Starting tiny livery?

[MagicMelon]

I've spent the morning trying to think up ways of making more money (apart from getting a better paid job!) as Im about to buy my first house and realise I'm not going to have many pennies for the horses otherwise!

We have about 5 acres, split into 4 paddocks. Im wondering if it would be suitable to let someone livery 1 or 2 horses here. There are 2 large stables as well as tack room, rug room, feed room etc. etc. Stable-wise, they could use it if they needed it sometimes but would rather they stayed out on grass. I have no arena for riding, only the paddocks (which I currently cope with!). It would be on a DIY basis although I could likely do the odd job for them like feeding etc. if need be. How much do you think I could charge for this weekly (and what would it include if anything, ie. hay etc.)?

Also, what happens with regards to insurance for this sort of thing? It would literally only be a tiny operation (ie. 1 or 2 horses, not a whole yard!).

 

[scotsmare]

I think you would still need insurance as you're providing a service. Charges wise you'd be looking at around £10 per week with hay on top - would have been more if you had an arena.

I don't think that it'll be financially viable for the sake of a couple of horses - sorry

 

[RuthnMeg]

Agree with scotsmare.
How about going to the pony sales and buying 2 little scrawny things, start them, tart them up and sell them in the spring - bound to make a prophet??!!

 

[SNORKEY]

Hi, we have pretty much exactly the same as you at home, we rent one stable out every now and again for £80 a month, this includes a stable, off road hacking and a large flat schooling area on the grass in the summer or when its dry, if your going to offer grass livery make sure your grass can take it, 3 horses on our 4-5 acres, works nicely, but thats by coming in at night in the winter, you mave to fertilise the grass once a year to ensure you have enough if your going to have more than 3 horses on it.
For just grass livery id say £60 a month, you have to very careful with the people you take on, we've just chucked the last livery off as she only came up to see her horses once in a month! Id ask them to sighn a livery agreement and be very strict on the day you want your money each month, we have run a big and a small livery yard and they are a lot of hassel, we have just brought another horse to keep our old mare company as we could'nt be bothered with taking anyone else on.