Full-Care horse boarding stables

Working horse owners without time or land, competition riders, and owners who want full-care service.

Monthly board per horse, with extras such as hard feed, rugging, lunging, float parking or arena hire.

• Strong horse handling and knowledge of feeding and health
• Early starts and physical work every day
• Managing clients, bookings and fees
• Basic bookkeeping and rostering

• Council development or planning approval for commercial stabling, check before you build or buy
• Public liability insurance and care, custody and control cover, plus workers compensation if you hire staff (state rules differ)
• Biosecurity such as Hendra virus and equine influenza, check your state's guidance and set vaccination rules
• Manure, waste and water run-off rules, check your local council and state environment body
• Seven-day-a-week commitment, with little time off unless you have reliable relief help
• Rising feed and hay costs, build them into fees

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $40,000 to $200,000, depending on whether you build or convert a property and what facilities you add. Rising feed and hay costs should be built into your fees.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on how many horses you board, your fees and any extras such as arena access. This is revenue before feed, labour and running costs.

Check council development or planning approval before you build or buy, and your state's rules on waste and run-off. Look at public liability and care, custody and control insurance, workers compensation if you hire, and biosecurity such as Hendra virus and equine influenza.