Business Advice

How to get the most out of the crazy horse:   After writing a previous article some time ago, detailing how riders can get the most out of their lazy horses, I had the time to reflect on just how many different types of horses I’ve come across throughout my life so far. Having owned, loaned and ridden quite a large variety of horses, I know all too well how unique each horse can be. Following the article focused on the horses with a steadier outlook on life, who’d rather...

Across all industries, prices are increasing, and the equestrian industry is no different. Soaring costs for yard owners are resulting in huge difficulties for them and their clients in terms of the sustainability of running their yard or keeping their equines.   A recent investigation from SEIB Insurance Brokers confirmed this with a pair of nationwide surveys finding out how these increasing costs are affecting yard owners and their clients. The surveys confirmed that yard owners ...

As a yard owner and at a time when the cost of running a business is increasing, it is important that you put changes in place to make sure that these are reflected in the costs of your services for your clients, yet many yard owners are unsure how to deal with what is often deemed a delicate situation.   Bills - particularly electricity and fuel- have been increasing rapidly in recent weeks with many yard owners finding that this is directly affecting the running costs of their equ...

Health and safety must be a primary consideration for all business owners, especially those that own equestrian premises. Not only do you have a duty of care to yourself and your staff, but as a business that is classed as being “open to members of the public” – albeit your riding or livery clients – you must ensure that steps are taken to protect them as well.

Gone are the days when you could simply turn up at a yard with your horse, pay money and ‘be a livery’. The ever increasing expectations and responsibilities of yard owners means that best practice guidance requires a substantial amount of information to be checked and recorded for professional yard owners. It is important to have a paper trail, and to have detailed information on the horses in your care. In the event of any disputes, this can go a long way to helping resolve an i...

The events of 2020 have forced many yard owners into the realisation that their existing business model may no longer be viable in the long run. The management of yards and the packages on offer may need to be reviewed to meet the changing demand from horse owners. In some cases, a complete yard overhaul may be required. Unfortunately, this year has seen many yards change hands, reduce capacity or even close for good, but for those wanting to continue with their yard and move forward, there a...

Whether you have a couple of stables at home, or a large equestrian centre, if you’ve got livery vacancies, you’ll want to get them filled. The best way to do this is to advertise, but advertising can be a complicated thing and with so many yards available, getting an advert to generate enquiries means you need to put in a bit of work to make your yard shine! This advice does not just apply to our advertisers on LiveryList but should be the same for anywhere you advertise your bus...

With the changing seasons, yard owners are increasingly looking to improve their facilities and to ensure the equines in their care can remain comfortable, whilst being able to protect themselves from hot or inclement weather. Many yard owners are turning to field shelters, either in the form of smaller shelters for individual or small herd turnout, or larger barn style shelters for bigger herds. You would think that picking a field shelter would be an easy task, but with so many options on t...

Livery yard owners taking deposits from their clients is now becoming commonplace, but many yard owners are still cautious as to the implications, and that such requests may put off potential clients. Here we explain the two types of deposit, and how best to implement them on your yard. The main type of deposit is the security deposit taken upon arrival of a new livery. This is taken as a security bond, similar to that with property or vehicle rental. In the event that a livery client gets in...

How crazy is the world at the moment? This COVID-19 is certainly making 2020 a year we’ll all remember. Quite aside from the health aspect of it, people are struggling to cope financially too, and that is going to be even harder to come back from. How has it affected me? Right now, I’m meant to be heading towards South Africa, to begin sessions in Cape Town next week. I debated long and hard about it, before deciding I would have to cancel. Now, I don’t think I would have ha...

We’ve all heard of making New Year resolutions. The arrival of a new year is the perfect time for you to review your previous twelve months and move forward. The same applies in business too! January is the perfect time of year to look over your yard administration and a good starting point to make any changes you’ve been considering over the previous months. An annual review is a great idea for any business, it can help you be organised and plan for the year ahead and can even save ...

Several livery yards can be situated in the same locality, often even more so in rural areas where the equine population is at its highest. Chances are if a horse owner in your area is looking for livery, then you won’t be the only option! Many yard owners see other yards in their area as competition… for their clients, their facility hire, and their income. But there is no need to have a ‘them and us’ mentality, in fact creating good working relationships with fellow ya...

It is now recommended industry standard for livery yard owners to have livery contracts in place between themselves and their livery clients. This is whether you offer basic grass livery, or a fully services bespoke full livery package. Not only will this help you keep proper records of your clients, but also help both parties understand the limits of your services, payments and notice periods, and have a clear and concise reference point in the event of any disputes that may arise.

Running a livery yard is hard, with a lot of responsibility for both running the business and being responsible for the animals in your care. Whether you run a small yard at home, or a large commercial equestrian centre, insurance should be an important consideration. There is a misconception, especially on DIY yards, that insurance is not necessary as clients are on a ‘do it yourself’ basis and should have their own horse insured but this is far from the case. By running a yard a...

Spring is a popular time for new yards to open and established yard owners to review the previous year. This can range from yards based at large equestrian centres to people offering livery at their private yards at home. Competition is fierce for affordable livery; it’s easy to provide competitive livery rates without considering your personal finances or outgoings to run the business. If you don’t correctly price your livery and the services you offer, it may be that you are subsid...

Taking on an established yard with established clients can be a great way of entering the livery yard ‘market’, whilst others start afresh with a brand-new yard and a brand-new business. Either way, running a livery yard isn’t just about the horses, but more importantly about the overall management of the horses, facilities and clients. Dealing with groups of horse owners who all have different needs or demands can be tough and it’s often hard to please everyone. Below ar...

Confused by the new legislation for Horse Passports? Unsure who should hold passports as a yard owner or horse owner? Below we outline the basics of a Horse Passport and answer some of the most commonly asked questions… Since the introduction of the Horse Passport in 2004, all equines in the UK require one. This was further strengthened by the Horse Passport Regulation 2009 which also included the requirements for all equines born after June 2009 to be microchipped. As of 1st October ...

Having horses, whether your own or clients', comes with responsibility. One of those responsibilities is ensuring the welfare of those animals on your premises. This will often include the timely provision of services undertaken by external businesses such as vets, dentists or farriers. Similarly, as a civic responsibility, you also need to take steps to ensure the animals, clients, and visitors remain safe while on your premises. This applies to any visitors to the yard from the clien...

When many people think of strangles, they think of yards on shut down, horses with pus-filled ulcers and expensive vet visits. Strangles can be a debilitating illness for horses but can be equally as debilitating for livery yards and their owners as well. There are over 600 confirmed cases of Strangles in the UK every year, with many more going unrecorded. Whilst most horses recover from Strangles without any effects, there is the risk that any horse with the disease can be one of the 20% that s...

Knowing where you stand is vital when entering into a livery yard agreement. An agreement can come in all different forms as a result of the different types of livery available (e.g. full, part, DIY etc), the facilities on offer, and the conditions of the yard. A livery agreement should always be in writing before the horse is placed in a livery yard. The proprietor of a livery yard should state the provisions made for the safety and security of a horse, while the owner should specify any person...