Setting up a livery yard - advice pls.

[SEL]

Whereabouts in Bucks are you?

 

[LaurenBay]

I would stick with Facebook and local tackshops for now.

Did you manage to find a yard manager? I would kill for a position like that. Sadly too far for me.

Good luck with your yard

 

[James-Stephens2014]

Just off the M40 in south bucks! Really only looking for full or part livery and they seem quite rare... it’s ok though, no rush!!

As for staff I have a lady that rents half the yard and her self employed groom will do services on any other horses and I’ll just pay her per hour for work done for me.

Alternatively I’ll do a free livery for helping me out sort of deal with someone which a couple of people have offered - although they weren’t ideal.

 

[Flicker]

I’m sorry if I am repeating anyone else’s post, as I haven’t had time to read all the way through, but I would take a bit of time to draw up a nice, tight livery contract. I would include in this the expectation of acceptable behaviour in terms of animal husbandry and in relation to other liveries, staff etc. I would also include payment terms and consequences for late payment or non payment. Making all parties aware right at the outset of their respective responsibilities makes it much easier to nip non compliance and possible conflict in the bud.

 

[James-Stephens2014]

XC liability question.
Hypothetically if I was to put XC jumps around a field margin for people to jump where do I stand liability wise?
I have asked my insurers just wondering if anyone has any experience of such a issue.

 

[chaps89]

A local yard has a xc course running around the edge of several fields. It's open for use by liveries and non-liveries and you have to sign a disclaimer with the usual sign your life away type disclaimers before riding round.
I know another yard in the area had a similar set up but for liveries only and they ended up removing the fences as the insurance costs were astronomical.

 

[Frumpoon]

Should be covered by your care, custody and control insurance but you can insist that your liveries have their own personal accident or liability insurance too.

The only thing to consider is that it might increase your business rates based in the area of land the jumps occupy but I'm not so sure in the machinations of this

 

[pixie]

Please make sure that all xc jumps are properly secured to the ground, including moveable jumps. They can cause rotational falls if they are unfixed.

 

[Theocat]

A local yard has a xc course running around the edge of several fields. It's open for use by liveries and non-liveries and you have to sign a disclaimer with the usual sign your life away type disclaimers before riding round.
I know another yard in the area had a similar set up but for liveries only and they ended up removing the fences as the insurance costs were astronomical.

The disclaimers are worthless - if an accident is because of any failing by the course owner, they're liable regardless of what someone has signed.

 

[James-Stephens2014]

Pixie - Yes ma’am!

 

[popsdosh]

Surely if you are farming you have liability cover for anybody coming onto the property ,your a fool if you havent. As above disclaimers will not stand up in law and are worthless if you are at fault you will be judged to be so. You will also need planning permission and be liable for business rates ,thats why many courses have closed.

 

[chocolategirl]

XC liability question.
Hypothetically if I was to put XC jumps around a field margin for people to jump where do I stand liability wise?
I have asked my insurers just wondering if anyone has any experience of such a issue.

Surely if you have asked your insurers you’re better to listen to their advice and not advice from people on a forum? I’m a YO and we have several XC jumps around our land, in my health and safety policy, which I make sure everyone signs to say they have read it, I state that these jumps are for my own personal use, however if clients ‘choose’ to make use of them they do so at their own risk. It’s a very grey area though so tread very very carefully. My insurance is extremely expensive in relation to the number of liveries I have, but sadly that’s the world we live in, litigious! If I knew now what I knew 23 years ago when I started, I would never have set my yard up. I’m in a very fortunate position though luckily for my liveries, I don’t rely on the income from it thank god! Btw, I have been sued twice in 23 years both times for something that was the clients fault, so please whatever you do, make sure you have insurance, don’t think it will never happen to you!