What is it with Oldham and Livery?

[Whoopit]

Why is it so hard to find decent livery in the Oldham area that isn't ridiculous for price? I moved yards to one that had everything I required and it turns out the owner has been exceedingly dishonest with me! So I now need to look somewhere else as I'm not staying on a yard that tells you stuff to encourage you to move on cos you have two horses and they have two boxes free and it isn't what they said!

Two stables, a floodlit school is essential, 24hr summer turnout, and minimum every other day turnout in winter. I can't do short spells of turnout as I work over an hour away so can't pop back to catch in! Must allow young people on the yard (two and they're always together). Expecting to pay around £25 a week per horse? Prefer a yard that allows straw bedding, has fixed price hay or buy in your own and commutable for two youngsters around the Lees area (parents can drop them off but within reason).

Forget Counthill as no school and High Lee Lane as pitiful grazing.

Would look to move end of November.

Taaaa!

 

[FairyLights]

Croft End Equestrian Centre
http://www.croftend.co.uk/

 

[katherinef]

Croft End Equestrian Centre
http://www.croftend.co.uk/

was also going to say Croft End. Its only 15 minutes by car from Lees facilities are superb.

 

[neddy man]

have a look on www.*******.co.uk or www.*******.co.uk and look on local saddler shop notice boards .and local f/bk pages.

 

[cptrayes]

Two stables, a floodlit school is essential, 24hr summer turnout, and minimum every other day turnout in winter.Expecting to pay around £25 a week per horse?

Would you like blood with that ?

 

[YorksG]

Would you like blood with that ?

Have to agree with this! I think you will have to pay a fair bit more than that.

 

[twobearsarthur]

Have to agree with this! I think you will have to pay a fair bit more than that.

That is average in the Oldham area for what's listed.
We pay £30 pw inc an outdoor school, 24 hour turnout in summer (6 months), choice of everyday turnout or every other day in winter.
Direct access onto the Pennine Bridleway.
However there's a waiting list for stables and doesn't look like anyone moving soon.

 

[cptrayes]

30 is 20% more than 25 and with a waiting list it sounds like they should be charging 35. It sounds like you understand how lucky you are with that set up

 

[chocolategirl]

Would you like blood with that ?

I'm in Cheshire and we offer all this including daily winter turnout and 200 acres of off road hacking for £26/27 per week, so it depends how many in the area I think as too how much you pay. It is too cheap though but as I said it comes down to supply and demand!!sorry I know this doesn't help you OP buT good luck with your search!

 

[cptrayes]

I'm in Cheshire and we offer all this including daily winter turnout and 200 acres of off road hacking for £26/27 per week, so it depends how many in the area I think as too how much you pay. It is too cheap though but as I said it comes down to supply and demand!!sorry I know this doesn't help you OP buT good luck with your search!

Wow, all that work and hassle liveries give you for so little money! I'm a bit stunned. OP, I stand corrected.

 

[twobearsarthur]

If I were you I'd be looking Saddleworth Denshaw way if that's close enough (I'm guessing it is with you mentioning Counthill)
There's Saddleworth Stables, Saddleworth Livery & Denshaw Vale Livery all are on FB. Don't know much more about them though.
Then there's Burns farm.
Ask at Jolly Jods or Beal Hey feeds they will know of places in the area.
Hope this helps some.

 

[BlackRider]

I'm over on West Lancashire border - can't believe how cheap it is over Oldham way!

 

[quirky]

I'm in Lancs too, for £25 a week I would get a back garden.
I am amazed people can charge this and still make a profit and as somebody else said, all the hassle that goes with it too.

 

[abb123]

I don't know why anyone is surprised! It comes up quite a bit on here that different areas have a different average prices per week for similar facilities. I think someone even did a poll.

I'd also say that having good customers, that pay on time and don't cause problems is worth more than a few extra pounds a week.

Keeping these clients and not having a high turnover and the associated empty boxes is worth a lot more. It makes very good business sense to have reliable income and also not to have the chance of getting dodgy non-paying clients that cause no end of problems.

 

[sport horse]

I think that for £25 per week you could barely pay to have the muck heap cleared, maintain the fencing and fields, maintain the stables, pay for electric, water, rates, insurances etc. let alone make a profit at all.

Thankfully I have my own land and no longer takes liveries!!

 

[abb123]

I think that for £25 per week you could barely pay to have the muck heap cleared, maintain the fencing and fields, maintain the stables, pay for electric, water, rates, insurances etc. let alone make a profit at all.

Thankfully I have my own land and no longer takes liveries!!

I agree it is hard to make money out of just the basic DIY weekly rate. Which is why most yards offer other services that they make their money from, e.g. selling hay, straw, bedding, bring in/turn out etc etc...

It isn't the only industry where this happens. Lots of industries offer services at very reasonable costs to get people in and then make the money on the other things that they offer.

For example if you have a room hire with a bar. You offer the basic room hire at a very reasonable rate and then make your money on the drinks that the people buy when they are in.

It is a normal standard business model.

 

[Honey08]

A lot of the suggestions of yards on this thread will be way more than £25/wk. There are cheaper yards around, but most don't have floodlit facilities. Better yards tend to be nearer £35-40 for DIY.

Beal hey feed store has a lot on their notice board.