Charge for grass livery

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merlin4

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I'm in Devon. I have been asked to look after a couple of Shetlands whilst owners on holiday. They are pet ponies, not ridden. If I have them on my land for a couple of weeks and have full responsibility , poo pick, monitor at least twice a day. Provide shelter , maybe keep in in the day in my stables, (they do share a stable) , as summer and very fly ridden in our area, put out at night. Provide hay in day. Fly spray them . What would you charge . I also know one uses a grazing muzzle, as at drop of a hat gets laminitis so I'll have to have restricted grass grazing and sort out electric fencing for that.
Thank you for any feedback.
 
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This is one of those situations where the fact that they are small, and pets, might make it difficult to charge what is essentially full livery (albeit with smaller poos)! As long as you don't have to be making special trips, and it won't be hours a day trekking to a far away field, I'd charge £15 - £20 per day for the two. £15 per day is about what it would cost to put two cats in a cattery, so it's hardly extortionate. It also depends how much of your time it's going to take setting up.
 
Tough one, I personally wouldn’t do it for less than £20 p/day. Part of my business is dog boarding which I charge £25 p/24 hour period. I expect these two ponies would be a lot more work than one dog if you look at it that way?

On a yard I’ve paid anywhere from £5 - £10 p/day for holiday livery, that’s someone from the yard doing it rather than getting a groom in.
 
These all seem very cheap, I would expect to pay a premium for holiday cover.
Do you know the ponies, are they potentially destructive?
 
wren123 said:
These all seem very cheap, I would expect to pay a premium for holiday cover.
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Me too. They aren't easy maintenance types, either, they are a significant responsibility.

I wouldn't do it for less than £25 for one pony/£40 for the pair per day. Well, I personally wouldn't do it at all, having been taken advantage of in the past, but I would be expecting to pay those prices for a good service.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Me too. They aren't easy maintenance types, either, they are a significant responsibility.

I wouldn't do it for less than £25 for one pony/£40 for the pair per day. Well, I personally wouldn't do it at all, having been taken advantage of in the past, but I would be expecting to pay those prices for a good service.
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I absolutely agree that's a fair price. I'd just be staggered if the owners are willing to pay it, so it will come down to what the OP feels will make it worthwhile!
 
The sweet itch pony could cause your property a lot of damage if it rubs. Don't the owners try to manage the sweet itch? Unless all your fencing and stabling is rock solid, it could shove them out of kilter, and cost you more in repairs than you get paid to board them. Plus the stress of looking after an unhappy itchy pony. And then there's the laminitis worry too.

Think very carefully if it's worth the hassle to board these two.

ETA And at £15 per day for both? No way.
 
Thank you. I have looked after them in the past at another yard, just because I was helping the owner of that yard out at the time. I know I can cope with them as such, it's just pricing and let's hope the stables are as robust as they seem.
 
Full livery which is entire care but not riding or exercising (where I am) is around £500 to £600 a month so care for everything works out between £16 and 19 per day.
 
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