starting a riding school - good idea ?

[lamehorse]

someone i know is thinking of starting a riding school. everything i hear about riding schools these days is awful , high insurance, lots of costs etc. however, they do seem to make a lot of money. can anyone advise please. for instance how much is the insurance ? she has been told anything from £600 per year to £10,000 ! her stables arnt rated as business either so presumably that would be another higher cost. the horse side she knows about , it just whether it would work or not. thanks in advance.

 

[winterwood]

I think it's quite tough to make money from a riding school, after all the costs are taken into account. It would be best to fix up a meeting with a business adviser to go through the idea and get some information on doing a business plan. This will help to focus the mind on how the business will grow and what additional services can be offered to clients in the future to boost income.

 

[hudsonw]

Like WW said, your best getting your friend to speak to a professional adviser regarding financial business advice.
I don't know about the insurance side of it but i would have thought there are many things you have to register for with the council etc.

It would also depend on your friends facilities.
Has she got somewhere for the lessons to take place (indoors or out) in the winter with no indoor she may lose clients due to the weather?
Has she got the funds to purchase a range of horses and ponies to suit beginners to experienced?
Will she be providing hacking, if so what is the hacking like in that area...just because she can cross a few busy roads on her safe horse you have to think about 4/5 horses all going out at once.
She will have to provide equipment like hats, Jumps etc little things that people forget about.
She will have to employ qualified teachers so will have to be able to afford to pay them and things like NI, Tax etc. The riding instructors at my local riding school get paid £10 an hour.
With more horse she will prob need a groom or YM and again the girl at the riding school earns £7.50 an hour.

anyway, good luck with whatever she decides to do