Grass Livery?

[XxBillyBooxX]

Hi everyone, I’m new here so wanted to say hi ??‍ but also wanted to ask a question and get you guys opinions on it.
I’m lucky enough to have some land but we have 3 very large paddocks all fenced off and electrified with a large twin field shelter. We used to use them for our horses but they have elsewhere to go now. So these paddocks aren’t being used at all and haven’t been for nearly 2 years. I have been tidying it all up and clearing gate ways etc with the intention of setting up livery.
But my question is; is ‘Grass Livery’ enough and will people be interested or will they want a stable provided? I could possibly offer 2 stables but no more and I would like to eventually move on to full livery with building new stables etc but wanted to start small obviously.
We are down a quiet country lane with several bridal paths leading over fields and our nearest village is about 20 minutes ride away. We also have a 30x40 sand and fibre ménage. I am able to offer extras such as hay, feed and several checks throughout the day and I can even exercise their horse for them just not really stabling at the moment. Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks! ??

 

[TreeDog]

Where I live it is very hard to find grass livery. Partly due to rubbish owners who don't visit enough and leave YO's to do checks/water/rug changes, so YO's get fed up and stop offering it. My yard has a handful of grass liveries, mostly semi retired and/or needing 24/7 turnout for health reasons. Previously I was at a yard with an arena and jumps and nice stables with individual tack rooms but little turnout in winter. Now he's just in a field, yard is down the road with storage space (shared with the stabled ponies), and I am so glad I moved it is much better for both of us.

Basically yes I am certain you will find lots of people to snap up grass livery, but I would set out a contract clearly saying what responsibility owners take including who does poo picking, organising hay in winter etc, so if anyone takes the pee you can kick them off, hopefully that will help narrow you down to the genuine people! Or just offer full grass livery and price accordingly.

 

[chaps89]

Depending on how large the fields are as well, you might also have success renting it out for sole use.
I'd love to find say 3 acres and a field shelter for my 2 so I could manage it/them as I want, to have a school on site and accessible assistance would be the cherry on top of the cake.
Clearly if your fields are bigger then renting to individuals on grass livery is probably a better bet.
Just as above, make sure you stipulate terms regarding horse care.
I've been on a few grass livery yards and only twice in several years come across owners who seem to think it's an acceptable solution to just put the horses out and leave them to it, pop up once in a blue moon. So not the norm in my experience but does happen.
If the fields are big do you expect poo picking to be done or will it be harrowed/rolled/rested, who will be responsible for doing waters, haying (big bales out in the field, you do it, a rota system for owners to do it themselve) etc are all things to think about too.

 

[XxBillyBooxX]

Thanks so much for your advice everyone! Was thinking poo picking would be up to the owners but am concerned if I have several owners that 1 or 2 will do most of the work and some others won’t keep it up. But obviously in that case I’d have to have a talk with them or something.

I can offer storage if needed for tack etc but it would be at there own risk but it would be locked up. I can do checks in the field a couple times a day but would expect the owner to come up at least 4/5 times a week.
I’m unsure if I’d have to charge extra if they can’t come up everyday and there for needed me to change rugs or more hands on than normal?

I thought it would be my responsibility to provide a water supply which I have done with a 1000ltr bowser on a trailer that I will keep topped up but for it to be their responsibility to fill up the buckets. I am able to rest a paddock at a time and then move horses around. I can organise the hay and can even drop it off in the field hut again it is the owners responsibility to feed it to their horse.

I’m happy to offer any extra help needed, can even transport their horse for them at an extra cost. I can be quite flexible as live on site and have my own couple horses to tend to anyway.
I’ve wanted to do livery for so many years now. Just want to get the ball rolling asap.

last question: do I need public liability

 

[TreeDog]

I think it is impossible, on any yard stables or not, for me to poo pick without wondering if everyone else is doing as much as I am! But I know how much my horse poos, and try only to do that much. The field does get cleared and is never overrun with poo so it does get done. My experience is more of owners who do more than their share because they choose to, and when others come to poo pick there's none left!

I think as you live on site it's good to offer extra services for holiday cover etc, but you should charge for your time to do so. A few £ here and there might not seem much but if you have several liveries it will add up, and if they all go away for christmas do you really want to be trudging through mud in the rain to do rug changes for nothing?!

Insurance I would not be confident to advise on, but would speak to a provider and see what they suggest. I expect you will need something though.

 

[ihatework]

Sounds like a lovely set up and I’m sure you will be inundated.
Where about are you, is there high demand on land?

 

[windand rain]

I only do grass livery on a full livery type basis I am retired so can afford the time to do things it means I know that the field is maintained and everything has food and water and an eye cast over them. Rugs on off etc. I then get a little money for my ponies upkeep. It helps that I like poo picking and it can be my way or the highway. I used to only charge for DIY but found I was doing it all anyway. I do have a livery at the minute who is great she loves helping and still pays but she is on a reduced rate.

 

[canteron]

Around here you would have your arm bitten off.
I would do a price that includes fencing (no one will look after your fences, etc as you do) and a certain amount of paddock maintenance, and really check out the people ...... and be very specific how many horses / animals you will allow.

I would be tempted not to include any other things in the original price, have the sand school, extra services as a 'favour' if you get on with the people, its the sort of thing that very quickly can be abused!

 

[XxBillyBooxX]

@ihatework I’m in Staffordshire just outside of Rugeley. There are a lot of people around here with horses either on their land or at livery miles away. There is one livery yard about 10 minutes up the road who offer DIY up to full livery but are full and have been since opening. I’ve already had a few people ask (last year) if I’d rent the fields out for their horses but at the time we weren’t able to.

 

[Cloball]

I would love full grass livery with an area and services. Very few places I have seen offer enough grazing for it or grass livery is DIY with no facilities. If you were near me I'd bite your hand off and I haven't even bought the pony yet.

 

[Leam_Carrie]

Sounds a lovely set up. When my semi-retired horse was on full grass livery we had access to a stable for emergencies which works well (e.g. if box rest needed). It sounds like you could offer that, if you have a couple of stables available.
Full grass livery was great, the owner had enough land to not poo pick. She did twice daily checks, rugs changes, applied fly spray, fed once a day if needed and held for vet / farrier. It was mainly retirement livery and was fab.