Calling all livery yard owners - is it all worth it??

[ChestnutConvert]

I may have the opportunity that doesn't come along all that often - to take over a small local livery yard that i work at.
I have always wanted to have my own yard but although i have been working in this area on and off for years am a bit worried about all the logistics!
The yard is small with 8 horses max, relaxed and not a competition yard.
I will be doing the bulk of the work, roping in OH etc when i need a break

Is it really a viable way of living?
I know it's hard work, time consuming etc but i am already working in it just i will have the business side to deal with as well.

 

[Echo Bravo]

I would say that if you are already working there, you must know much of what it takes to run the yard.

 

[Wagtail]

No, you will not make a living on a yard this small. I know because I run a yard with 8 horses max (two of my own). They are all on part livery. The yard brings in enough money to pay for my two horses, run and maintain my car and pay the insurance on the trailer. That is it. We also have a huge mortgage on the place that I do not charge to the livery. However, we buy all our haylage, bedding and feed in. It is top notch stuff, not the cheapest I can find locally. Feeding each horse in the wintr costs arond £30 per week.Bedding averages £16 per week per horse. Rates are about £1000 a year (taking into account small business relief), Water isaround £800 fr the horses alone, electricity can add up too. But I do it because I love it, not to get rich.

 

[FleabittenT]

I'm not a yard owner, but I do think it's the same with any business. Working in a business for someone else and running one yourself are two totally different roles.

I hope I'm not patronising you Have you looked a putting a business plan together? If you get it all down on paper, then you can see how the costs stack up, and how viable it actually is. There's loads of templates online, if you google it.

If it's never going to work financially, at least you know and can make an informed decision. Someone once told me 'if it makes money, it's a business; if you spend money on it, it's a hobby', which kinda stuck with me

Wish you all the best with it!

 

[Miss L Toe]

No, you will not make a living on a yard this small. I know because I run a yard with 8 horses max (two of my own). They are all on part livery. The yard brings in enough money to pay for my two horses, run and maintain my car and pay the insurance on the trailer. That is it. We also have a huge mortgage on the place that I do not charge to the livery. However, we buy all our haylage, bedding and feed in. It is top notch stuff, not the cheapest I can find locally. Feeding each horse in the winter costs arond £30 per week.Bedding averages £16 per week per horse. Rates are about £1000 a year (taking into account small business relief), Water isaround £800 fr the horses alone, electricity can add up too. But I do it because I love it, not to get rich.

Round here we buy haylage for £35 and this lasted my 15.00 hh about 20 days, hay varies from £25 to £45 a big round bale, dependent on supplier and time of year, this seemed to last about 18 days. The hard feed is £15 to £20, per month, he gets premium branded products but not much of them.
Bedding is £10 per week, but could be £14.00 for some horses.
If I had a limited number of stables, and I wanted to take a wage out, rather than pay for my own horses, I would want to cover rent and overheads plus £350 per week for my wage (7 days) Your OH will not be able to cope if eg you are off work for ten weeks, which can easily happen, so you need to factor in for part time help which has to be paid for.
I currently pay £30 for a stable and all year round turnout, the YO puts them out and will bring in if required. I have to muck out and leave out the hard feeds.
Haylage is £10.00 per week in winter, YO fills the nets, so there is not the excessive use and waste usually found in DIY yards.
Bedding at cost (he provides it at £7.00 per large , excellent quality bale) £10.
So my estimate for seven stables (you have to allow that they will not always be full) is £210 per week for DIY, which is not enough for a wage (you are only working 2 hours per day) but you have to be there most of the day, but you could fit in a local part time job.
To make a wage you need to cover rent rates,utilities, and insurance and add on 25% for maintenance, costs are always going up and you need to make sure you are making a profit.
You need to get the income in advance.
you need a contract.
Leave out your variable costs ie feed and bedding, you still need to up your income dramatically from 7 times £30 to seven times £60 at least, the only way is to have full liveries, so you will have a full time job 7 days a week, and after a few months will have a nervous breakdown!!!
Round here, full livery with no frills in a BHS approved yard is £80 to £85 per week all year round, so they make a loss in winter and gain in summer when horses are out more.
I am in business in a small way, and have never made a profit, but then I have a pension: to make a profit I would have to have £500 a week coming in on a regular basis, after all that is only £25K per annum, not far off the average wage these days!
Another thing to consider is your own career, as you get older (and you will!) you need a proper pensionable employment, and not many employers are going to want a self employed (they read self indulgent!!) horse mad person, what they want is a flexible, skilled, normal person!

 

[BBH]

I may have the opportunity that doesn't come along all that often - to take over a small local livery yard that i work at.
I have always wanted to have my own yard but although i have been working in this area on and off for years am a bit worried about all the logistics!
The yard is small with 8 horses max, relaxed and not a competition yard.
I will be doing the bulk of the work, roping in OH etc when i need a break

Is it really a viable way of living?
I know it's hard work, time consuming etc but i am already working in it just i will have the business side to deal with as well.

In my view it will be an existence not a living. I wouldn't recommend anyone run a livery yard unless they have another source of income.

I thought about running my 8 box yard as a livery yard and decided to keep it private as i didn't want the hassle that some people bring and ultimately the upkeep costs far more than you make in rental.

 

[CHH]

Hi,

I agree with BBH and other wise counsel on here.

We have our own property and could comfortably house 30 horses, but we haven't bothered.

Financially, you will need to make a living from this, that means making sure what you charge covers all overheads plus your income.
What income do you expect?

What would happen if you were taken ill?
e.g. I had flu over winter which wiped me out for a month, husband took care of family, businesses and horses - but they were our own two and eh just rugged up and turned them out, not a yard full of paying guests.

I think it is a nice dream to have, but there is certainly not a 'good living' to be made, and the hours are long.

personally, I also did want the hassle of the politics at home as can be experienced on some livery yards.

A friend runs one and I have heard some of the horror she has to deal with!
Saying that her yard is some 25+ horses and it isn't her main business - again as another poster says: she just uses it to cover her overheads for great facilities at home.

Do a business plan, look seriously at the financials, and the time aspect, and try and think about holidays etc... in terms of your personal life.

Also, cashflow - what if rates increased, what about a hay shortage and high costs again?
Empty stables? What is the minimum number of horses for you to break even.
Consider as I have said illness or accident - what if you were injured by a horse who is going to run the yard?

Long hours and little pay - is this REALLY what you want?
I have yet to meet a small to medium livery yard owner who has this as their main living.

Good luck in how you decide to move forwards!