running retirement livery?

[pippixox]

I often see people looking for grazing (Im in west Berkshire which like many places in the south east has limited land around) but they also want facilities like a school and stables. I keep my horses on an old farm (now has businesses like a gardening company) with a barn, not individual stables, and quite a bit of land, but it gets very wet in the winter by a river. quite good hacking but not much else, very rough and ready!

basically, I am not trying to make lots of money (I know that is impossible with horses!) but there is a chance I may gain an extra field if the lady who has been there for years moves (we all rent from the same person, but she has basically said if she does move she is offering it to me) of about 20 very rough acres. (her move is very up in the air the moment, so this may not happen). she has 4 grass liveries at the moment who would probably want to stay on (plus her own who would move with her), but I have my 3 on a separate field, they don't need more, so would have more than I needed (pretty weedy, so not really a hay opportunity without far too much work). I ultimately would need to be able to cover the increased rent with a little extra left over for ongoing maintenance. she did manage to cover her rent and horse feed and field maintenance when she had 7 liveries (she has 5 of her own). but, due to limited facilities, plus not wanting loads of people coming and going all the time, I was thinking retirement livery may be a viable option?

plenty of natural shelter, gentle slopes, and field shelters. so ideal to keep oldies (as she does currently) barn for emergencies. I live around the corner and am up twice a day. I have toddler and pregnant so only work very part time. So I feel I would be able to offer a service, and care for some retirees, not just have DIY (If anything I think it is easier to have a herd in the same routine instead of different owners coming and goings) I am friends with a few freelance grooms for back up as well.

so after that waffle.... does anyone do retirement grass livery. Any things I really need to be aware of? although I seem to see plenty of adds sadly of people trying to get rid of oldies as companions, I assume there are people that would be happy to pay reasonable rates to have their horse retired somewhere with occasional visits? (I certainly would if I couldn't look after my old boy myself)

 

[be positive]

20 acres could be ideal but not if it is really wet and weedy as you may struggle in the winter with older horses needing more care, if the 4 grass liveries remain are they ridden? again that will make a difference to the herd with comings and goings each day, possibly shod horses in with unshod and if it is just one field you could end up with some needing restricting and others needing more that it can become a full time job juggling all of them, having 2 young children could also prove tricky as you will need to bring them in for routine farrier visits etc they may not be used to children or just be a bit less well mannered than you want.
If you could find a few good doers, not laminitic, it could work but it doesn't sound suitable for the bigger more quality horses which in reality are probably the ones most likely to be retired by an owner willing to pay for a service, bit of a sweeping statement but they are the ones that require more care and are more likely to be "replaced" with the owner wanting to keep them somewhere less expensive.
GG on here has retirement liveries, is busy I think and from memory has a fair few ex competition types on a large acreage and runs it fairly full time, maybe send her a pm.

I think I would probably look at full grass livery for the busy working person who rides for pleasure and may only want to come up as and when they have time, if the hacking is good that may be the key and may fit in with the ones already there.

 

[planete]

My horse is at grass livery in his retirement. He is in a stable group of three horses, is given a daily feed all year round to make sure he gets the supplements he needs and haylage throughout the Winter months. The fencing and grazing are well maintained and the owner is careful to monitor the horses' weight throughout the year. She can do this thanks to the availability of different size paddocks and careful rotation between good doers and potential skinny Joes. If I cannot attend for the farrier or the vet, somebody will be there. His rug will be put on or removed as necessary. There are large field shelters in all the fields and the ground is free draining so the horses do not have to stand in mud permanently. There are also individual stables available in case of need. The set-up I have described is essential to ensure an old horse's continuing well-being. You would need to be able to provide the equivalent to attract people willing to pay to keep an old horse at retirement livery. It is actually quite a lot of work if you want to do it properly.