With the economy still at an all time low it has been a tough year for business owners like myself to keep a full or part livery yard running at fall capacity but we have definitely seen a shift in the balance of owners opting for part-livery rather than assisted DIY.  Why is this I ask myself? 

We’ve had the discussion in our tackroom many times regarding whether assisted DIY is much cheaper than part livery and the pro’s and con’s of each.  There is undoubtedly a good argument for both sides but we’ve seen a number of owners now opting for part-livery over assisted DIY.  From what we’ve heard from some of our clients it seems the following doesn’t get taken into account:

• Petrol/Diesel – 2 x trips per day
• Inconvenience of sourcing hay, feed, shavings etc
• Time off for vets/farriers etc
• Additional feed costs through winter due to turning out so early ground is still frozen
• Poor facilities – flooded or frozen schools, no lunging facilities or badly maintained stables/barns
• Lack of grazing
• Tension/bad feeling between other owners

It seems the cost savings for assisted DIY versus Part Livery are not as much as you would think but when it comes to facilities, time, peace of mind and a good atmosphere part livery seems to be priceless.