Paying a retainer on empty stable

G

gingerthing

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 April 2009
Messages
371
Location
Norfolk
Visit site
Has anybody on here done that? Particularly already existing clients. How much did you pay and how long did you do it for? If you were looking for a horse were you made to feel pressurised by your YO to fill it due to demand from other potential new clients wanting to stable there?

Has anybody paid a retainer on their stable only to have it filled by somebody elses horse?
 
i have since january after i lost a horse, i have been trying to find a 2-4 yr to mature to 15.3-16hh mw/hw they don't seem to exist. its my money my cost has not gone up per month but if i give it up then find a horse i will then have to move yards.
 
I would expect to pay the full cost of the stable. I paid for an empty stable for 4 months after my horse died in 2002 to keep it. Stables and grazing are at a premium where I am so unless the yard had plenty of empty stables I think it is only reasonable to pay in full in order to retain it.
 
I've known people at my old yard who paid retainer on their stables during the summer when they turned their horses out 24/7 to ensure they had a stable when they needed it in the winter.
 
Yes I would pay if the stable was going to stay empty as the yard will still have fixed costs to meet. I would expect there to be a reduction to take into account feed and bedding. If someone else was going to use the box though on a temporary basis (maybe info sale or an injured grass livery) then I wouldn't expect to pay for it at that point - they would have to cover that cost but my yard is pretty fair.
 
night_mare said:
I've known people at my old yard who paid retainer on their stables during the summer when they turned their horses out 24/7 to ensure they had a stable when they needed it in the winter.
Click to expand...

We turnout 24/7 as much as we like here (year round) but still pay for the stables etc year round - again only fair as it is our choice to leave them empty - you can't expect to half the YO income for the summer especially when there are people happy to take them.:)
 
when i sold my last horse and before getting my new one I paid £10 a week - normally £22 !! same when one of the ladies lost her horse in jan -just bought a new one last week and she has been paying £10 a week all that time. YO very fair and understanding.
 
night_mare said:
I've known people at my old yard who paid retainer on their stables during the summer when they turned their horses out 24/7 to ensure they had a stable when they needed it in the winter.
Click to expand...

Isn't that the norm? When I had a stable I paid for it all year round whether I used it or not and I wouldn't expect anything different.

In the past I have continued to pay for a place when I moved out just in case I wanted to move back, only for a month, though.
 
every summer when i come home from university i pay to keep my stable, it's expensive but the yard is excellent and has a waiting list, so it's well worth it.
 
If i was paying a retainer on a stable and then the YO filled it I would be asking for my money back and shifting yards im afraid.

My horses went to a friends for several weeks every year but I still had to pay my full payment for livery despite me not using the stables for up to 2 months every year.

If the YP has filled a stable that someone else is paying for then Iwould be having very strong words with her/him.
 
if a new person wants to come to the yard they need to pay a deposit for us to hold the stable , i had to many who say yes then disappear and in meantime i turned down others.

I charge them half the livery cost for up to max a month


if someone takes their horse on holiday to coast for a week or two they still have to pay full keep while away. Its normal remember going to Cyprus a few years back and in the holiday we went for a 5 days cruise sleeping on the boat we still had to pay hotel its our choice to spend nights and days away not hotels

Some of the guest go out for meals even tho they on full board just for a change but they cant have the meal deducted from their bill just cos they went out

if their horse dies and its a couple of weeks between old and new horse it depends on

the circumstances how horse died

how close i am to that person in the way of friend
how long they been here


i might not charge them anything and just resume normal payment when new horse arrives.
 
Last edited:
Before moving to my new yard, I just told the YM that I wanted to move there. There was one stable available but my friend and I needed three stables. We didn't pay a retainer on the one stable but he held it for two weeks (he knew two more people were leaving).

Now that there's demand for the stables I would expect to pay the full cost. My gelding should be going on loan soon but his stable will still be paid for, for a few months just incase.
 
No, I was very lucky to find my amazing YO (also a good friend of mine) and whilst I was looking for my own Horse she kept a stable free for me for 2 - 3 months. I did offer to pay but she wouldn't accept any money from me.

I think it is usually the norm to pay though.
 
Yep. We paid a retainer on 2 stables both at separate times. It's a popular yard and a lot of people would snap up the chance.
We already had one mare there. And we also pay for her stable even though she's out 24/7 at the mo. I just thought this was the norm though.
I don't think you can expect somebody to just hold a place for you free of charge when they could have a paying customer in it. The way I see it, there not getting the money for hay or bedding off you, so they're already being generous! :)
 
I normally charge for the stable and the grooms cost (as she gets paid per stable she does) i never charge for hay, bedding or feed though as you are not using it
 
Our yard offers this, and I think the retainer price is the same as normal cost of DIY livery a week, but the empty stable might still be used until you need it back, so you can't keep anything stored in it, although you still have use of the store room areas and tack room. I think that's reasonably fair tbh.

I suppose what is reasonable to pay to retain a stable is all dependant on how popular and how much demand there is for the yard.
 
50% for the first month after losing/selling your horse then if there is a waiting list then 100% of the cost... only half price if the person is the only interested party.
 
When I was on livery we paid the same for stable/grazing all year round- whether you chose to put the horse out 24/7 or not.

I did pay a retainer whilst I was looking for a pony for my son- only a tenner a week - YO would have never put someone else in there when it was empty and retained or my horses were living out....her POV was 'its your stable- do with it as you wish'.
 
diamond_light said:
if a new person wants to come to the yard they need to pay a deposit for us to hold the stable , i had to many who say yes then disappear and in meantime i turned down others.

I charge them half the livery cost for up to max a month


if someone takes their horse on holiday to coast for a week or two they still have to pay full keep while away. Its normal remember going to Cyprus a few years back and in the holiday we went for a 5 days cruise sleeping on the boat we still had to pay hotel its our choice to spend nights and days away not hotels

Some of the guest go out for meals even tho they on full board just for a change but they cant have the meal deducted from their bill just cos they went out

if their horse dies and its a couple of weeks between old and new horse it depends on

the circumstances how horse died

how close i am to that person in the way of friend
how long they been here


i might not charge them anything and just resume normal payment when new horse arrives.
Click to expand...

FGS, will you please use some punctuation? Your posts give me a headache!

In answer to the OP, I would expect to pay full rent with maybe a slight reduction if hay/bedding was inclusive, the YO is running a business and good yards have waiting lists. I wouldn't mind another horse using my stable temporarily on the assumption that a) I was asked first, and b) it would be shifted and stable left as found when I needed it back.
 
I pay £10 per week, as it is the best stable available, I have the choice, but in winter that stable would not be available, I have to make sure others do not use it just because it is empty! or leave clutter around it because it is unused!
 
Crikey - I would have a problem if I was paying the cost on a box and then someone else went ahead and used it! if they use it, they can pay for it!. I am, however on part livery so my retainer would be a lot more than DIY, even when the non fixed costs (feed and bedding) are taken off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top