Our Livery Yard Insurance team know that when horse owners look for a new yard, they seek a yard that will suit both themselves and their horse or pony. There will be multiple considerations in place to aid their final decision on which yard to choose, such as the day-to-day routine, the facilities, the location and the cost.
In this blog, Cheryl Johns, Owner and Founder of LiveryList and the Yard Owner Hub, covers what yard owners need to consider when positioning their yard to new liveries, and how to ensure their business processes make for a happy and harmonious livery yard for their existing clients.
A consistent routine for their horse:
Once you have a livery on site it is important to make sure that everybody's expectations are met, and the livery service is provided as expected. The way a yard is managed can make or break a yard and can determine the longevity of its clients.
Livery clients will come to you because they like what you have on offer and your setup is suitable for both them and their horse. It is therefore important to ensure that the arrangements can be continued on a long-term basis. Sudden changes in the routine for the horses may mean that your yard is no longer suitable.
Expectations for both the yard owner and the horse owner when it comes to the horse's daily care routine should be clearly laid out. This could include the herd or grazing arrangements, the times that horses are expected to be turned out or brought in, feeding times, or other important aspects of day-to-day care that may disrupt if these are altered without notice or on a regular basis.
Obviously, there may be some situations where changes are unavoidable such as inclement weather meaning restricted turnout, or other unforeseen changes. In these circumstances it is important for yard owners to consider a suitable backup plan and to implement any changes in the least disruptive manner possible while taking into consideration the needs of the horses and owners on the yard.
Good communication:
As they say, communication is key, and this applies to any type of business. Maintaining an open dialogue with livery clients means that everybody is clear on situations and happenings on the yard. It is ideal to ensure any important communication is done so in writing be this by e-mail, written letter or message such as SMS or WhatsApp.
It is also a good idea to have a group communication method for all on the yard to be able to easily communicate any changes. This could be for example a WhatsApp group, or a dedicated social media group for livery clients. Regardless of the topic of conversation it is important to make sure that your communication is clear and professional. If you have any specific requests on group messages from livery clients or any issues arise you should contact the client directly, rather than continue discussions in a group scenario.
If you are considering making any changes such as to turn out arrangements, pricing or terms of your contract then it is important that you give clients advance warning, such as 30 days written notice of any changes. This can make any changes clear and formal and give adequate time for adjustments to be made or any clients to approach you with any concerns or questions regarding any proposed changes.
Whilst communication is vital to the smooth running of a yard, it is also important to have boundaries when it comes to times for communication. To avoid receiving messages or requests in the middle of night or other unsuitable times, obviously with the exception of genuine emergencies, you should make clear contact times in your livery contract, or ideally your yard owner handbook.
Assurance of good practices:
As well as a consistent day-to-day routine you need to make sure that you maintain any promises given to horse owners when they first view the yard and chose it for their horse. Any policies that you have regarding best practice or care for the horses on the yard should be maintained at all times. This could include bio security practices, health and safety policies, rules and regulations for the use of facilities, and policies and procedures for new arrivals. The last thing a horse owner would want is to arrive on a new yard full of promises of the standards of care and management, only to find out in the long term these promises are not met.
For a busy yard owner, it is very easy for things to be overlooked, but you must ensure consistency when it comes to managing the yard. You must ensure that you keep on top of any requirements you have for liveries such as ensuring that they are vaccinated, ensuring that they meet your stipulated horse insurance requirements, and making sure that any bio security policies are followed, such as those going to and returning from external events.
It is also important to be open with your clients in terms of things such as your own livery yard insurance, and to be happy to provide documentation if requested. For example, if you are telling horse owners viewing your yard that you are fully insured, then you should ensure that you are appropriately insured for all of the services you are providing. You can find out about the recommended insurances that livery yards should hold in our recent insurance webinar.
You should also make sure that any staff working on the yard are aware of the levels of expectation for the services provided, are competent and skilled in the work they undertake, and aware of the duty of care to equines on the yard.
Honesty:
Honesty plays a huge part in any business arrangements. Most yard owners and horse owners are complete strangers to one another until the horse arrives on the yard. When a potential livery client views the yard it is important not to make false promises or to bend the truth in order to fill stables. You must be open and honest about exactly what your yard provides, anything that may not suit a horse or its owner should also be disclosed. Failure to be honest with potential liveries can result in them arriving and remaining for only a short time before realising it is not the yard they thought it was.
It is also important to always be open and honest with your existing clients. If you have any problems that arise on your part or theirs, these should be brought up and discussed as soon as possible. Business arrangements are based on trust and honesty and if either party falls short this could end in the termination of the livery contract. In some situations, dishonesty can have implications for the entire yard. For example, if a horse owner or yard owner feels that there is a potential case of an infectious disease on the yard then this should be communicated with the liveries or yard owner respectively. A livery client should always feel that their yard owner or manager is approachable to discuss such matters.
Keeping a tidy and well-maintained yard:
Having a tidy yard can make it a safer environment, as well as everyone knowing where everything is. Having rules in place to keep the yard a tidy and clutter free zone benefits everyone and can save time in the long run. Ultimately though, the health and safety on the yard, and those working on it, remains the responsibility of the yard owner.
Ensuring that facilities are well maintained as well is key to ensuring that they can be used without disruption, and without risk to anyone on the yard, be this horse or human. Responsibilities should be laid out in yard handbooks - for example poo-picking or putting the jumps away - and whilst it may seem extreme to have it all documented, it saves on any confusion. It is also important to make sure all liveries are doing their fair share of their responsibilities.
Being proactive:
There may be times when problems arise and livery clients bring these to the attention of the yard owner. This could be a multitude of things from the quality of bedding to the behaviour of other horses, the use of facilities or concerns over yard maintenance. In any situation that warrants a livery speaking to you about such issues, there should be a reaction to show that you are looking into any problems, and where necessary these should be acted upon as soon as possible. This could include issues with maintenance of paddocks or riding facilities, damage to fencing, or other issues that could affect equine management or welfare, or that could pose a risk or damage or injury.
If unforeseen events happen such as a case of infectious disease, terrible mud that prevents turnout, or issues with facilities, then the yard owner should try to take action as soon as possible, and put a plan in place that will support the needs of the horses and their owners. This, again, is where communication is vital.
In conclusion, as a yard owner, your livery clients should feel that you are approachable with any issues, and that you run a well-organised and consistent yard where they can be safe in the knowledge their horse will remain happy and settled.
About the author
Cheryl Johns, SEIB Equestrian Business Writer and the founder of LiveryList and the Yard Owner Hub, is a qualified and experienced yard manager, marketing advisor and business consultant with experience across a range of industries.
About SEIB
SEIB have been arranging livery yard insurance and riding school insurance for over 60 years. This experience allows us to tailor policies to suit your circumstances and ensure that you and your horses are covered should the worst happen.
