Business ideas for own yard?

A

Aniseed

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 March 2009
Messages
475
Location
Gloucestershire
Visit site
Theoretically speaking what would you do if you had the opportunity to rent a yard with 20 american barn stables, large outdoor arena and fantastic hacking?

My friends dad is looking to rent out the above to and I just said to my OH perhaps I ought to have it and run my own business considering I don't know what to do with my life! So does anyone have any good business ideas (it is very unlikely that this is actually going to happen unless anyone comes up with a great idea as I have no money at the moment!)
 
I would start up a small equestrian centre, buy in about 7 horses/ponies of different sizes that people could have lessons on, and then leave the other boxes free for liveries, and offer full/part/working livery. You don't say if it has grazing or how much, but if it had quite a substantial quantity of grazing I would probably offer grass livery in summer too, and probably have a grass SJ arena, and start to build a small XC course out of household bits and bobs, crates tires etc.

I would then once it was set up hold regular competitions, mostly in summer as you'd need to have the warm up arena on grass.

That's what I'd do if I rented out a yard, quite high start up costs, but once it gets going and you build up a reputation you can start making a decent income. Friend of my mums has a yard which she rents, only got 6 stables, about 4 acres of completely unfenced turnout, didn't even have a school or tack room or anything when she started renting it - it took her 2 months to get it ready to go, she built an office/tack room and feed room, got electric fencing up in the paddocks, and built her own menage, bit smaller than a 20 x 40, no surface, just earth with a little bit of sand dumped on top, no lighting, fenced with post and rail. Then she bought a few horses and started giving lessons, and then got quite a few working liveries to use for lessons too. She now holds quite a few comps in summer on grass and has built a XC course! It can be done haha.

:)
 
I'd keep it really simple and use it as a livery yard.

I'm assuming there is grazing available - this will be your biggest headache, making sure paddocks are safely fenced / suitably sized and well maintained.

You can still arrange demonstrations / visiting specialist instructors as an extra cash generator.

Work towards your BHS qualifications (unless you already have them) and eventually you'll be able to teach on your own premises too. (OK so that might be a bit of a long term goal but it's good to plan ahead :D)

Start with the basics of costings - maintainence / insurance / rates etc, then the practicalities of feed storage / grazing rotation etc. Essentially do a business plan and see if it looks viable.
 
I assume it has plenty of grazing. OH asked what I would do and I said I'd love to buy and sell horses. There seem to be so many horses going for very little money at the moment I would love to buy a few, take them out competing and get them looking good then sell them on. Only trouble is I'm not a particularly good rider so it is a bit of a dream really!

I guess if it was a livery yard you could start out with a few DIY's and still work part time then gradually do part/full livery and cut down on the work elsewhere.
 
A few years ago, I looked at taking on a yard that had 16 boxes,school, various barns and storerooms, bungalow on site and 60 acres - Sounds great doesn't it?


No matter what way I crunched the numbers (and I crunched them every which way!) there was no way I could even cover the mortgage/rent, insurance and rates - that wasn't even including the bills. The only way that it was even a possibility was to use the stables for breaking/training livery and have 25+ grass liveries. Even then I wouldn't have made a wage, just covered the bills - and that was assuming that
1) I was 90% full all year round.
2) I did all the work - no paid help, no holidays
3) I stayed well, healthy and uninjured and there were no big bills/cash investments required in the first 5 years.

This was before the credit crunch (summer 07) and tbh I'm so glad I didn't do it - I would have bought at the top of the market and last winter would probably have bankrupted me, there is no denying that it can be an enviable lifestyle but without deep pockets it can be a very financially insecure one.

Not trying to put you off but FGS do your research especially regarding the cost!
 
Gosh! If one won the lottery heh .....

Wellll, I dont' have a "business" brain, BUT I think in this current climate one would have to be looking for something a bit different, quirky even. Wot about "natural horsemanship" with a difference, i.e. a centre where whoever fancied it could say write poetry, bond with the stars/bond with the horse; dance in the moonlight; commune with the almighty, etc etc., plus health complex/spa etc. The Real "alternative" McCoy. You get the picture. Sorry if I appear flippant - I'm serious actually!!!

OR perhaps Western Riding - I live in Devon where no-one else to my knowledge is doing it (and something I've always fancied having a go at).

OR a TREC/Endurance training centre. Depending on where you are tho' coz you'd need plenty of good outriding with natural "obstacles" etc. Again, no-one else is doing this to my knowledge at the mo.

OR, if I had the money to spare and wasn't needing to make a profit, buy up some of the poor old horses sent to market that no-one loves and give them somewhere to live - then invite the paying public. Also have special needs children/adults as a therapuetic input to just chill out and be with horses as a form of healing.
 
I have to agree with cbmcts that now is a really tough time for any new business.

My feeling is that most RS are struggling with insurance, rates and health and safety requirements, so that would not be a very good option.

Livery might be an option depending on demand in your area. Most people are looking to save money and move into DIY but I am not sure how much of a profit margin there would be in that for you. If you are serious it might be worth doing a rough business plan to see where you stand and how much you would need to charge for livery to make any money out of it.

Maybe a rehab yard? But you would need to invest in quite a few more 'attractions', e.g. horse walker, hydrotherapy spa, etc.
 
Rehab has always been an attractive idea but I currently work for a company products such as hydrotherapy spas and there don't seem to be many centres that last for long. I think unless you have something else on the side, e.g a competition centre that offers rehab livery, its difficult to make money out of it.

Mmmm if I won the lottery I would go and have lots of top class dressage training so I knew what I was doing then buy and sell very expensive dressage horses.
 
ive just taken on a small yard and started up a bying and selling yard.. ok im a dealer, currently I have 2 of my own horses and 4 sales livery in, the sales livery im busy by being very cheap, and it covers my costs proberely no profit but it aso pays the keep of my 2 and yard rent etc. selling wise the buyers are out there, tonight I had somebody just turn up to enquire about a horse so with constant advertising and a good clean name the word is getting out. it is an 18 hour a day job, im at the yard around10 hours a day then come home, catch up on calls, advertise etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top