Setting up a livery yard - advice pls.

[James-Stephens2014]

Hi all

I am a arable farmer in Bucks currently considering diversifying into a livery business to run alongside the crops.

Following a break up a few months ago I have seven empty 12 x 12 stables, 20 acres of pasture that's suitable and loads of hacking.

The question I have for you is what is important to you as livery customers? I have a sensible amount for investment but want to put it into the right areas!

I am not a grumpy old farmer so please be nice!! I am only 31!

Thanks
James

 

[Yardbird]

Sounds good, safe fencing is important,and would like it to be possible to have restricted grazing for good doers.

 

[Kat]

A school/arena with lights, automatic troughs to the fields. Daily turn out. Good management, so isolation of new horses, careful introductions if it isn't solo turnout.

Grazing that isn't overcrowded, although it sounds as though you have enough land available to either get a few more stables or a few grass liveries.

 

[meleeka]

I'd get a manager and only offer part/full livery. Echo a school, which will mean you can charge more. I think most people just want a tidy yard which is friendly and welcoming with safe facilities and decent turnout. A horse shower and rug drying room would be a bonus.

 

[be positive]

My advice would be to put in a decent arena and a few extra boxes with some storage, budget permitting and find a person to rent it as a whole using an agent to do the work, that way you don't have the hassle of 7 different people and their equines to manage leaving you to farm and just do routine management when required, you may be lucky and find individuals that don't need managing but this way would bring in a regular income without adding much work to your already busy life.

 

[popsdosh]

Hi all

I am a arable farmer in Bucks currently considering diversifying into a livery business to run alongside the crops.

Following a break up a few months ago I have seven empty 12 x 12 stables, 20 acres of pasture that's suitable and loads of hacking.

The question I have for you is what is important to you as livery customers? I have a sensible amount for investment but want to put it into the right areas!

I am not a grumpy old farmer so please be nice!! I am only 31!

Thanks
James

I reckon you may be using this as a free 'dating site' LOL

 

[Oscar]

Proper fencing eg wooden posts with mains electric thick horse tape. Small herds with plenty of space is ideal, horse owners aren't like sheep or dairy farmers!!

A 20x40 arena will cost £25k+ for a professional installation, but if you can do the groundwork and fencing yourself and just buy the surface you can do it much much cheaper.

Other things to consider are storage, parking, horseboxes (a nominal monthly charge per trailer or horsebox is often charged at most yards).

You could sell your own hay haylage and bedding, but beware light fingers!!

Then you need some form of sensible rules as every horse owner has their own ideas and world war 3 can erupt. Sensible opening hours need to be considered for yourself and the liveries, eg, some people start work early so need to see to their horse ridiculously early and may want to be turning up at 5am. Others may not leave til you kick them out, I've met a few mad cat lady type horse owners that need to evicted at 10pm so I could go to bed!! Lots to consider, don't expect to make much money.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would rent the yard as a whole to one person .

 

[turnbuckle]

All above points v sensible. Don't be tempted to put more boxes in - if your drainage allows, being able to offer good un-restricted winter turn-out is a huge plus point.

 

[Blurr]

A toilet.

 

[Antw23uk]

I reckon you may be using this as a free 'dating site' LOL

Beat me to it, lol!

 

[spugs]

I chose my yard because it has 24 hour turnout in summer, daylight turnout in winter, a outdoor school, only 3 horses per field which aren't miles from the farm and there's only a few liveries (12) so it's quiet. There is also someone you can pay if you need full or part livery. The only thing it doesn't have which I would like is a tackroom.

 

[PorkChop]

Another that would try and rent the whole yard to one person.

 

[Laika]

A toilet.

Could not agree with this more... I have a portaloo at my yard and it's not the most dignifying thing to use

 

[Notimetoride]

I would also rent to one owner. Put in nice facilities like a decent hardstanding, decent fencing, gates, an arena, toilet, dry secure tack storage, water, elec etc etc, and then rent it as a whole. I have a friend who owns a livery yard and hes always said its not the horses that are a problem (tho they can be sometimes!), its the people.

 

[Lammy]

If it helps I've just moved to a farm situated livery yard and this is what we have:

For £130 a month:

New internal stables in an airy barn with 2 spare for tying up
Outdoor concreted tie up area
Free unlimited straw included
Old container converted into a feed room so plenty of room and keeps the mice out!
Secure tack room with plenty of space, a kettle and a fridge
Lovely outdoor school
Good turnout only 2 minutes walk from the stables and plenty of grazing
Amazing hacking, bridleways everywhere and his own 400 acres which we're allowed to use as long as there's no livestock in there.
A toilet
Excellent security - all gates locked once he's finished on the farm and he does a late check before he goes back inside.

And we're trying to convince him to get us a warm horse shower for the winter

It's really lovely and I feel very lucky, the farmer does all the land management and keeps the fields looking well and his wife is a very good and experienced horse woman who offers assistance when needed and holiday cover. This might be why it's worthwhile for you to have a "designated yard manager"? If you can find the right people.

And also just to warn you, he's already had to ask two non-payers to leave and he only opened his gates in February! So be picky with who you invite onto your land.

Also forgot to mention we're only in Northants so not overly far from you either so I shouldn't think pricing would differ too much? Hope this helps!

 

[Maesto's Girl]

100% on the having a proper toilet!

Also winter and summer turnout, a good school, proper fencing and decent sized stables

 

[honetpot]

Business plan! Contract! Payment in advance!

Unless you are running it for family/or partner who are interested and want to support spending loads of money is a waste.
If you have 12 boxes and acres, I would look at someone who would rent the lot on a repairing lease.
I would test the water first, what ever you do. If your fencing is good I would sub divide with electric and do grass livery with a stable, DIY and see what you get. You will get problems and then you can decide if you want the hassle before winter. You can decide if you need a manager, you can decide if you want to supply hay/bedding, before spending huge amounts of money. Everyone says they want a school, even DIY will cost £15-20k, then you have to maintain it. How will it affect your rates bill, its non-agricultural? In your area there may be over or under supply.
Everyone farmer I know who does it says its hassle, you just have to decide whether the hassle is profitable.

 

[James-Stephens2014]

Thank you everyone for the comments there are things on here I didn't think of and other things I already have covered. I have learnt a lot and the forum has definitely helped thank you.

Lammy - that sounds like excellent value.

Reference dating website comments that wasn't the intention. CVs are welcome via PM though

 

[Cowpony]

Reference dating website comments that wasn't the intention. CVs are welcome via PM though

That's the other thing nobody has mentioned yet - a yard owner with a sense of humour is priceless!

 

[James-Stephens2014]

It sounds like i am going to need one!!!

 

[Leo Walker]

Also forgot to mention we're only in Northants so not overly far from you either so I shouldn't think pricing would differ too much? Hope this helps!

Where in Northants? I'm always keen to hear about good yards!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I'd get a manager and only offer part/full livery. Echo a school, which will mean you can charge more. I think most people just want a tidy yard which is friendly and welcoming with safe facilities and decent turnout. A horse shower and rug drying room would be a bonus.

Absolutely this.

Local arable farm does exactly this, with 15 boxes. They tried DIY for nearly 3 years, but it didn't work at all.

 

[Greylegs]

A kettle, tea bags and milk!!

Everything else has been mentioned I think.

 

[Fidgety]

A kettle, tea bags and milk!!

Everything else has been mentioned I think.

Nah, that's under the new Yard Manager's job description, including buying the loo rolls and soap for the newly installed loo .

 

[Orangehorse]

You need to think carefully about the contract and rules. There are often very odd cases that pop up on here. Like what happens to a horse if the owner isn't looking after it correctly, or what happens if there is a non-payer, like can you sell the horse to re-coup the loss. Things about deposits, payment in advance, health and safety - do you want babies and toddlers running round?

If you can do the work to keep the fields in good condition and rotate and rest the land that would be a plus. You will also find that maintenance of the fences and buildings takes more time than you would expect. I think nearly everyone would consider an arena important, although it is nice to have lots of off road hacking.

Some livery yards have strict times so that on a Sunday everyone has to be off the yard by a certain time, unless they are away at a competition.

 

[James-Stephens2014]

Thank you everyone again. The farm is busy enough on the crops and this thread is making me concerned about the undertaking. Maybe a manager is a good idea... my house is big enough to offer live in etc as finding someone local may be tricky.... hmmm lot of thinking to do!

Still no dating PMs

 

[MeltingSnowflake]

I reckon you may be using this as a free 'dating site' LOL

haha Agreed!

 

[joosie]

Actually I'm on the hunt for a single farmer! No jokes. Shame I'm not back in the UK until September... bet someone will have snapped you up by then!

 

[little_critter]

Could not agree with this more... I have a portaloo at my yard and it's not the most dignifying thing to use

A portaloo! I'd love a portaloo. I have a bucket.