Full Livery Cost SW

[Muddywellies]

Yesterday I enquired at a new yard for full livery (everything included except exercise). I've always paid around the £650 mark, yet yesterday I was quoted £1100 EXC feed and bedding. Literally a couple of miles up the road and same facilties as what I've had at current and previous yard. I'm sure that £650 is a fairly average monthly full livery bill ?? V puzzling

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think everything has just gone up hay bedding feed so livery will go up as well I would think, I'm paying £50 for large rounds of hay it was £30 before that a few months back.

 

[Muddywellies]

I think everything has just gone up hay bedding feed so livery will go up as well I would think, I'm paying £50 for large rounds of hay it was £30 before that a few months back.

But my current livery bill hasn't gone up. Just seems that the yard I enquired at charges way way more than I currently pay. I don't know that £1200 is the going rate in this area.

 

[Green Bean]

Presume it will depend on the facilities. £650 is more than generous for a 7 day livery. I enquired at one yard and was horrified to be told the livery was £990, but then learnt the yard was a professional dressage yard so I suppose the price reflects that. The price you were quoted excluding hay and bedding is absolutely ridiculous though. Adding it up, you are expected to spend £1,300 a month! I don't think there will be many 'ordinary' people who will be able to afford that. I was on a 7 day livery over the Christmas period and that was £590 including hay and bedding (Bucks), have moved to 5 day yard now and livery with hay and shavings is £480.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Maybe that’s what they have to charge to pay staff, themselves and make enough to keep the yard afloat with the extra electricity, water and maintenance costs. I was paying £525 10 years ago so £1100 now isn’t that unrealistic but obviously a huge difference to what you are paying in the same area.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I'm SW, I know 3 full livery yards and all around £600-700 a month.

 

[sassandbells]

When I was looking in SW area average cost was £180-£220 per week, but that did include pretty much everything except riding.

There’s a few I know of which are £1000pcm+ per month, but they’re the super fancy yards with all the facilities you could ever imagine.

 

[sport horse]

Staff are very difficult to find and are earning much more - quite rightly it is a hard job in all weather. Timber for fencing, building maintenance etc has gone up massivley, electric and water have gone up, rates have gone up, hay has gone up, muck removal has gone up, insurance has gone up. Find something that has not gone up. Livery must go up - yard owners are finding alternatives to livery to make money from their buildings and land and many alternatives do not involve having demanding people around their property at all hours and being on call 24/7/ Yards around here are closing every week.

 

[Muddywellies]

Staff are very difficult to find and are earning much more - quite rightly it is a hard job in all weather. Timber for fencing, building maintenance etc has gone up massivley, electric and water have gone up, rates have gone up, hay has gone up, muck removal has gone up, insurance has gone up. Find something that has not gone up. Livery must go up - yard owners are finding alternatives to livery to make money from their buildings and land and many alternatives do not involve having demanding people around their property at all hours and being on call 24/7/ Yards around here are closing every week.

But my current and previous yard, both professional yards with staff, are charging half what this yard are? I don't see why the overheads would be double, at a very similar yard literally 5 miles away.

 

[dorsetladette]

The few I know of local to me that do full livery are £150-£220 a week depending on facilities. I don't know of any where 'proper' high end locally.

 

[hollyandivy123]

But my current and previous yard, both professional yards with staff, are charging half what this yard are? I don't see why the overheads would be double, at a very similar yard literally 5 miles away.

possibly more the client base they wish to have?
I looked into a yard near me, they were advertising full livery 7 day "but it would suit someone who did not go in the week", i asked for the costs and it worked out 10K a year

 

[Muddywellies]

possibly more the client base they wish to have?
I looked into a yard near me, they were advertising full livery 7 day "but it would suit someone who did not go in the week", i asked for the costs and it worked out 10K a year

Crikey ! Do you know what, I think you might have hit the nail on the head.

 

[Arzada]

I don't see why the overheads would be double, at a very similar yard literally 5 miles away.

It may not be overheads but loan on property eg my YO friend does not have a mortgage and charges a very reasonable DIY rate that she seems to have no reason to increase. I imagine someone with the same property but with a loan would have to charge significantly more. Mortgage interest rates have increased recently along with a load of other increased price goods.

 

[Muddywellies]

It may not be overheads but loan on property eg my YO friend does not have a mortgage and charges a very reasonable DIY rate that she seems to have no reason to increase. I imagine someone with the same property but with a loan would have to charge significantly more. Mortgage interest rates have increased recently along with a load of other increased price goods.

I know this isn't the case in two of the three yards I'm comparing.
What baffles me, regardless of overheads, is the difference in the price. Customers will only pay the going rate . . . .

 

[SO1]

That is a lot just for box rent, use of facilities and mucking out, preparing feeds and hay nets feeding and turning out and catching in. I presume it must also include supervision of farrier and vets and other professional visits as well as poo picking.

Is it individual turnout and does it have an indoor school and cross country course as that push the price up?

Are you sure they have not made a mistake and that it does include hay, bedding and feed.

Yesterday I enquired at a new yard for full livery (everything included except exercise). I've always paid around the £650 mark, yet yesterday I was quoted £1100 EXC feed and bedding. Literally a couple of miles up the road and same facilties as what I've had at current and previous yard. I'm sure that £650 is a fairly average monthly full livery bill ?? V puzzling

 

[Abacus]

Looked at another way, land is an investment and most investors I know say that they expect a 10% profit per year on their money. Why would you put say £500k into land for liveries unless it is reaping this level of investment - purely financially you'd put it elsewhere.

Some very rough numbers. A good quality yard with facilities worth £500k might have 15 acres, and support 10 horses. To make £50k total per year, you'd have to charge each of them close to £450 per month just to be there. On top of that you have the cost of providing services and consumables. It used to be £10 per day per horse for muck out / turn out etc, probably now more like £15. So that is £300 per horse per month. So you're up to £750 before you factor in hay, feed, bedding.

I realise a lot of YOs aren't hardcore investors, but if there are easier ways to make more money I can see why they'd close unless they can charge suitable rates.

 

[teapot]

Sounds about right for the Sussex/Hants/Surrey triangle so SW at that price wouldn't surprise me either?

On an average 31 day month, that's £35.46 a day, or £1.48 an hour, which for full livery (hard to know what exactly is provided, ie say 24hr staff on site), isn't too bad!

One member of staff over the age of 21 will cost upwards of £10 per hour in comparison...

 

[Muddywellies]

That is a lot just for box rent, use of facilities and mucking out, preparing feeds and hay nets feeding and turning out and catching in. I presume it must also include supervision of farrier and vets and other professional visits as well as poo picking.

Is it individual turnout and does it have an indoor school and cross country course as that push the price up?

Are you sure they have not made a mistake and that it does include hay, bedding and feed.

Tbh I thought it was a mistake so I double checked the price with her and it is a bit over £1100. Actually just read her message again and it's nearer £1200 . And fewer facilties than where I am and no indoor school. I imagine she has an awful lot of empty boxes as this really isn't an affluent area.

 

[SO1]

But the £1100 does not include hay, bedding or feed.

I could sort of see how it would be that much if it did include hay, bedding and feed especially for a fit competition horse that might be a poor doer and eat a lot of ad lib hay and need a substantial amount of hard food an high maintained owners who want individual turnout, lots of rug changes and boots on for turnout.

There are places like that round our way that charge those sorts of prices but they include hay, bedding and hard feed and also run clinics on site and have cross country courses and canter tracks, fantastic hacking etc.

Looked at another way, land is an investment and most investors I know say that they expect a 10% profit per year on their money. Why would you put say £500k into land for liveries unless it is reaping this level of investment - purely financially you'd put it elsewhere.

Some very rough numbers. A good quality yard with facilities worth £500k might have 15 acres, and support 10 horses. To make £50k total per year, you'd have to charge each of them close to £450 per month just to be there. On top of that you have the cost of providing services and consumables. It used to be £10 per day per horse for muck out / turn out etc, probably now more like £15. So that is £300 per horse per month. So you're up to £750 before you factor in hay, feed, bedding.

I realise a lot of YOs aren't hardcore investors, but if there are easier ways to make more money I can see why they'd close unless they can charge suitable rates.

 

[ihatework]

But my current and previous yard, both professional yards with staff, are charging half what this yard are? I don't see why the overheads would be double, at a very similar yard literally 5 miles away.

They have probably just decided they want to earn a fair wage and it’s not worth offering livery unless someone is willing to pay. Ultimately the market will decide. Most will go for the cheaper option obviously, especially if pretty equal on service and facilities (I know I would!). But equally I can completely see why a yard might price higher than the area.

 

[MuddyMonster]

They possibly either want to charge a rate that reflects what full livery actually costs them or perhaps they are charging to attract the type of clients they want (or don't want).

 

[Sossigpoker]

I'm in the SW and a 7 day livery on a professional yard is £140-200 per week.
I don't mean a cattle barn and a field, I mean yards with professional facilities, large arenas and usually a professional rider on site. I know a purpose built yard that charges a bit less but they don't have a walker , solarium or a hot wash, so basic facilities only.

 

[FlyingCircus]

There is a yard near me that costs 13k a year for their most basic full livery option

 

[Sossigpoker]

Although full /7 day livery should include bedding IMO.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

Not withstanding wage costs which can be high that sounds ridiculously expensive for what they are providing especially in an area where local wages are not likely to be high. Do you know if they actually have any liveries? How many boxes do they have?

 

[Sossigpoker]

For £250 per week you'd expect at least some exercise included.

 

[Muddywellies]

Not withstanding wage costs which can be high that sounds ridiculously expensive for what they are providing especially in an area where local wages are not likely to be high. Do you know if they actually have any liveries? How many boxes do they have?

No I don't know, but I'm certainly intrigued

 

[Muddywellies]

There is a yard near me that costs 13k a year for their most basic full livery option

I've just done a quick calculation and this yard is 13k too . Except you'd still have to buy your feed and bedding.

 

[Muddywellies]

I've just done a quick calculation and this yard is 13k too . Except you'd still have to buy your feed and bedding.

It's honestly beyond me. Wonder what my final yearly horsey costs would be if I added on everything else. I'm flabbergasted

 

[Bobthecob15]

I don't feel so bad now at the £125 a week for full livery (except riding) at a very nice yard I've just seen! Although other half isn't impressed