Starting a Livery Yard

[claire777]

My family own a 15 acre Farm and currently my mum is the only one who works the farm, as my grandad died about 15 years ago.

Mum's health is starting to suffer and I can see that the farm is taking out of her.

Now presently the farm is in my Nan's name and her will splits the farm so half goes to my mum and 2 quarters go to her two sisters.

Now I'm 33 and am not a home owner as yet but I've been contemplating going in with my mum and buying the farm and giving the sisters there share and then slowly turning the farm into a livery yard. I think Brookside liveries has a nice ring to it

Has anyone set up their own livery business and what are the pros and cons to setting one up from scratch?

We're in a located in an ideal place and we have farm buildings in place but these building are currently used for beef cattle and would need converting to stabling and I would also consider putting in a manage in one of the fields

[claire777]

Thanks Sovereign, Great advise and yes the catty horse owners would be my biggest concern!

We've got excellent riding by us, 5 mins of road work and then your off onto quiet lanes and onto the bridleways of the Mendips.

[fairyfeet]

Make your rules and stick to them! We had the yard rules posted on the individual locker doors as well as on the barn door!

[CityLights]

i think one day i might like to have my own livery type yard but to avoid annoying owners i would rather do full livery but i wouldnt think there was the same demand

[Loony]

Sounds like a great opportunity. I don't know anything about owning a livery yard but to be honest I don't think anyone can predict whether or not it would work out, you would just have to go for it. It sounds like a great spot and I like the name Brookside Liveries too!

[Teej]

It sounds like a great opportunity and definitely worth looking in to. Are there any other liveries in the same area and if so, what facilities do they have? You will just need to do some research ( and feasilbility study/assessment) to make sure its viable before you invest a lot of capital in it.

I wouldn't worry about 'human personalities' at this stage as that's one element that you have no control over. You need to concentrate on your business plan. People sometimes seem lovely when you meet them but once you get to know them, they're not so great after all ! Cross that bridge when you come to it. As long as you have clear rules then there are no excuses for people to deviate from those rules and you can boot them out if they do !

I like the name you have chosen too

[piccolo]

What a great oppotunity!

[CityLights]

oo to make setting up easier there are also grants for rural enterprises setting up bussiness and expanding bussinesses, im not sure if it would qualify but my boss put in for one to get the indoor school extended and have classrooms put on the side and i think we are getting a grant for £20,000!!!!