any YO's on here who can help me?

J

JenHunt

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I know it's a bit of a random question.... I'm applying for a job (a big change from what I'm doing, but it's a dream job) that would involve me basically running an equestrian centre with all the capital and assets owned and controlled by a school.

As part of the 2nd stage of application I have to prepare and submit a complete business plan, including things like buying ponies, depreciation of fixed assets, and extra curricular events....

I am wondering how much you would pay for the following?
water and elec rates
feed for 15-20 horses/ponies
farriery and vets bills (average)
pasture management
staffing
insurances

just rough guidelines please is plenty... and any other info you can suggest I include!

Thanks, and have a large G&T from me!
 
I depreciate the assets such as tractor, topper, show jumps on a straight line basis at 25% a year so completely written of over 4 years. Realistically show jumps last 4 years and no more and the tractor was second hand and at 3 years is still going strong but requires lots of new bits every year.

Feed is based on how many horses, doing how much work over a month, so summer - living out 24/7 no hard feed for mine, winter 1 bag per horse per week. at about £10 a week. Plus haylage - one large bale per horse per week - half per pony at the trade cost of £X

You need cost in:
insurance - for public liability
routine vet, farrier, dentist
plus contingency per horse for emergency treatment.
Maintenance of land - depending on machinery available or buy in - hedgecutting, topping, harrowing, muck spreading, fertilising, fence repair, weed killing, rolling
My annual maintenance costs for a 30 acre farm are:
hedge trimming - £250
Weed spraying - £600
Muck Spreading - £150
Rolling - £150

Most of the other maintenace work we do ourselves.
Staffing costs depends totally on how many people - what they do and how much they get paid. But remember the equestrian industry gets by on minimum wages.
 
Not a YO, but don't forget to think about fees to BD/BSJA/BD for running events affilated to them with associated costs of course builders/judges/stewards
 
you can search for what other yards pay for their business rates online. I imagine the exact yard will be listed so you can get that exact, if not, look for another yard in a similar area, same sort of facilities/size.
I wish i knew the website for you but i know someone on here does as it was on here that i went onto it!

you could really go into a lot of depth with the business plan or keep it more simple. I think i myself would be tempted to do it with a few competitions etc, and then have a part of the business plan where you mention additional opportunities: more competitions etc.

What about including loan horses into the plan? hence saving you the expense of purchase, sales fees etc?

not sure what you are using to actually do your plan on but banks often have free software for it, i once used a natwest one that was fab for a business plan i had to do you my degree.
(just realised, i should be doing a full answer to this post as i have a degree in business, and am also a YO! i am meant to be tiding up as i have guest coming this evening but if i get chance later, i'll do a better post for you!)
 
Business rates, which is my big bug bear is 48.5p in the £1 of the valuation, so if business is valued at £15,000 per year you are looking at business rates of around £7200 per year.
 
Maybe this is a random addition but when i was in college there was a book - like the bible of agri / equi business with upto date prices for everything - i can't remember the name of the author but it is published every year - someone on here will remember it from college.

As a business teacher i would encourage you (as uncondisendingly as poss) to be able to back up as much as possible from sources like the book i can't remember the name of and current HMRC details etc, don't get fooled by the VAT etc with the different rates applicaple to farm / equi stuff (I think there are 5 ) good luck!!! sorry if you know all of that!!
 
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