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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 are just a handful of common mistakes it’s important to avoid both with a new and established business.

 

 

Don’t Underestimate Your Costs 

 
It’s important that you work out a fair livery fee for all parties. Consider all of your running costs and anything else you outlay for the purpose of the business. It is important to factor in for your time as well. Whilst its useful to see what other yards locally charge, don’t be bound by this. No two yards are the same and a cheaper yard may just be a cheaper yard as they have less to outlay or they offer different packages. Make sure you fill your stables with clients who are happy to pay what you charge. 
 
Most importantly, don’t forget to add a profit percentage on top of your costs when working out what you need to charge. You need to be satisfied that your income each month not only covers the outgoing costs, but that you earn an income from your yard too. If you work full-time hours on the yard, at the end of the year you want to have earned a full-time wage- especially if it is your only income! We have a handy guide here to help you work out what you should be charging for each package you offer, as well as how to implement price increases- to help make sure you cover costs and make an income!
 
 

Don’t Cut Corners

 
Whilst it’s a competitive industry, do not be tempted to cut corners to offer a reduced livery fee. Any self-respecting yard owner should have the right insurances in place and have their business properly registered and their earnings declared. Failure to correctly register your business for tax, have adequate insurance cover, or not be paying business rates or fees can cost you a lot more if you come unstuck.
 
Many yard owners miss these as they feel they are not a ‘professional’ and are offering livery on a ‘private yard’, this is unfortunately not the case and if you are offering livery services and rent in return for payment then this is classed a ‘business’ in the eyes of the law and the tax man. It would be advised for any new yard owner to seek professional advice from an accountant or business advisor to check they are set up correctly from the start.
 
 

Be Sure of Your Skills and Knowledge.

 
As a yard owner, your clients will be looking to you in a position of authority. They will expect you to know everything and frequently seek your advice and opinion. To ensure the best for your clients and their horses, you must fully consider your knowledge and experience when giving advice as the wrong advice, however well-meant, can be seriously detrimental. If you feel that you are not cable of advising clients on any matters, and that they would be better consulting an equestrian professional such as a vet, farrier or instructor, then advise them as such. Do not be afraid to seek advice yourself as well, even the most experienced equestrians and yard owners will likely learn something new on a regular basis.
 
Remember also that you are responsible for the welfare of all horses on the yard and as such everyone should be considerate as to their levels of welfare, handling and riding. It is important to say if you feel something is not right, but equally understand that a lot of equestrianism is open to interpretation and as such you should only give advice when asked for, unless it is something that poses serious detriment or danger to the horse or client.
 
You should also bear in mind that by your actions on the yard, the way you behave, procedures, methods, tidiness, and handling of horses is setting an example to your clients. Behave on the yard, with your own horses and those of clients, as you would like your clients to do so.
 
 

Don’t be Desperate to Fill Spaces

 
As a new business with empty stables, it can be tempting to accept anyone who wants a space to start the income rolling in even if you feel they will not gel with existing clients, or you foresee them being problematic. It’s better to wait and fill spaces with horses and clients who you feel best suit your services and facilities than accept someone who you may feel not be suited. Similarly, there is no point fibbing about aspects of your yard to make it sound better to potential clients because as soon as a new livery is in-situ they will soon learn all is not as promised! It’s much more important to ensure anyone you accept is a good fit for the yard. 
 
When a potential livery first enquires, make sure you tell them what to expect and anything about the yard that may immediately effect someone’s decision to come- such as limited hacking or restricted winter turnout. Also, make sure you find out a bit about them and their horse, including where they currently are, why they are moving, their notice period and what they are looking for in a new yard. If they sound like they may suit your yard, then invite them along to an appointment to look and meet them in person. However, just because someone visits the yard and likes it, you are not committed to giving them a space if you do not feel they or their horse would suit the yard. It is better to be honest and say so than accept a livery or horse you feel would not be happy.
 
 

Don’t Block Stables.

 
In addition, holding stables for potential clients can be another issue. You may find you have a vacancy and a willing and suitable new livery, but they cannot come immediately and ask you to hold the space. Now, if you’ve not had any other suitable enquiries, this could be a promising proposition. Many new yard owners fall in the trap of doing this for free assuming the new client will keep their word, only to be let down some weeks later when they change their mind or fail to show. What can be worse is if in the interim you have had other enquiries and could have filled the stable several times over. 
 
Whilst it is common for many yards to require a notice period before a horse can leave, unless someone is in the process of buying a horse and wants to secure a space at a good yard in advance, anything over a month to hold a stable would be unusual. By way of commitment for a new client, you could request a holding deposit for their notice period to elapse. However, if a potential client wants a stable to be held for more than a month, a proportional retainer fee per week over and above an initial month holding because otherwise it could be filled with a full paying client.
 
 

Check People Out

More likely than not, new livery clients are complete strangers. These are people you will be trusting with your property, equipment and with horses on the yard. It is important to take due diligence when taking on new clients. There is no harm in asking for as many details as possible when showing them around in relation to their experience, knowledge, previous yards, and suchlike. If they decide they would like a space, there is no reason why you cannot ask for a reference from their previous yard owner or an equestrian professional. If they are a good livery client and have had no bad experiences with their current yard, they should be happy to give you details. 
 
You should also request other documents to confirm their identity and address- such as a copy of their driving licence or a utility bill- in the event of debts being run up or other issues which may be helped by these details to prove who they are. If you request specific details they seem not able to confirm- such as proof of horses identity in the form of a Horse Passport, or proof of their insurance for the animal, make a point that these need to be seen in order or their contract to be valid. Be aware that as a Yard Owner it is your responsibility to ensure that all animals on your yard are passported, and as such, you should see the original passport and confirm this is the same animal as is on your yard for your own piece of mind. 
 
If, during discussions, you feel that there may be issues with the client or their horse on the yard then tell them or ask for more details to help you assess if it’s really the yard for them. Even if they have confirmed a space, if you have reasonable doubt that they cannot provide you with the necessary information you will require- such as a horse passport, proof of address, or any payments up front, its best to tell them they are not right for the yard before the horse turns up!
 
 

Contracts 

 
Contracts these days are more important than ever. They detail responsibilities of both the horse owner and yard owner with regards to their sides of the agreement. Not just to have a contract, but to make sure they are signed and returned as soon as new liveries are on the yard, or at the very most within 7 days, and that any requested documentation is supplied at the same time. Make sure, when viewing, that liveries are aware of any unusual or specific clauses in your contract. 
 
Once they arrive on the yard, if there is any delay in clients returning the agreement to you, or any of the documents you have requested then be firm and give them a deadline. It’s important to be honest and clear of terms and rules from the start so everyone gets off on the right foot. You should also not make any allowances or special treatment for new clients to appease them - even if they are friends or family. Everyone should be treated same. It is also important to check that your client is the horse owner. If the horse is on loan, then it is worth contacting the owner as at the end of the day if any issues arise the loaner may not have the final say, and in the event of any debts or abandonment by the loaner, the owner will need to rectify the situation. 
 
Make sure you consider every eventuality and include as much detail as possible in your contracts. If the owner allows the animal to be used by a third party on a part loan or share agreement, then make sure the owner knows you need to be aware of this, and that anyone else on the yard caring for their horse will also fall under the points included in the contract such as rules of the yard. You can view our Template Livery Contracts here and more information here as to why livery contracts are a good idea.
 
 

Considering Bio Security of The Yard

 
New horses on a yard can potentially bring a whole host of issues. From worm burdens and lice to other, more serious, diseases and illnesses such as strangles. It is, therefore, important to have a good system in place for introducing new equines to the yard. Upon arrival, or even before, you should ask the owner to show you copies of their passport and vaccinations so you can be satisfied these are up to date. 
 
All new horses should be isolated initially and wormed upon arrival. An increasing number of yard owners are also selecting to test for infectious diseases such as Strangles in new arrivals. You can keep them in their stable for several days to observe their behaviour, temperature and the like, or turn them out in a separate paddock away from the existing herds. Once you are satisfied with the health of the horse, you can introduce it to the rest of the yard and move it into the shared areas. Some yards may even these days request blood screening or a veterinary health certificate to assure the horse is fit and well even before moving to the yard. 
 
While it may seem a lot of work creating isolation areas and undertaking these checks both for the yard owner and client it is well worth it if it can reduce the risk of a disease outbreak which can be costly and inconvenient for the whole yard. The same should be said about being conscious about the spread of disease from visitors to the yard that have been in contact with other horses and yards such as equestrian professionals carrying out services, and also to ensure you remind clients that they should take precautions to avoid cross-contamination if they are taking their horses out to events or competitions. See our guide to Disease Prevention on Your Yard here and how an outbreak can affect a yard here.
 
 

Treat One and the Same

 
All clients should be treated the same irrespective of who they are. All should be charged the same, with the same package inclusions and expectations. Every horse should be treated individually even if you have one client with several horses. They should have a separate contract for each and pay a deposit for each. Some yard owners will take only the one deposit per owner rather than per horse, but you are more at risk of being left with empty stables and debts if a client with multiple horses leaves. Inconsistency between clients will only cause confusion. 
 
If it is necessary to change terms of contracts or increase livery fees then do this for the whole yard from a set date, do not just introduce them for new liveries as they arrive which makes things disorganised and confusing to all parties. Don’t be lenient on debts or bad yard manners just because you are worried about upsetting people. It is your yard, and your rules and if people are not happy with changes they are able to give their notice to find somewhere more suitable.
 
 

Enforcing the Rules from Day One. 

 
You may feel that as clients are new and may not be used to or know the rules that a certain leniency should be allowed whilst they settle in. This should not be the case. If you have fully informed new clients of the yard rules, there should be no reason rules are not adhered to from their first day. If new clients make a genuine mistake or do not realise rules then make sure they are clarified on the spot so any problems do not arise again in the future
 
When they arrive, make sure that yourself or someone on your behalf gives the new client a tour of the yard and its facilities and on the way round explain the rules and expectations of clients with regards to using and maintenance of such facilities and areas of the yard. Even if you feel details are small or insignificant or may rarely need to be known it is still worth mentioning to reduce any confusion in the future. 
 
It is a great idea to have a client handbook, explaining important rules and information about the yard such as opening times, biosecurity procedures, contact details and suchlike. This can be much easier than including it all in an overfilled contract, and can be easily updated, with a reference copy also left on the yard. This way, all clients are clear of the rules and expectations of liveries. 
 
 

Have a Policy for Everything

 
Don’t wait for issues to arise before deciding what to do, try to have as many systems in place for every eventuality and be prepared in advance. From sensible things like fire policies, what to do when it snows or yard rules, to more unusual things such as serving abandonment notices and chasing debts. Include as much detail as possible on your contracts or signs on the yard and in the event these situations occur, learn from implementing your procedures and see if you can improve processes for the next time. 
 
Whilst it is a great idea to regularly update your policies and add new elements to your contracts, it really is ideal to try to cover everything the first time. This is another good reason to introduce a yard handbook for clients to cover any aspects of day to day life and rules in the yard! Present this to clients at the same time each year and ask them to sign a form to agree that they have read and accepted the information and policies contained therein. 
 
 

Where do Favours End and Freebies Begin? 

 
I am sure once or twice you’ve felt it’s not a problem to turn out or change a rug for a client and think nothing of it. However, if everyone on the yard asked you to do this on a regular basis you certainly wouldn’t want to do it for free! It’s important to have fixed fees for all your services and to make sure these are charged accordingly to the clients. Its easy to fall into a trap of doing small jobs to keep liveries happy but these all add up in your time! It really is okay to say “No” if you feel too much is being asked of you, or you are sick of repeated requests for favours. 
 
Stay consistent with each of your clients and if they know quick jobs and favours are not on the cards they will stop asking. Similarly, you need to make a decision as to fair usage of liveries asking other liveries to do them ‘favours’. Whilst they will not be charging for these services and many yards are happy for such arrangements, if it is a paid service you offer ‘favours’ between liveries can soon add up compared to the payments you could have received for such services. It is worth considering what level of ‘favours’ you allow between your clients, and when these reach a level that you feel this is a service you should be providing.
 
 

Ad-Lib… or taking the mickey? 

 
Many yards with serviced livery packages include forage. But is this an open-ended amount or do you have a fair usage policy? Each horse will have different forage needs but you should only be allowing enough for what they actually need on a horse-by-horse basis. Having owners who top nets up to bursting day in day out, or who have horses that leave a lot of wastage that ends up on the muck heap is not good for your profit! 
 
The best way is to calculate what the horse needs and allow an amount suitable within their livery package. The same should apply for bedding. Knowing the way a horse leaves its bed you should be able to work out an approximation of fresh bedding the horse will need each week or month. Not only does the abuse of ad-lib forage and bedding cost you more for the wasted product itself, but also an increased amount of waste to deal with. If you have or introduce a fair usage policy this should be stipulated on your contract so everyone knows the rules regarding this and that anything deemed unnecessary or excessive use will be charged as extra.
 
 

Knowing What’s ‘Wear and Tear’ and What’s Not. 

 
In the course of a livery agreement, you can expect a level of wear and tear on stables and paddocks within reason. Make sure you take a security deposit to cover any substantial damage which would be outside the remit of usual wear and tear. As per most livery contracts, you are well within your right to retain a reasonable amount from a security deposit to cover repair and replacement of any damaged items. 
 
Make sure you can identify who is responsible in the course of damage and make sure it is dealt with quickly to reduce the likelihood of worsening issues. It’s a good idea to take photos of paddocks and stables the day new clients arrive as these can then be used as a reference point to evaluate and prove any damage sustained during their agreement.
 
 

Contingency Plans

 

While many yard owners think of running their yard as fresh green paddocks, sunshine and happy owners this is not always the case! Sometimes things go wrong out of the blue. If something unexpected happens, you need to act quickly to remedy the situation. Severe weather, injuries to horses and clients, emergencies, power cuts- all these things and more- are real possibilities and it is important to be able to react and act quickly. Making sure liveries and staff know procedures, where things such as trip switches, phones and the location of first aid kits are just a few minor steps that can improve reaction to an emergency. Learn from a situation and this will allow you to plan better for the next time it might happen.

 

 

Communication

 

Communication is highly important, as it knowing suitable ways to deal with your clients. A diary or whiteboard works effectively for passing messages between the yard and clients, is hard to know who has seen it, or letting people know it is there in the first place! If you have an email address for clients, you could send out a monthly newsletter with their invoice with any important dates or information. Whilst this is great, there is no way to ensure clients have read it. Online methods of keeping in touch with clients- such as WhatsApp, Facebook pages, group texts or messages, can be a great idea and allow quick and easy communication with clients and you are able to get quick responses and see who had read messages. This can also work both ways as an open line of communication. This does mean, however, that your phone may be buzzing a lot with information that is unnecessary to you!
 
You should always encourage clients to contact you directly if they have issues and that these are not included in effectively an open forum on a yard messaging system. You also need to have boundaries with clients as to when is a suitable time to contact you and not expect to receive requests for turnout at 2am or be contacted whilst you are on holiday and alternative arrangements have been made.
 
 

Remain Professional At All Times

 

Whatever issues you may be having with a current or past client, it is always important to be professional. The yard is your business and as such, you should act the same way as you would at any other place of work. I understand it’s your yard but try as closely as possible to follow your own rules. It is hard to validate a ‘wear hats when riding’ rule if clients see you schooling hatless, or to have a no smoking rule but allow your friends or family to light up on the yard! Set a great example and your clients should follow. 
 
Irrelevant of any issues you may be having with staff, clients or their animals, you should stay polite and courteous. Try to avoid confrontation and deal with any issues swiftly. If you have repeated issues or clashes with clients, suppliers or other visitors to the yard this may make other clients feel uneasy and the yard not a nice place for them to be so take steps to remedy any repeated issues quickly. Never act or say anything you think you may regret later. Same as for online trolling. It is common for disgruntled- or even current- livery clients to air their opinions online and you may be in the firing line. Now most things online- such as Facebook- are public forums and as such anyone can see posts and their responses. Some people will make posts just to get a reaction. It’s sometimes best- and the most professional- to stay silent!
 
 

Plan for the Future and Stick to It. 

 
Maintenance and planning is the key to protects your grazing and facilities for both new and existing clients. It is no good adding extra turnout time to keep clients happy in the winter if they are then complaining in the spring and summer there is no grass, or for clients to want to lunge in the school and then complain about the condition of the arena surface when it’s churned up. If you make decisions regarding the use of facilities and maintenance of grazing or stables, then explain these to clients and the reasoning behind it that it is for the long term. Ensure that they not only understand and accept the rules but also understand that it if for the long-term benefit of the clients and horses. 
 
If anyone wants to try to bend these rules, don’t just let it pass you by. Other clients will soon notice this and feel they can join in! Make sure you nip any rule breaking in the bud swiftly and reinforce the reasons why the rules are in place. Do not allow your clients to dictate to you how to run the yard!
 
 

Friendships on the Yard

 
Whilst it’s great to invite friends to become your clients, or to make good friends with clients, it is important to maintain a professional relationship where business is concerned. Close friendships with clients can often leave other clients feeling left out or that others are being given favourable treatment. The same should apply to yard staff as well, and for you to ensure boundaries are kept if they are friends with liveries outside of the business. Whilst its fine to socialise on the yard, try to involve everyone. 
 
Unfortunately, friendships that also involve business relationships can turn sour because business boundaries are not maintained and that can be hard on all involved. For that reason, it’s important to keep the two aspects separate and avoid carrying out ‘favours’ or offering discounts for friends and ensure everyone is treated one and the same regardless of how long you’ve known them or if they may be related to you, your partner, or your employees!
 
 

Good Record Keeping

 
Many yards are all about the horses but, as boring as it is, paperwork is important as well. If you’ve asked clients for copies of horse details, passports, insurances etc then make sure you see them. Make sure you keep a file on each individual horse on the yard and their relevant paperwork. Make sure you have a good record system for invoices and any services that should be added- such as keeping them noted in a diary- so you know these are included on the relevant invoices. 
 
You should have a good filing system whereby you can find out any information as soon as possible, yet this should also be stored safely considering data protection rules ensuring they can only be accessed by yourself or your yard staff as necessary to stay in line with the new GDPR (Data Protection) laws brought in in 2018. 
 
Make sure you are kept up to date with insurance renewals and vaccinations for clients and note their expiry dates so you can request a copy of their new certificates. Things like this can seem hassle but are important for good management of the yard. 
 
 

Knowing When to Get Involved

 
We all have a way that we like to look after our horses, but others may not be the same. Every horse owner will have a different idea of what is best for their horses in its day to day routine, management and exercise. But what is hard is knowing when to step in if you feel this is not right and how much input to have if the horse is not yours. If an owner is undertaking something that could be dangerous or seriously detrimental to their horse or could affect others on the yard it’s important to intervene. 
 
Many horse owners will not take kindly to other people criticising their ways, no matter how incorrect their current method may seem to you. However, it is worth mentioning politely if you think a client’s techniques or management of their horse is not right! On the other hand, if you feel an owner is ignoring serious advice with regards to the care of their horse this should be confronted immediately as anything deemed a welfare issue could cause a problem to you as the owner of the yard where this is taking place. 
 
If serious issues continue and you feel the horse is not being cared for in the correct manner or is being neglected by the owner then you may need to get welfare associations such as the RSPCA involved, seek an abandonment notice or serve notice to the client if possible.
 
 

There’s No Harm Introducing New Things

 
If you have an existing yard but have overlooked contracts or want to implement new rules or change livery services or increase your charges don’t be afraid to tell clients. Have an informal yard meeting or send a letter to all clients advising them of the reason and include a copy of the contracts, new price list or details of the changes you plan to make. Whilst a yard meeting is best- as they can sign and ask any questions there and then- this is not always a possibility, but you should give people plenty of notice and the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you directly. 
 
If existing clients are not happy with the proposed changes, you can let them know there is the option for them to terminate their existing contract within your standard notice procedure.
 
 

Be Firm with Debts

 
Sometimes, clients will have difficulty in paying their livery bills. In the first instance, it is important not to be too lenient when it comes to monies being owed. One client paying a bit late on one occasion is fine, but when this becomes every month, or numerous clients it is important to reiterate the payment rules. If you have a payment deadline after bills are issued, make sure this is adhered to and if you have repeat offenders consider bringing in a warning system or a late payment charge which should get them back on track. 
 
In your contracts, you should have a section relating to action that will be taken in the event of unpaid bills. This may be starting legal proceedings, retaining tack or equipment or- in the most serious of circumstances- taking the horse in lieu of the payment. If debts are owed stick to a plan of action ensuring you meet all the legal obligations with regards to letters of escalation. Ensure all communication is formal and a record kept. Do not forget that you can also add ‘administrative’ costs and can also add a percentage of interest to debts owed (as long as you have this in your contract). If you begin debt recovery actions, make sure you keep a note of all communication from the client in questions. All of this may be needed if the debt goes to court, and if important documents are missing such as signed contracts, invoices or copies of responses your case could fail.
 
 

Have a Life Too

 
Most employees work 9-5 but running a yard can be a 24-hour business. However, at the end of the day, you still need time to yourself and time away from work. If clients tend to arrive at the yard earlier or later than you’d like, or to text you in the middle of the night with last-minute services requests tell them it’s not on. Make it clear to clients when you are ‘open’. Include this in your contracts and yard rules. It is not unreasonable for clients going to events to need to be later or earlier in the yard but as an exception. With services give a deadline that these can be requested and an additional late fee if this is not adhered to. If you live on site, it can be all the more harder as you are ‘always there’. If your house is out of bounds to clients let them know this- you do not want to be woken up at 7am or have the door knocked at 10pm unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you have the day off or are on holiday, make sure clients know this and tell them who is their point of contact in your absence. 
 
Make sure you have enough time to enjoy your own horses and get enough time to ride or spend time with them undisturbed. If clients know the boundaries there should be an easy way to maintain sensible ‘working hours’ whilst balancing this with day-to-day life as well.
 
 

Don’t Become the Minority

 
On a large yard, and as a single yard owner or manager, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed should clients ‘gang up’ with complaints or demands. Make yourself an open door if people have any problems they would like to discuss. One of the worst things is when a whole group of clients are aware of other clients’ issues before you are! Do not be intimidated by your clients and have the confidence to deal promptly to any complaints, demands or criticism of services or facilities and deal with each person directly. This way you are maintaining a line of communication that should be reciprocated with clients.
 
You should also not feel the need to ‘hide’ from your clients when you visit to do your own horses for fear of being quizzed or ending up doing something you hadn’t planned to do on your way to the yard and sacrificing your own horse time. If you’ve clients you clash with, that constantly hassle you or that have behaviours you do not like when they are on the yard, tell them as such or give them notice and find someone more suitable.
 
 

Preventing the World and His Wife Turning Up at the Yard. 

 
Whilst clients like to have visitors to come and see their horse, or use external equestrian professionals for services, it is important to keep a check on who is visiting. Especially important if this is your home as you do not want strangers turning up all hours of the day! Have a visitor policy and stick to it. Detail this on your contract and make sure all clients are aware and that these rules are adhered to. Also, make sure that you are made aware of anyone who will be coming to the yard to undertake services and, if necessary, request to meet them beforehand and ask to see a copy of their insurance.  
 
Another thought is clients who intend to share or part loan their horse to a third party. This opens the yard up to another user who will be present on the yard using the facilities and equipment. Whether you wish to have a say in this is important as you need to ensure that anyone coming onto the yard on a regular basis knows and respects the rules the same as any other livery client. Ensure security is always maintained, visitors are always supervised unless otherwise agreed and make sure visitors are not freely able to access certain areas of the yard such as feed rooms or tack rooms.
 
 

Seek the Respect of your Suppliers

 
If you have several horses to cater for, that will be a substantial amount of feed, bedding and forage you need to source and pay for. Make sure any suppliers you use respect this and provide you with a good service to retain your business. Point out to them if you are a high spender or a regular user and see if you cannot get a small discount or free delivery.  
 
Same as vets, farriers and other equestrian services who need to provide a timely and efficient service. It’s no good having a horse need the farrier or vet if their version of an emergency visit is three days down the line. If a supplier cannot fulfil your needs and cannot supply the right quantities or deliver on time, then look for an alternative. If it disrupts your business, do not allow a supplier to hinder your management or supplies and advise them as such.
 
 

Don’t Let Others Run a Business from Your Yard

 
If you offer services to your clients, then you should be the one undertaking these services. There should be no money changing hands between clients for them to do services for each other if they are ill or away. Even if they use an external freelance groom, you need to be satisfied that anyone working on your yard, or using the facilities is suitably experienced, competent and insured. You and your staff need to have a level of insurance for Care, Custody and Control to care for and handle the horses on your yard, and the same should be expected of anyone else carrying out their services. 
 
Not only that but if you already offer these services to your clients, do you want other people coming onto your yard and charging your clients when the income could have been yours? If this is something you permit, any clients should check with you first if they plan to use a third-party service and should certainly provide you with the details of the person covering their services as well as providing a copy of their insurance for your peace of mind.
 
 

Don’t Stop Advertising

 
If you have a full yard don’t rest on your laurels it will always be that way. You never know when you may have vacancies arise so it’s always better to advertise continually and have a waiting list, than have empty stables whilst you wait for responses for a new advert. Set up a Facebook page or a website which will give you continual online presence, and find good, affordable websites to place your listings on. Although it can seem pointless advertising if you fill spaces quickly, this can also promote other things you may offer such as facility hire or instruction. Put advertising into perspective with how the advertising cost fares if that one small fee helps you fill a stable for 2 years or secure a client for regular lessons.
 
If you have enquiries it is always worth showing people around the yard or taking their details even if you are full as you may have a surprise space come up and they are in the position to move immediately. Having a waiting list also allows you to pick and choose your next clients, rather than settle for the next one to come along or wait with an empty stable for someone who suits the yard.
 
 

And most importantly…. You are THE BOSS 

 

Whether you own or manage the yard, with regards to the day-to-day management of the horse you have the final say and nothing should be “up for negotiation”. Whilst livery clients are welcome to give their suggestions and ‘constructive criticism’, you have no need to action these unless you feel they would be genuinely beneficial to the yard and its management. If you have clients mentioning the same issues then it may be worth considering, but particularly if you only have one or two clients who keep mentioning issues, it may be more that they do not suit your yard, rather than having to change your yard to suit them.

 

 

The LiveryList Yard Owner Hub has lots of useful templates, guides and information relating to the day to day running and management of livery yards and the equines who reside there which are suitable for new and established yard owners. All of these are completely free to download and use.  LiveryList also runs a popular and supportive Facebook Group “Livery Yard Owner UK: Discussions and Advice” which welcomes all types of yard owner. 

 

 

Cheryl Johns - Livery List
Horsemart Brand Ambassador
Published on 18-03-2019
Cheryl Johns is the founder of LiveryList. Launched in 2011, it has been the top-ranked Livery Yard Directory for many years, and through the Yard Owner Hub, launched in 2020, has developed into a one-of-a-kind resource for yard owners. “As an experienced equestrian and yard manager, with a background in marketing and business management, I create and publish lots of content in relation to yard management and equine welfare, as well as working in partnership with many equestrian associations, charities and publications consulting on yard management and viability. The helps support yard owners to run professional, viable businesses, and helps educate horse owners as to what they should be seeking from a yard in terms of best practice"