Livery yard advice

[MillionDollar]

I am going to start my own livery yard, hopefully soon, as I live on a farm that will be diversified. But I would like to get advice and perspectives of current livery yard clients. I have worked on a livery yard for a couple of years, but because I have always lived on a farm I have never kept horses at a livery yard myself. So if you could answer some of the following questions i would be very very very grateful as it will help me to try and get the yard right!!!!

Would you prefer to have bedding and hay provided by the yard?

Would you prefer a BHS approved yard?

What would you include as essential facilities for DIY liveries at the yard?

Finally what would you pay per week for DIY at the following yard-
BHS approved yard with american barn style stabling, all year turnout, use of floodlit arena, tack room and common room. For a small extra fee the use of a solarium and hot water washroom would be available to use. And hay and straw is provided by the yard!?

Again any advice would be really really helpful and I will be very grateful!

 

[allijudd]

Hi MD

We produce our own hay and straw, but do not insist that the liveries buy from us as we sell off the farm as well.

Down here people do not really mind if a yard is BHS or not, but that will depend on the clients in your area.

Essentials for diy is a safe and secure yard for the horses when stabled and at grass. seperate feed areas and plenty of secure storage for a tack area. we also provide kettle, toaster, microwave so clients can make drinks/food when its cold. Really it depends on how much you want to provide and what other yards in your area provide. Bear in mind DIY is just that, we do quite a bit for our liveries such as bring in for vet etc but we like to provide the service as most of our clients are good friends as well.
Vet your clients well and always ask for references, it only takes one bad apple to ruin a happy yard. Also a livery contract will save you big headaches, we got our contract from the BHS. It might be an idea to offer off road riding as the roads are getting busier and cars and horses rarely mix well.
By the way, where are you?

Best of luck

 

[Enfys]

Firstly, good luck with your venture.

As to my personal requirements:

Hay and bedding available to buy on site would be useful but it should not be compulsory to use the YO's supply only.

Individual secure tackroom/storage.....absolutely essential. IMO it avoids SO much hassle and arguments about who has borrowed what or what has gone walkabout where.I wouldn't keep my equipment in a communal tackroom at all. Been there, done that, never again.

Individual paddocks.....everyone has their own paddock, I would never be happy turning my horses out in a big herd after the experiences I have had with injuries and bullying.

All weather or indoor school would be useful.

Trailer/lorry parking.

Electricity! Now, that would be a luxury!

Security, someone living on site would be reassuring.

BHS? Wouldn't be bothered one way or another.

Tacking rates? Hmm. Difficult. I don't know what the going rate for DIY is, I pay £6 a week for a stable and grazing. It also depends where you are. I wouldn't pay more than £25 a week, but I would be happy to pay extra occasional turnout/feeding etc when required.

 

[hussar]

Would you prefer to have bedding and hay provided by the yard?

Would like to have the option of buying my own.

Would you prefer a BHS approved yard?

In theory, yes - in practice, there are so few round here that you take what you can get!

What would you include as essential facilities for DIY liveries at the yard?

Arena with all-weather surface, 24/7 turn-out with use of stable, own space for tack/feed/rugs etc, trailer parking, sufficient equipment for mucking out

Finally what would you pay per week for DIY at the following yard-
BHS approved yard with american barn style stabling, all year turnout, use of floodlit arena, tack room and common room. For a small extra fee the use of a solarium and hot water washroom would be available to use. And hay and straw is provided by the yard!?

Round here that would be £30-35

 

[aran]

Would you prefer to have bedding and hay provided by the yard?
I like to have choice - if your hay/straw is competitively priced and good quality then they will all buy from you anyway (less hassle too!)

Would you prefer a BHS approved yard?
Not bothered - more important to be clean, tidy and well run


What would you include as essential facilities for DIY liveries at the yard?
Good grazing, fencing, field managment, worming programme, good stables, trailer parking, tackroom, feedroom, rug room, not over crowded school, good surface, lunging area, good off road hacking, secure, friendly environment, people to T/O, B/I, M/O if needed for reasonable rates.

Finally what would you pay per week for DIY at the following yard-
BHS approved yard with american barn style stabling, all year turnout, use of floodlit arena, tack room and common room. For a small extra fee the use of a solarium and hot water washroom would be available to use. And hay and straw is provided by the yard!?
Depends on location. With hay and straw included £35. I pay £25 without.

 

[UKa]

ok, well:
Would you prefer to have bedding and hay provided by the yard? I prefer that as it saves endless trips to get hay and straw, but it has to be good quality and maybe the option should be given to go elsewhere.

Would you prefer a BHS approved yard? not bothered at all

What would you include as essential facilities for DIY liveries at the yard?safe, good size stables, all year turnout that gets rotated and looked after, 24hr grazing in the summer, all weather arena with floodlights, easy access to water, safe storage space, maximum 20 horses, someone to do services for when required, ad lib hay and straw if this is provided by yard, ;

-what would you pay per week for DIY at the following yard-
BHS approved yard with american barn style stabling, all year turnout, use of floodlit arena, tack room and common room. For a small extra fee the use of a solarium and hot water washroom would be available to use. And hay and straw is provided by the yard!?
I reckon around £30-£40 per week including ad lib use of hay and straw.

 

[MillionDollar]

Thank you all for all your answers and advice.

The farm is in Warwickshire. I will be living on site as I already do, lol. And we will be providing a very long off-road farm ride. I will also provide services such as turning out, feeding, haying, etc for a small fee.

Thanks again.

 

[CBFan]

Round here (herts) the going rate for DIY is around £95 per month.

That is for stable, (unlimited) turnout + floodlit all-weather school. Some of the farmers round here who have diversified throw straw in with that cost others will only charge minimal rates (straw 50p per bale, haylage £1 a day and hay £3 a bale) - they by no means insist on you using their stuff but you'd be stupid not to at that price + the saving in hassle!

These are like I said on 'diversified' farms with a slightly more laid back attitude than some purpose built yards...

There are some more 'purpose built' yards with perhaps a few more facilities (indoor school) + fully concreted yard!! but that offer less turnout, have much stricter rules etc that charge around about the £120 per month mark...

The things I look for in a livery yard are (in no particular order) good (unlimited) 12 hour during winter 24 during summer, turnout; decent sized stables; Tidy, well run yard (a few reasonable rules - sweep up, poo pick fields, remove droppings from school etc); secure (preferably individual) tack + bits & bobs storage;(+ school.) - basic, but then again I am a farmers daughter too so doesn't take much to please me!!!!

 

[katelarge]

Would you prefer to have bedding and hay provided by the yard?
Yes, as long as they are good quality and not overpriced, also well-stored

Would you prefer a BHS approved yard? NOt bothered

What would you include as essential facilities for DIY liveries at the yard?
Quality turnout, ad lib bedding, hay, dry feed room with space for my bins and secure tack room, hacking out, access to well-surfaced floodlit outdoor of a good size. 12 x12 stables ideally with rubber matting or rubber matting to buy at discount. Also set yard rules observed by all and the ability to have some assisted DIY if required.

Finally what would you pay per week for DIY at the following yard-
BHS approved yard with american barn style stabling, all year turnout, use of floodlit arena, tack room and common room. For a small extra fee the use of a solarium and hot water washroom would be available to use. And hay and straw is provided by the yard!?
I paid about £270 a month for assisted DIY at a yard that was not BHS, with an indoor school but non American barn stables, non-existent TO. Stable rent was £25 a week, eveything else was on top so it worked out expensive. I'd say £40 to £50 a week if that covered stable rent, access to school, ad lib hay and bedding. Without the ad lib hay and bedding, about £30.

 

[Evadiva1514]

Good luck with your new livery yard, in answer to your questions:

Would you prefer to have bedding and hay provided by the yard?
Yes as long as they were included in a livery package paid once a month or were available seperately at a reasonable price.

Would you prefer a BHS approved yard?
Never been stabled at one so no it wouldn't bother me at all!!

What would you include as essential facilities for DIY liveries at the yard?

Plenty of individual storage for forage, tack, rugs and other equipment. When i was last at livery i had 4 horses and storage capabilities for one so it is a real bugbear of mine.
Good winter turnout or facilities to turn out just for an hour or so in the winter to stretch their legs, good lighting and powerpoints, light spacious airy boxes, plenty of room for parking the lorry and nice hacking. I also used to like it when the yard organised regular clinics for SJ & Dress training.

Hope this helps, have mine at home now so may have forgotten a few importamt things, but i hope everything goes well for you with your new venture!!!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Q.Would you prefer to have bedding and hay provided by the yard?
Yes for hay,Bedding would also be good,but not as important

Q.Would you prefer a BHS approved yard?
BHS Approved would be good,but it would be many factors such as cost,facilities etc that would have most bearing.

Q.What would you include as essential facilities for DIY liveries at the yard?
Holiday cover,good arena,good facilties in general really

Q.Finally what would you pay per week for DIY at the following yard-
BHS approved yard with american barn style stabling, all year turnout, use of floodlit arena, tack room and common room. For a small extra fee the use of a solarium and hot water washroom would be available to use. And hay and straw is provided by the yard!?
up to £40per week

hope that helps