There's no business like horse business
The human relationship with horses extends back many centuries. The ancient Greeks knew how special horses were - in Homer's Iliad, Hector undertakes many trials, is subject to many dangers and wins many great victories, but at his death he is honoured by the gods as 'Hector, tamer of horses'. There has always been a special covenant between man and horse that offers food, shelter and attention in exchange for obedience and work, although it sometimes feels as if obedience is optional!
As beasts of burden, horses served our ancestors as the primary means of transporting people and goods for many years. Even then there was recognition of the beauty and grace that is innate within Equus and that man can sometimes share.
Recent surveys have indicated that there are over 1.3 million horses in the UK now - more than at any other time in history. Equestrian sport and leisure has never been so popular or so accessible and whether you search for the perfection of a canter pirouette in a prix st georges dressage test, ride with the local hunt seeking hedge and wire to leap, hack out risking life and limb when facing the tractor/cyclist/speeding motorist/plastic bag or any of the many other pursuits on horseback, we've all been infected with the same virus - equestrian fever. Read about the 9 Golden Rules of Livery Yard Success here
Many people have space at home to keep their horses, but many more do not and need space and shelter.
Looking after someone else's horse is a scary business.
They trust you with one of their most precious possessions (it's like taking care of one of the children) and want to be able to turn up and dip into the looking after when they want, or not if they are otherwise engaged.
Making sure the horse is kept in good condition is bad enough, without having to deal with the owners who can be really spooky. There are plenty who should wear a red ribbon in company.
Livery yards, whether they are full, working, hunter or DIY have to deal with two customers for the price of one.
Horses are complex animals, but have relatively simple needs, but horse owners are complex animals with complex needs. Most livery yards understand what the horse needs, but it's easy to forget that it's the owners that pay the bills.
Many equestrian centres are livery yards with additional facilities that are let out for public hire. There's only a very short opportunity to make a good impression on these additional customers and make them come back again, whether the customers are individuals, clubs or competition organisers using the farm-ride/arena/indoor school/cross country course. And getting them to come back again is what pays for the initial investment and enables you to maintain your facilities.
It's a challenging task for a livery yard to optimise their income in the short to medium term, let alone to be able to maximise it for a long term return. We understand these complexities and can help equestrian businesses to make the most of their opportunities.
At Northern Strategy and Operations we speak horse (being livery users and facility hirers ourselves) and we also understand how to make a business that depends on its customers remain successful.
We can help you to make your equestrian business more successful with careful planning and thought-through strategies that are designed for your business. We will guide and support you as you begin to implement your plans and we can provide training and coaching for your managers and staff to ensure it all runs smoothly or if you operate on a smaller scale we can provide one-to-one help to make the most out of your livery business. We all know that the trainer on the ground sees far more than the rider and whether your business is in collected trot or a full blown gallop we can help you achieve the perfect pace.
Why not email or ring now for a no obligation discussion?
Ring me now on 01477 549648 or email to info@nsando.com
Find out more about the 9 Golden Rules of Livery Yard Success here
