Taking on a livery. What to consider?

[Templebar]

I have been approached about taking a horse on full livery.

What should I be considering? Also any guidance on what to charge? Do you charge a set price every month and that includes routine vet/farrier/worming etc or would these be additional charges and the set rate would just be for the care?

I have my own horses and keep them at home on the farm, I have 2 stables but they live out 24/7. We have no facilities but very good hacking with minimal roads and at least 5 miles can be done completely off a road. I do have my own jumps that could be used on a field at certain times of the year.

 

[Goldenstar]

Insurance
The cost of maintaining everything to an acceptance standard
The rates situation .
What happens if you are ill or injured you have to provide the service whatever happens .
Liability and the farm business , farms are dangerous and having people on the farm seeing their horse has an impact on the risk assessments.

 

[AmyMay]

.

 

[Chuffy99]

All Goldenstars above, I went into it quite seriously when daughter took ponies to hers and if you cover yourself and do it legally it financially wasn’t worth it.
Have an aquaintance who nearly lost everything when held negligent and as was considered to be running a business it invalidated her home insurance

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

If you are offering Full livery then you need to factor-in the additional costs.

For a start you will need "CCC" insurance for yourself (Care, Custody & Control) if you are handling someone else's horse(s).

Secondly you will need adequate insurance for your premises to cover the usage.

Thirdly, you may place yourself liable for business rates...........

Sorry, I'm not giving you much joy to think about. But this is the reason why everyone comes on here and grouses about how much they are paying for livery basically.

I offer DIY livery and have done for 30 years now. I don't make a huge amount but it does help a little. With DIY you have to be firm about what you are offering - and what you are not. And stick to it.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I was going to say business rates and insurance but if you have a working farm, you probably already have that covered.

 

[dorsetladette]

I'd charge a set rate for care and then farrier/vet/etc is extra to be arranged by owner.
I'd include the wormer so you can make sure horse is on same program as yours.

Does the horse require any special care/supplements/feed etc different to the needs of your horses? if so this needs to be taken into consideration. ie, does it need rugging in winter? if yours do then straightening an extra rug in a morning isn't a great deal of effort, but if yours don't but livery does then potentially going in a field to straighten a rug when you can cast an eye over yours from the safety of a dry farm yard would make a difference for me.

If horse needs special diet and can't be moved onto the same as yours then pulling a horse out of the field to feed separately when yours happily eat in the field without to much messing becomes a task.

When you take a horse at livery it is more of a task than people realise. it really does have to be beneficial to you!

 

[blitznbobs]

Is it worth it?

Would be my biggest question

 

[SantaVera]

one of my liveries has remained friends for life ,am still in touch years after I gave upand retired. however things can go wrong. try to get good references and get them to pay by DD. make sure you have suitable insurance and make crystal clear rules that you always abide by. Better all round and helps stop arguments.

 

[ihatework]

I can’t imagine 1-2 full liveries in a set up with limited facilities (ceiling on the charges) would be worth the hassle and almost non existent income once you factor in insurance/rates/tax etc

 

[Templebar]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I am not in a rush to make a decision but that has given me a lot of food for thought.

 

[Fieldlife]

I have been approached about taking a horse on full livery.

What should I be considering? Also any guidance on what to charge? Do you charge a set price every month and that includes routine vet/farrier/worming etc or would these be additional charges and the set rate would just be for the care?

I have my own horses and keep them at home on the farm, I have 2 stables but they live out 24/7. We have no facilities but very good hacking with minimal roads and at least 5 miles can be done completely off a road. I do have my own jumps that could be used on a field at certain times of the year.

How many times a week would owner visit and can you cope with the invasion of privacy?

I am on part livery but spend a fair bit of time at the yard, including before / after work, pretty much 7 days a week.

 

[Arzada]

But this is the reason why everyone comes on here and grouses about how much they are paying for livery basically.

I don't, never have. And neither do alot of other people.

 

[Goldenstar]

I was going to say business rates and insurance but if you have a working farm, you probably already have that covered.

Farms don’t pay business rates

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Does the horse have to come in at night and will it need company if yours live out?