Is this a reasonable charge?

[sandi_84]

Asking because I was speaking to a friend who's been asked to go on private livery rather than working livery recently:
North of scotland
£130pcm for stable (although friend isn't always garunteed a stable )
Muck outs part of the week (should be 5 days a week but friend goes up and does it herself a lot & helps muck out the other horses and does a lot of stuff round the yard for the YO - she's a brilliant livery but I think she gets taken advantage of!)
Turnout not great (YO decides who can be turned out, when and for how long)
Fields not great (field management is not in their vocabulary so they are overgrazed or waterlogged)
3 haynets a day (1 during the day 2 at night but sometimes only half a haynet during the day and 1 overnight - for a 17.1 horse )
& straw (which is heavily policed )

 

[Antw23uk]

I would say no. Price is great but Y/O and grazing is a big no no so i wouldnt.

 

[AdorableAlice]

The yard owner could not provide shelter, grass, straw and hay for a 17h horse for £30 per week. It is far too cheap and I am not surprised there is no land management being done.

 

[be positive]

I think £130 is very reasonable for what is part livery but would not be happy with the hit and miss approach to everything, it is not fair for any horse or the owner to be unsure whether it will have a stable on any given day or get enough hay if the YO is running short but like most things you get what you pay for and at those rates there is no profit for the YO if things are done properly.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I would say no. Price is great but Y/O and grazing is a big no no so i wouldnt.

Price is ridiculous and the yard owner must be bonkers.

Do owners really expect good safe grazing 24/7, a loose box, water, power, security, adlib straw and hay for £30 a week ?

 

[Antw23uk]

Price is ridiculous and the yard owner must be bonkers.

Do owners really expect good safe grazing 24/7, a loose box, water, power, security, adlib straw and hay for £30 a week ?

Agreed .... whats the saying .... If it sounds too good to be true ... It more than likely is!

 

[ihatework]

Pay peanuts get monkeys

 

[sandi_84]

Cool, glad it's not just me who wouldn't be happy with the standard of care even for the price.
I was going to suggest my friend move her horse but just wanted to put the feelers out and see what you all thought first just in case I was being unreasonable

 

[Elsiecat]

^ive been on a yard with 24/7 grazing, a 19x17 stable with rubber matting, water, power, security, as lib hay and haylage and straw all for 30 pounds a week. I didn't 'expect' the price and I didn't get monkeys.
It's the YO choice to charge what they want, no one forces then

 

[Polos Mum]

Pay peanuts get monkeys

This absolutely - you get what you pay for, yard maintenance, hay, straw etc all cost money.

 

[AdorableAlice]

^ive been on a yard with 24/7 grazing, a 19x17 stable with rubber matting, water, power, security, as lib hay and haylage and straw all for 30 pounds a week. I didn't 'expect' the price and I didn't get monkeys.
It's the YO choice to charge what they want, no one forces then

You are absolutely right, many yard owners run a charitable set up and the owners lucky enough to be on the receiving end are in very fortunate positions. Yards able to charge at this rate would need to be farming their own hay and wheat and not buying in, nor would they be able to buy in fencing or land management services. Maintaining the buildings is also a factor.

The exception may be a tiny yard with very few horses and even those would not be making more than a pound or two per horse.

 

[skint1]

I'd rather pay a bit more and not have all that hassle tbh

 

[Elsiecat]

AdorableAlice - the place was fairly well maintained and there was probably about 20 horses. The majority of us would probably have been happy to pay £45 a week! I'm on my own yard now though and wouldn't take on a livery to save my life