Horsey business with 30 acres

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Overgrown Pony

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Hey guys

I've had a rather wealthy business man approach me for ideas...

He has 30 acres of land that he'd like to build some sort of equestrian business on. It's around 2 mins outside Aberdeen so a prime location. I'm not sure yet on the hacking in the area. We're going to have a meeting shortly.

So i'd like to pick your brains. What horsey businesses would work with that amount of land? He's a business man so would not be doing it for the love of it.

Is there money to be made in a riding school? What about a livery yard with a large indoor arena, offering full livery, maybe with a cross country course and even a gallops (there's defo none of them in the area for hire). I know that yards that are not nearly as close to the city are charging a premium for livery.
 
As far as I know a riding school is not the best way to riches really and it is extremely labour intensive. I would guess that if it were a livery yard you'd get more in the way of profits from it but tbh I don't know for certain, I suppose it depends on what your initial layout costs, insurance, staff and upkeep costs would be weighed against your prices for livery per month.
Sorry that wasn't particularly helpful :cool:
 
How about some sort of compitition facilities so that they make money from shows and events rather than livery?
Large indoor, couple or large outdoor arena, show jumps & dressage and perhaps a XC course all of which could be hired out to individuals or groups such as pony clubs etc
No need or anyone to live on site, no worries of livery yard politics and they don't need to be there if they hire an event manager.
Plenty of parking and a cafe :)
 
Unless he has it planned as either a tax loss or to sell at some point he is unlikely to recoup a realistic return on his investment, a high end premises will cost a fortune to build, needs an experienced, expensive manager living on site, profit margins will be very tight. Possibly build and lease to someone before selling when the market gets better.
 
There might be a market for a yard specialising in the barefoot market - track systems to keep horses on the move, different surfaces for conditioning hooves, some paddocks with very little grass. It is hard for people to find these facilities and an increasing number of people want to take off shoes or have lami prone equines who are not at all suited by the lush grass and soft surfaces most yards provide.

Although a niche market it wouldn't require as much investment as a full competition livery type place and also some owners in this market would be happy with purely field with field shelter and would only need a stable in emergency.
 
I live reasonably locally to that area and would absolutely travel to you if you had gallops for hire!
 
If he's a businessman with no interest in horses and he's just looking for a return on his investment I don't think it's likely he'll make the same percentages on horses as he would elsewhere... The initial financial outlay, the maintenance, the bills... you are lucky if you break even!!! What about rearing other animals that you sell on or does it have to be horses?
 
Conniemara1 said:
If he's a businessman with no interest in horses and he's just looking for a return on his investment I don't think it's likely he'll make the same percentages on horses as he would elsewhere... The initial financial outlay, the maintenance, the bills... you are lucky if you break even!!! What about rearing other animals that you sell on or does it have to be horses?
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I don't think there'd be a sufficient return on 30 acres. Plus the staff required. I know I couldn't make it work with my 30 acres. However it could be down to location. Aberdeen is not typical so you never know. Probably need indoor facilities in Aberdeen too, due to the sh-sh..........shocking weather.
 
Depends on what the gap in the market is in that area - if there is one. Competition centre? With facilities for hire? High end livery yard? NH centre with a talented horse person? Schooling yard? If all of those are already in the area it will need a lot of investment to out compete them.
 
Booboos said:
Absolutely none, the guy is mad or completely misinformed.
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Totally agree - if it's lovely prime pasture in top location with good access he'll pay £10k an acre so £300,000. Building either nice stables etc (parking, tackroom, rug rooms, school, walker, coffee room, hay barns, field shelters) for top end liveries and/or competition facilities inc. gallops with all the proper planning/ design etc. would double that.

Well invested you could still get 5% on £600,000 so a 'simple' no effort investment would earn him £30,000 a year.

I strongly suggest once top end yard manager and grooms paid a salary and all the running costs/ maintenance very few yards/ competition centres would generate more than £30k in pure profit
 
Why does he think he would want to do this? I am assuming that if he is a sucessful business man then he already realises that this is not the way to big bucks. Does he have longer term plans for the land? Land is a good long term investment so maybe he just wants it to add to his portfolio and if it earns him money in the mean time all well and good. In that case anything that keeps him interested is good - maybe competition venue/high spec livery yard, depending on how much capital he wants to outlay. Does he have a horsey daughter by any chance? Sounds like he might, something has obiously sparked his interest.
 
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