# Business Plan Tips For Starting Up & Running A Livery Yard



## seanabell (17 November 2009)

Hi There

My dream is to one day run my own livery yard, I was wondering if you guys could help me with any tips you may have for starting your own business?

I currently work in an office, but previous to that I worked with horses for around 4 years and gained my BHS Stage 1 and 2. 

What qualities, experience and qualifications (equestrian or other) would you expect from the owner of your livery yard? Are qualifications everything? 
I am thinking of carrying on with my stages and maybe teaching exams anyway but personally I think experience is more valuable.

Have any of you given up a full time job to give running a livery yard a crack?

Would love to hear your experiences....!

Many Thanks!


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## megwan1 (17 November 2009)

a lot of patience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## catshark88 (17 November 2009)

Lloyds TSB do a very good guide to setting up your own business. Used to be able to pick it up in branches.


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## Fanatical (17 November 2009)

Call the BHS, they have a pack they will send you with an example of a contract etc.

I looked at doing it earlier in the year. Make sure you think about EVERYTHING! The financial implications...yard rent or mortgage, insurance for the property and potential staff (if you are sick/ imjured/ away), business rates, maintenance etc etc. Also, do lots of research into the area you are planning to be...are there other livery yards in the area, what do they offer, can you compete with them etc on price/ facilities etc.


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## joshuaada (17 November 2009)

Ditto Fanatical - I have run my own yard for over 30 years and it used to be reasonably lucrative as an icing on the cake business. It never made enough to pay the bills as we used to improve the yard with any profit that was made. It is now a whole new ball game with every diversifying farmer within a 20 miles radius converting cow sheds etc., for horses. They are usually cheap and the fact they wouldn't know what to do if your horse got colic or looked unwell doesn't seem to bother people overley much. Also with the credit crunch more and more people are looking for year round grass livery which is quite understandable. We are flooded out with livery yards in this area and I now only have 4 liveries as opposed to always being full. Do research your area and compare prices. I was just asked to do a full livery and I worked out compared to DIY I would be getting just under £5, 7 days a week to have full responsibility for someone elses horse. It costs me £10 a day for holiday cover! Good luck anyway. We all need our dream X


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## R2R (17 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
a lot of patience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto that. 

You have to be patient, tolerant, MEGA organised, good with people very good with people that moan, as even if you have the best bunch of liveries someone is always moaning about something, practical, as something always needs fixing, rich, as yo have to find the money to fix it (we have paid out over £6k in fencing/repairs etc this summer alone...the yard just about breaks even. Confident in your knowledge, a multi tasker, have fantastic relationships with the people who matter ie. feed suppliers/vets/farriers, be patient when handling horses that you may not like, willing to just do horses (like waters/hay/feed/holding) becasue people sort of expect you to,  willing to get up at 5am on your day off to sort out the net thing that needs fixing, and 10000% committed. 

And for all of the above you never get any thanks...

It is HARD WORK. 

I love it though, but I run my yard as stricly DIY, employ 2 part timers, and still end up doing about 4 hours work a day before and after work. You cant just leave things...muck heaps, fencing, waters troughs, horses, if you leave them it becomes a bigger job, more expensive etc. 

Good luck!


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## seanabell (17 November 2009)

Thanks Guys...

That is a really big help, gives me a lot to think about, I know it will be hard work but worth it ... I miss working with horses soo much, even the endless hours!


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## ernikins (17 November 2009)

look at www.manage-my-horse.com which you can organise all aspects of your horsey business on - really good for keeping records etc etc. Good luck!!!


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