Paddock agistment for horses

Recreational horse owners, riders without their own land, and families with children's ponies.

Weekly or monthly fee per horse, with optional extras such as feeding, rugging, hay supply or taking in the paddock for spelling horses.

• Comfortable handling and caring for horses
• Basic fencing and pasture management
• Clear communication with clients about rules and fees

• Council planning rules for running a commercial horse business on your land, check with your local council
• Public liability insurance and care, custody and control cover for other people's animals
• Check your state's rules on horse keeping and property registration, and on biosecurity such as Hendra virus and equine influenza
• Overgrazing in dry seasons, plan for feed and paddock rest
• Injury or illness to a client's horse, put expectations and vet authority in writing

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $2,000 to $15,000, depending on your existing fencing, water, shelter and paddock condition. Plan for feed and paddock rest during dry seasons.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many horses you can agist, your fees and any extras such as feeding. This is revenue before costs like feed, fencing and insurance.

Check council planning rules for a commercial horse business on your land, and your state's rules on horse keeping, property registration and biosecurity such as Hendra virus and equine influenza. Check public liability and care, custody and control insurance too.