Would you want this, and how much would you pay?

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angela_l_b

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I'm in the process of buying a field with the ultimate aim of turning it into a small yard. It's only 7 acres and I will be starting in a small way with mobile stables, and next year building proper stables and a menage. In the end I will probably have enough space for my own horse plus 3 or 4 stabled liveries.

However in the meantime I would like to have a couple of extra horses there to pay a small amount of livery and to keep mine company. I was thinking that i might be able to offer retirement or grass livery for two horses that are sound enough to be turned out but can't be ridden and their owners wnat a nice place for them to live and be checked every day but without the worry of looking after tham or too much expense. Of course if they want to come and see them they are welcome too but the horses will be looked after if they can't.

I would take other grass liveries of course but as I am not offering any facilities yet I might not have any takers.

If you had a horse you didn't know what to do with, what would you pay for this sort of retirement setup?

Thanks! Angela.
 
I'd say that people that were looking for grass livery would be happy with this set up - is there a reason why they couldn't ride? Could u quickly stick up a field shelter mean time?
 
That seems like a great idea, I am not sure how much people will pay for retirement livery, would you need to buy a field shelter? is there enough grass to last all winter? would you need to buy extra feed & hay in?

I guess these are all extras that you would need to take into account when charging?
 
Thanks for your replies. Of course if 'riding' liveries turned up as well then that would be great - company for hacking as well as a bit more activiy around the place! I just thought not many people would be interested in a 'yard' with no school, no jumps, no nothing! nice local hacking though, so maybe happy hackers would come along.

Happy to put up field shelters if necessary - there's a lot of grass but I think later in winter it would need supplementing with hay. I think I would offer it on the basis that I am happy to feed them but would charge extra for food (or they supply their own) plus a small charge for getting them in to feed each day.
 
Initially I would say yes- but the fact that tyou have no stables to rest the paddocks overnight/bad weather and stop them poaching would make me uneasy about moving there. 7 acres is not that much im on a yard with 5 horses on 7 and although the fields are ok the winter 3 acre paddock had to be re-seaded this year. Can you afford the cost of this? The other two paddocks of 2 acres each are rotated each month for the 5 horses and again are ok, but the quality of the grass is dropping. If I were to go for it I would want assurance that you had the facilities to maintain the paddocks
 
Sounds like a good idea but I would be very careful that you do not get horses 'dumped' on you and the owners mysteriously disappear without payment!
 
I looked into having a livery here at my place but found out I would then need livery owners insurance which was really expensive. Worked out it wouldnt be viable.
frown.gif
 
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