive done quite well in thinking things through re legal issues (my current place of work has helped with this) and I believe/hope I have a good set up with regards to the running of the place I'm going to be pure business minded only looking at keeping the yard running smoothly whilst my partner (third generation in horse care) will be very 'care and love' minded but has a strong head on her shoulders and would take any rubbish
 
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