Livery yards & equine
Livery extras: what unbilled jobs cost a UK yard, and what the law lets you do
By Kamal Leadbitter, Founder · Last reviewed November 2026
The short answer
A 12-horse yard that forgets three rug changes, two turnouts and one farrier hold a week can lose around £1,500 a year. Most livery clients are private consumers, so statutory late-payment interest does not apply — your written livery agreement is what protects you.
Example livery extras rates
| Turnout or bring in (DIY / part livery) | £4.00 per time |
| Rug change | £3.00 |
| Hold for vet or farrier | £15.00 per hour |
| Medication given | £5.00 per dose |
| Poo-picking paddock | £4.50 per time |
| Full day sick-box care | £20.00 |
| Lunge or school | £25.00 |
The rates below are worked examples, chosen to sit within the range of prices UK businesses publish on their own websites. They are not survey averages. Use them to model your own numbers, then replace them with your real prices. Legal points link to the original legislation or GOV.UK guidance.
Worked model: the whiteboard leak on a 12-horse yard
| 3 rug changes a week missed (£3 × 3 × 52) | £468 |
| 2 turnouts a week missed (£4 × 2 × 52) | £416 |
| 1 farrier hold a fortnight missed (£15 × 26) | £390 |
| 1 medication dose a week missed (£5 × 52) | £260 |
| Total | £1,534 a year |
Each job takes seconds, which is exactly why it never reaches the invoice. Double the yard size and the figure roughly doubles.
Livery debt: the legal reality
The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 only covers business-to-business debts. A private horse owner is a consumer, so you cannot add statutory 8% interest or fixed compensation. Interest and late fees must be in the agreement they signed.
Holding on to a horse's passport to force payment is not a safe tactic: the passport must stay with the horse and be available to its keeper and vet. Care cannot be withdrawn either — the Animal Welfare Act 2006 keeps your duty of care while the horse is on your yard.
If an owner stops paying and stops responding, sections 12 and 13 of the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 set out how uncollected goods can be dealt with: written notice, a reasonable chance to collect, and a sale at a fair price with any surplus returned. Take legal advice before relying on it for a living animal.
Three clauses every livery agreement needs
- Payment in advance, with extras itemised and settled on the monthly invoice.
- A notice period (often 30 days) and a clear process if a horse is left and fees go unpaid.
- Pre-authorisation for emergency vet and farrier calls, with the owner paying the bill.
The daily extras routine
Agree the price list in writing, log each extra at the stable door, then itemise them with dates on the monthly invoice. Dated lines stop most arguments before they start.
10-second WhatsApp confirmation
Hi Sarah, just to confirm I held Bella for the farrier this morning (40 mins) — that'll go on your monthly invoice at £15/hr as per the price list. Thanks!
Frequently asked questions
Can a livery yard keep a horse's passport until the bill is paid?
It is not a safe tactic. The passport has to stay with the horse and be available when needed, so use your livery agreement and the small claims process instead.
Can I charge late-payment interest to a livery client?
Only if your signed agreement says so. Statutory late-payment interest applies to business customers, not private horse owners.
How much do forgotten extras cost a yard?
In our worked model, a 12-horse yard missing a handful of small jobs each week loses about £1,500 a year. Your own figure depends on your prices and how you record extras.
Should extras go on a separate invoice?
Usually not. One monthly invoice with livery and dated extras as separate lines is clearer for owners.
What can I do if an owner abandons a horse?
Follow your agreement and the written-notice process in the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977, and take legal advice before any sale.
Sources
- Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998
- GOV.UK — Late commercial payments: charging interest and debt recovery
- GOV.UK — Horse passports
- Animal Welfare Act 2006
- Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977, sections 12–13
- GOV.UK — Make a court claim for money
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, speak to a solicitor or Citizens Advice.
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