Livery yard with no arena?

[Mrswhite]

Hi,
I am looking at taking on 2 or 3 liveries on our working farm. We have old fashioned stone stables with a large secure tack room and daily turnout all year round. The only thing I don't have, yet, is an arena.
Would people still be interested in full livery without a school? We have miles and miles of off road hacking, a field to ride in when its dry and local riding club arena which can be hired out.
Just looking at the interest before I go any further!
Also, what would people expect to pay for full livery with no arena? I was thinking about £75pw as full livery with a small school start around £100pw locally.
Many thanks!

 

[twiggy2]

depends on what you mean by full livery as it does seem to vary so you would need to list what is included.

 

[Mrswhite]

It would be 7 days a week turnout, bring in, rug change, hay, straw, basic feed, daily turnout, mucking out. Holding for vet etc.
riding would be available if requested.

 

[applecart14]

Hi,
I am looking at taking on 2 or 3 liveries on our working farm. We have old fashioned stone stables with a large secure tack room and daily turnout all year round. The only thing I don't have, yet, is an arena.
Would people still be interested in full livery without a school? We have miles and miles of off road hacking, a field to ride in when its dry and local riding club arena which can be hired out.
Just looking at the interest before I go any further!
Also, what would people expect to pay for full livery with no arena? I was thinking about £75pw as full livery with a small school start around £100pw locally.
Many thanks!

Personally I would doubt very much that people would want to pay full livery prices without a school, even if you did reduce the cost. The whole point of full livery I always thought is for those that don't want or have time to do the tasks required like mucking out, nets, feeds, etc but this then frees up time for them to ride.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I used to DIY livery at a farm with no fancy facilities just a field and a stable, although we were allowed to ride on rested fields with the farmer's permission if the ground was good. They did have a good set of showjumps which were put on one of the resting fields in the summer. I loved it there as I don't enjoy schooling, I like to hack. However I wouldn't be interested in full livery and the people that I know who are, seem to expect much more in terms of facilities.

 

[Nativelover]

I have to say that if someone is going to the expense of full livery, I'd expect them to want facilities. An arena is commonplace at the majority of yards, and things like a wash room and solarium are now desirable additions.

 

[quirky]

The beauty of full livery is the ability to just rock up and ride.
Assuming you'd be working full-time to afford full livery, your facilities would mean you couldn't ride for x amount of months a year due to dark nights and mornings.
I think you'll struggle to find anybody to pay full livery prices for no facilities.

 

[JulesRules]

Actually, I think the opposite. There are a lot of people who would love the miles of off road hacking and prioritise that over an arena.

I would advertise and see what interest you get?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Can you compromise?
Offer a part livery? eg: feed, rug/turnout, muck out 5 mornings a week (Mon-Fri).
Include bedding, hay and basic feed, so you get them all done as you like it.
Then offer 'services' for the afternoon and weekends?

Adjacent YO does this and has waiting list for her yard. She does have a small school but no lights, but in the main her liveries are working people with hackers/dressage horses/ponies. Seems to work very well as she has the yard to herself in the mornings and often has most of them on 'services (bring in/rug change, feed) on weekday evenings through the winter.
She charges £60 a week for the basic package, but we are in the SE and a v horsey area.
They do have 'rules' tho and have to bring in by 7pm, or horse will be done soon after & owner charged double for service if no communication (rarely happens!) and have to be seeing to horse by 9am at weekends, or penalty arises (again, this doesn't happen as they either notify her or turn up)

Worth a thought?

 

[madlady]

I'm going to go against the majority here and say that you will have interest.

Not everyone requires an arena even on full livery. Also saying that people wouldn't be able to ride for x amount of months without an arena is just tosh as far as I'm concerned - not everyone stops riding for winter (me for one) I'm quite happy to hack out in winter. Your miles of off road hacking would be a real plus for me (more so than an arena TBH) and I can't imagine that I'm the only person with horses who feels like that.

Your full livery prices also sound pretty reasonable when I compare them to my local full livery yard. They charge 125pw, turn out is half day only all year round, they do have an arena but it can't be used when really wet as it floods. The hacking is OK and there is an instructor on site. They have 20+ stables and are full with a waiting list.

 

[glamourpuss]

I think many will pay for the good hacking. Not everyone who has full livery has it because they work full time 9-5...many shift workers etc go for it because of nights, late shifts etc.
So going of that I would definitely say there is a market.
Lots of people put preference over year round turn out over fancy wash areas & arenas so that is a selling point.

 

[Enfys]

Personally I couldn't care less about not having an arena, I wouldn't use it if there was one - for 8 years I had my own sand arena, an acre of it (I just ploughed up and harrowed part of a field), used it maybe once, got bored and then just spent hours maintaining it for my liveries, 90% of whom didn't use it either. I have one now, I still don't use it. I also had a half mile all weather gallop, that never got used either.

An arena is very useful though and I do think it is advantageous to be able to offer such a facility, preferably with lights, which cost a fortune to install, so that would hike up your fees as you have to cover your costs. With the numbers you are considering I personally don't think it is worth the outlay, just yet, with the grazing, stabling and hacking you have available I don't think you will have a problem getting customers.

Good Luck

 

[muckypony]

Also saying that people wouldn't be able to ride for x amount of months without an arena is just tosh as far as I'm concerned - not everyone stops riding for winter (me for one) I'm quite happy to hack out in winter.

Not tosh at all. I don't stop riding for winter just because its winter, but if I had no arena then I would have to as I work full-time and for several months I don't even get to see the horses in daylight, let alone hack out in it.

 

[DabDab]

Actually, I think the opposite. There are a lot of people who would love the miles of off road hacking and prioritise that over an arena.

I would advertise and see what interest you get?

This. I have recently moved from all singing all dancing facilities to no facilities but excellent turnout and off road hacking (and a nice stable), and many of my friends are doing the same (those wanting full livery included).

In the winter the best time to ride around work is the morning, and if hacking is off road and the footing is good then the dark isn't really an issue. And there are actually very few people that really want to school 4 or 5 days a week because they can only hack at weekends. Just really sell the hacking and turnout when you advertise.

£75pw sounds fine

 

[shadeofshyness]

Not tosh at all. I don't stop riding for winter just because its winter, but if I had no arena then I would have to as I work full-time and for several months I don't even get to see the horses in daylight, let alone hack out in it.

This! How on earth do you get to see daylight in the week in winter? Working a normal 9-5 office job like most people, with commute into a city centre either side, it's not going to happen.

 

[Mrswhite]

Thank you for all your comments, plenty to think about!

 

[PeterNatt]

I am sure that there are many Happy Hackers that would love the facilities that you are offering with loads of local off road riding.
Not everyone wants or needs an arena.

 

[Nativelover]

I don't suppose you are near me in NW are you??? Pm if you like

 

[Mrswhite]

I'm afraid not, in the Peak District!

 

[BigPony]

I can only hack mine out but with a full time job and a baby, full/mon-fri livery with services at weekends and great hacking would definitely be something I'd go for.

 

[Gloi]

If the hacking is good and there is accomodation near you could maybe also specialise in people coming with horses on holiday.

 

[spotty_pony2]

It sounds like it may be a good option for someone wanting to Hunt/hack out who is not too bothered about schooling. I think the price is reasonable tbh considering I used to keep my horse on a dairy farm, also with no school for £45 per week DIY including haylage and straw.

 

[dede]

It sounds like it may be a good option for someone wanting to Hunt/hack out who is not too bothered about schooling. I think the price is reasonable tbh considering I used to keep my horse on a dairy farm, also with no school for £45 per week DIY including haylage and straw.

I'm looking to do something very similar to that on my own dairy farm and i am just wondering whether you liked having a livery on a farm and whether you think the price was reasonable.

 

[SO1]

Possibly if you can exercise for them during the week it might work for someone who does endurance or likes hunting etc.

My part livery is nearly £200 a week we do have a large floodlit school so £75 with no arena would be reasonable. If you are only looking for a few people depending on where you are I expect you would get interest.

 

[FieldOrnaments]

Possibly if you can exercise for them during the week it might work for someone who does endurance or likes hunting etc.

My part livery is nearly £200 a week we do have a large floodlit school so £75 with no arena would be reasonable. If you are only looking for a few people depending on where you are I expect you would get interest.

zombie thread

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I wouldn't pay full livery prices and not have an arena. I have a fantastic one where I am now, I havnt used it most of the summer as we have great hacking as well. Now the clocks have changed I have used it 3 times already this week! I work full time so riding during the day in the week in daylight is not an option. I ride before work so mainly in the dark but it does get lighter as I finish riding!

 

[Fieldlife]

This! How on earth do you get to see daylight in the week in winter? Working a normal 9-5 office job like most people, with commute into a city centre either side, it's not going to happen.

I ride before work and manage light most of the year

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I ride before work and manage light most of the year

I always ride before work and can manage most of the winter without lights.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

zombie thread

Most of the advice is sound tho, but any prices given will be way out of date as this thread is from 9 years ago.

 

[Sanversera]

Hi,
I am looking at taking on 2 or 3 liveries on our working farm. We have old fashioned stone stables with a large secure tack room and daily turnout all year round. The only thing I don't have, yet, is an arena.
Would people still be interested in full livery without a school? We have miles and miles of off road hacking, a field to ride in when its dry and local riding club arena which can be hired out.
Just looking at the interest before I go any further!
Also, what would people expect to pay for full livery with no arena? I was thinking about £75pw as full livery with a small school start around £100pw locally.
Many thanks!

Sounds idyllic. I've never been on a yard with an arena, good hacking is more important to me.