Set up of Small Livery
- Thread starter Samantha
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- livery livery costs
Costs vary enormously depending on the location and what you offer. Where are you, what is your yard like, what facilities do you have?
Where I am (derbyshire) it is:
£20 a week grass livery
£30 a week stable and grass livery
£70 a week full livery.
Unlimited year-round turnout in large separate summer and winter fields.
Onsite YO
Floodlit outdoor arena
Jumping field (summer only)
XC course/farm ride (summer only)
Locked tack room
Hay loft with personal storage spaces for hay/feed/straw
Trailer parking (£10 a month)
Brew room
Loo
The hassle factor for the YO has been ENORMOUS on every yard I have been on - and there have been quite a few! I would be very clear in your mind how much control you want, how you will enforce it. I have been on highly controlled yards with a YO who rules with a fist of iron - which suits some but not me! And my current yard which is VERY relaxed and everything in between. The worst yards imho are the ones where the YO allows the liveries to set their own rules and dictate terms - either deliberately or just by not trimming the feathers of very opinionated liveries and letting them dictate terms. You end up with a 'head-girl' and her prefects running things because they have been there a long time and making life a misery for newcomers. I remember finding my rugs on the floor because I had hung them up in 'someone's space' even though the space was meant to be communal. My horse was moved without my (or the YO's) permission into another field because I worm counted rather than routine wormed and they did not want their horses in with mine,. I'd book the arena and then be told that I had booked when 'such and such always uses it' etc etc.
My current yard lets each person manage their own horses how they see fit, with very few rules, but does not permit liveries to boss each other around.
£20 a week grass livery
£30 a week stable and grass livery
£70 a week full livery.
Unlimited year-round turnout in large separate summer and winter fields.
Onsite YO
Floodlit outdoor arena
Jumping field (summer only)
XC course/farm ride (summer only)
Locked tack room
Hay loft with personal storage spaces for hay/feed/straw
Trailer parking (£10 a month)
Brew room
Loo
The hassle factor for the YO has been ENORMOUS on every yard I have been on - and there have been quite a few! I would be very clear in your mind how much control you want, how you will enforce it. I have been on highly controlled yards with a YO who rules with a fist of iron - which suits some but not me! And my current yard which is VERY relaxed and everything in between. The worst yards imho are the ones where the YO allows the liveries to set their own rules and dictate terms - either deliberately or just by not trimming the feathers of very opinionated liveries and letting them dictate terms. You end up with a 'head-girl' and her prefects running things because they have been there a long time and making life a misery for newcomers. I remember finding my rugs on the floor because I had hung them up in 'someone's space' even though the space was meant to be communal. My horse was moved without my (or the YO's) permission into another field because I worm counted rather than routine wormed and they did not want their horses in with mine,. I'd book the arena and then be told that I had booked when 'such and such always uses it' etc etc.
My current yard lets each person manage their own horses how they see fit, with very few rules, but does not permit liveries to boss each other around.
And of course if you are charging then do be careful that someone does not report you to the local council for running a business. It can cause all kind of hassle depending on whereabouts you are and how strict local authorities are. I considered many years ago renting out some of my stables but couldn't due to having nosey / peevish neighbours who would have reported me immiedately. Just a thought, sorry to be negative but you should cover it first before having people paying.
Thank you for that. I know what you mean about dictatorships on yards and the bitching. x
My yard costs (based on diy livery) are as follows:
Winter months: November to May -
Straw bedding = £165 a month inclusive of unlimited hay, haylage and straw
Non straw bedding = 145 a month inclusive of unlimited hay and haylage. Bedding to be sourced by yourself or wood pellets can be purchased from yard owner at £4.75 a bag.
Horses are not allowed to live out in the winter and must be brought in before nightfall.
Summer months -
All livery costs drop to £90 a month and hay is bought by the bale. Hay is £4 a bale, Haylage is £6 a bale. Bedding rules still apply despite lower cost so straw is still free. Horse can live out if they wish hence the lower price to reflect the people who turn their horses out and don't use the straw. Most do, there are only a few on the yard that bring their horses in in the summer.
Extras -
Extra services are charged on top of the livery fee. Prices are as follows:
Morning Feed - 50p
Morning Hay Net - 50p
AM Net Filling - 75p
AM Water Bucket Filling - 50p
Turnout - £1
Turnout with rug change - £1.50
Bring in feet picked out no rug change - £1.50
Bring in feet picked out rug changed - £2.00
Hose Legs - £1
Evening feed - 75p
Evening hay net - 75p
PM Net Filling - £1
PM Water Bucket Filling - 75p
Full livery (per day) - £10
Full livery (per day) plus PP dropping
(applies to those with a private paddock only) - £12
Free school, walker or Lunge / 20 min session - £5
Vet or Blacksmith attendance - £5
Rug change or taken on / off in stable - 75p
Rug change/muzzle taken on / off in field - £1
Fly spray or sun screen etc. in field - £1
Muck out/pick up droppings in PP - £7
We have a whiteboard with 24 boxes in with our horse's name on and we write in our own box what extra we require the day before. For same day requests, the price is doubled. We are not allowed to help each other with our horses or do each other's horses unless there is a viable reason and it has been discussed with the yard owner however being as there are no extras on Christmas Day at all, that is the one day we can help each other. Extras are double over the Christmas and New Year period on days like Boxing Day, New Years Day etc.
There is a Full Livery package but I couldn't tell you the price as I have only ever been on DIY.
Hope that's of some help to you. I love the set up we have because it's so easy to add extras and it's so flexible and it's not that expensive if like me, you're usually up but need some help on the odd day.
Winter months: November to May -
Straw bedding = £165 a month inclusive of unlimited hay, haylage and straw
Non straw bedding = 145 a month inclusive of unlimited hay and haylage. Bedding to be sourced by yourself or wood pellets can be purchased from yard owner at £4.75 a bag.
Horses are not allowed to live out in the winter and must be brought in before nightfall.
Summer months -
All livery costs drop to £90 a month and hay is bought by the bale. Hay is £4 a bale, Haylage is £6 a bale. Bedding rules still apply despite lower cost so straw is still free. Horse can live out if they wish hence the lower price to reflect the people who turn their horses out and don't use the straw. Most do, there are only a few on the yard that bring their horses in in the summer.
Extras -
Extra services are charged on top of the livery fee. Prices are as follows:
Morning Feed - 50p
Morning Hay Net - 50p
AM Net Filling - 75p
AM Water Bucket Filling - 50p
Turnout - £1
Turnout with rug change - £1.50
Bring in feet picked out no rug change - £1.50
Bring in feet picked out rug changed - £2.00
Hose Legs - £1
Evening feed - 75p
Evening hay net - 75p
PM Net Filling - £1
PM Water Bucket Filling - 75p
Full livery (per day) - £10
Full livery (per day) plus PP dropping
(applies to those with a private paddock only) - £12
Free school, walker or Lunge / 20 min session - £5
Vet or Blacksmith attendance - £5
Rug change or taken on / off in stable - 75p
Rug change/muzzle taken on / off in field - £1
Fly spray or sun screen etc. in field - £1
Muck out/pick up droppings in PP - £7
We have a whiteboard with 24 boxes in with our horse's name on and we write in our own box what extra we require the day before. For same day requests, the price is doubled. We are not allowed to help each other with our horses or do each other's horses unless there is a viable reason and it has been discussed with the yard owner however being as there are no extras on Christmas Day at all, that is the one day we can help each other. Extras are double over the Christmas and New Year period on days like Boxing Day, New Years Day etc.
There is a Full Livery package but I couldn't tell you the price as I have only ever been on DIY.
Hope that's of some help to you. I love the set up we have because it's so easy to add extras and it's so flexible and it's not that expensive if like me, you're usually up but need some help on the odd day.
Oh and if we have a lesson booked for a certain time, we have to write it on the whiteboard in the bookings box so that other liveries don't use the school at that time. Most of the liveries are happy to share though. I was riding in there today with a girl whilst she had her lesson, she was happy for me to.
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