Any interest in free livery for cover?

[Leg_end]

I was wondering if anyone has offered free stabling in return for doing holiday cover/weekends and whether it worked or not? Package could be really flexible but was thinking DIY type arrangement with access to grazing (and grass free track system) with two others. No school right now but would have one in the next year but has direct access to amazing hacking with no roadwork needed.

I'd like most weekend mornings covered and to do holiday cover, happy to cover them for holidays and days off (for a charge). Do you think someone would be interested?

 

[FfionWinnie]

You'd have to work out how much it would cost you to have a groom and offset that against their costs and I think there is a boring tax implication here to worry about as well!

 

[mytwofriends]

I did it once, and even though I was always on hand, even at short notice, and would have been far better off if I'd have had the cash for all the hours I worked, I was still treated like a piece of dog muck when I gave notice to move my horse (but offered to continue helping if they'd like me to.)

I'd never do it again, unless there was an extremely watertight contract.

 

[chaps89]

It depends on cost of livery around you and how much work/help you want.
Diy in the Midlands by my mum is anything from £85 per month to £125 a month, down in Surrey by me it's £150-£220ish per month. If I was potentially going to save £220 a month I'd probably consider it but not for £85 a month if that makes sense.
As a mon-fri worker I probably wouldn't go for it as weekends are my me time and usually busy enough but you might find someone who works part time or shifts who might find it a bit more appealing. Also depends how much works involved, is it just turning out/skipping out/full muck outs/lots of rugs/long way to the field/haynet to make/soak etc. If it can be done in a short period of time, horses are easy to do etc again this will make it more appealing. If it's full muck outs, rugs and bandages for each horse, long way to the field etc it would be less so. It's also worth weighing up the cost of what a freelancer would charge for this and then balancing it against what livery might be. Even if livery would be £150 but a freelancer adds up to say £200 you'd still 'save' £50 by having someone in as a livery helping you if that makes any sort of sense!

 

[Goldenstar]

Friend to share your yard perhaps but a stranger just too complicated .

 

[MrsNorris]

I did it once, and even though I was always on hand, even at short notice, and would have been far better off if I'd have had the cash for all the hours I worked, I was still treated like a piece of dog muck when I gave notice to move my horse (but offered to continue helping if they'd like me to.)

I'd never do it again, unless there was an extremely watertight contract.

Same happened to me, and that was with someone I had thought WAS my friend, eventually realised she had only ever considered me as the hired help, and had played me expertly. Live and learn.

 

[milliepops]

Also depends how much works involved, is it just turning out/skipping out/full muck outs/lots of rugs/long way to the field/haynet to make/soak etc. If it can be done in a short period of time, horses are easy to do etc again this will make it more appealing. If it's full muck outs, rugs and bandages for each horse, long way to the field etc it would be less so.

^^ this. It's something I'd possibly go for to save money if you had a school, but I wouldn't want to be committed to hours and hours each day. DIY with an arena is £25 per horse per week where I am, so I'd want to know how many hours you'd want worked in return,(plus an understanding of holiday expectations) to decide whether it worked for both parties

 

[Leg_end]

Thanks, that's helpful. I thought it would be nicer to have someone I knew well than paying a freelancer but it would have to be the right person.

It wouldn't be loads of work TBH - horses are v well behaved and easy plus would be out most of the time except in terrible weather so a bit of poo picking, quick checks, hay topping up etc. I work from home so happy to do the odd end of the day for them but I do work away a bit so would need the odd week covered plus holiday (2/3 weeks a year).

 

[JillA]

I offered it about a year ago and got no takers

 

[Antw23uk]

I've offered the girl who loaned my boy for a year a space on my yard now I keep him at home as and when (and if she wants) she buys her own horse. Mainly because she is lovely and we get on well and a little bit because I feel guilty taking my boy off her at the end of the year long loan, lol I doubt I would offer it to a stranger though!

 

[Rowreach]

Friend to share your yard perhaps but a stranger just too complicated .

Even then, I've ended up doing more for the "helper" than I get in return.

 

[chaps89]

If it helps I livery on a private yard- I pay livery but I do her horse in the morning, she does mine in the evening and we help each other out if we're away etc. It works because we have an equal amount of stuff to do with the other horse so neither feels they're having to do more than the other, a freelancer we share the cost of if neither of us are about and get on well. Maybe that kind of arrangement might suit a bit better? You're very lucky to have a track system, I'm somewhat jealous of that!