Would this be of interest to anyone?

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shadowboy

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A close friend of mine has 7 acres and 5 stables in an indoor barn. They have a school 20x 40 but with no floodlights. They live on site. Opposite their drive is the jack mytton way that spans days of off road hacking. They have 3 of their own horses. A 16hh hunter; a 15hh show hack and a 13hh welsh b. my friend is now 6 months into pregnancy and is struggling with her back badly. They were thinking of offering free livery for 2 including as much hay and straw and use of school and parking for lorry etc in exchange for the livery doing their 3 Monday to Friday while her husband is working? Is that too much work on exchange for free livery for 2 horses. All paddocks are post and rail and rotated regularly so grass is ok despite weather. I shall pass on opinions.....
 
shadowboy said:
A close friend of mine has 7 acres and 5 stables in an indoor barn. They have a school 20x 40 but with no floodlights. They live on site. Opposite their drive is the jack mytton way that spans days of off road hacking. They have 3 of their own horses. A 16hh hunter; a 15hh show hack and a 13hh welsh b. my friend is now 6 months into pregnancy and is struggling with her back badly. They were thinking of offering free livery for 2 including as much hay and straw and use of school and parking for lorry etc in exchange for the livery doing their 3 Monday to Friday while her husband is working? Is that too much work on exchange for free livery for 2 horses. All paddocks are post and rail and rotated regularly so grass is ok despite weather. I shall pass on opinions.....
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If I was a year older and just leaving school I would do something like this in a heartbeat. I can't think of any negatives, being around horses, being able to keep your own plus leaving enough time for another paid job, sounds perfect to me


Agree with the others though, would only be very temporary?
 
I'd reckon she may want additional help til the child is school age so a good chance for someone. Maybe not as much help so the deal could be rejigged once the baby is a bit older but could be a great setup.
 
Well as you could get DIY Livery with Hay/Straw included for £200 (£400 for 2) per Month (or less) with all those facilities, then what they are really asking is for someone to do their horses mon-fri for less than £100 per week /£20 per day. Plus the nature of the deal suggests it will be short term, thus 6months down the line once the baby is born and mum back in full swing they will be looking for livery again.
 
I think she will want help after the birth too! She's already got a 6 year old daughter so she was thinking that until the new family member was in school the help would be needed. Yes I know there is no financial contribution from the family but she felt that during the summer when there is no mucking out it would pay itself back by basically being free livery?
 
I think this could be fraught with problems.

For example, doing 5 horses a day is quite a lot of work, not quite full time for a groom but it could be extremely hard for someone to cope with along a full time job. So she'd need someone who was not working which may be more difficult to find. If your friend employed someone she could ask for things to be done exactly her way but this is between employment and favour which may be difficult. What happens when the livery/groom goes on holiday or is sick or can't be bothered to turn up?

Why doesn't she advertise for a paid, part/time position with opportunity to keep own horse on-site, which may mean the cost is more reasonable for her but the position is still of interest to a freelance groom who can fit it around her other jobs?
 
To add to what others have said it would also depend what the person had to do with the horses. Doing stables, feeds, changing rugs & doing feet is one thing. But if doing them m-f involves grooming, sorting farrier, bandages, exercise etc its a different thing all together. Plus echo what others have said.
 
I think it's a good deal depending on area. Where I am DIY is between £100 and £150 per month depending on yard facilities. Most would charge on top for lorry/trailer parking. Stable staff are paid the minimim wage, and expected to work fast as well!
Travel costs to own horse/job are combined. It may even suit two people with own horses who could alternate evenings and mornings.
I have run a part livery yard and done 7 horses on top of a full time job (2 parts/2 my own and 3 assisted DIYs), but I did work shifts so had more time on some days.
The downfall, as others have said, is if the deal changes/stops once baby is born.
 
Given she's 6 months already and how long it would take to find someone that 1) she likes enough to share her home with 2) has the right experience to look after her horses to her standards 3) has their own horses that are suitable to mix with hers and 4) likes the sound of the deal and is prepared to give notice where they are asap I think is a rather tall order!

Would it not be better to split the two, find someone to work for her now - as she will be paying them she can set out clearly what she wants done and how (always a little tricky with a friend/ swap situation!) then in parallel look for a livery for the spaces that can cover the costs of the help.

I had a lovely lady come and help me at home when I was pregnant, she worked hard for £8 an hour and was invaluable!
 
I don't think it's an awful deal provided they can find someone local who only works part time

A hunter, a show hack and a section B don't sound exactly low maintenance though

I agree with the post above - if it's a simple muck out chuck out arrangement it would be ok but if any fittening and hard grooming work was needed I think she'd struggle to find someone

Perhaps advertise for a live in help who could bring their own horse
 
I don't thin she wants any ridden work doing! The little girl will ride her pony as and when and the father will ride his hunter. The hack is now on holiday. She's self employed so now can't work due to back problems so there is no budget to pay a full time groom. The other option was to turn them all out so no muck out required or heavy water buckets and hay nets. I think they were just worried leaving the little b and hack out that they wouldn't be able to cope in the Shropshire weather. The hunter is tough as old boots!
Livery in that area is £30 a week. I think she was hoping maybe someone who works part time might be interested? I dunno I was just throwing her idea out there before she puts adverts up in the local countrywide etc
 
It wouldn't hurt to advertise. I wouldn't take it, its an awful lot of work to add on to your own two horses... Perhaps if she turned the ones out that could go out, and the person could look after the one that couldn't live out as well as her own, then simply bring the others in for a check over and a quick feed each day?

It may be easier to just let the stables out and use the money to pay for a groom to do the heavy work (mucking out and haynets etc) leaving your friend to turn in and out/check over?
 
Shame she's not closer to me. Its the sort of thing I'd be tempted by.

I'm time rich but funds poor have no horses to bring in so exchange for day loan of pony for son would be what I'd be looking for. Have a son whose at nursery most days and soon off to school so lots of time on my hands. With a supportive OH who gets involved when son is home and its loan days (hooray for being self employed :D) Not fussed about riding myself and son really only does a doddle rather than proper riding so not much additional work on pony.

Must be other people like me whose prepared to do the work for the pleasure and the exercise.
 
A freelance groom to help out wouldn't be that much If the hunter lived out she'd only have 2 in which could easily be done in say 45 mins in the am (turnout and muck out) then another half an hour in the pm to catch/ feed etc - so she'd be looking at £8 - 12 a day (£12 times 5 is £60 a week - which is what she could get for the two DIYs)

It might work
 
If it helps, I am awaiting back surgery and will be out of action for three months. I have two horses, a 16.2 and an 11.2, both well behaved and clean in their stables. I have advertised for free livery plus haylage and use of floodlit school, in return for turning Maggie (the 16.2) out and mucking out in the mornings. I can bring in and I am also willing to bring in the free livery horse at night too. I would do the small one myself. He is on straw and I find it easier weight wise than shavings. Maggies rugs are all Premier Equine so she wears her outdoor to bed, so no rug changing. I haven't had one real inquiry. It is my own yard with other liveries who are lovely. The yard is smart and tidy and the hacking good, so good luck.:(
 
Forgot to say my deal would carry on for as long as the free livery wanted it to, so like someone said, no work in the summer at all, but still a free livery. No takers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D
 
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