Small horse hire string at a rented yard

Holidaymakers, local families, beginners and occasional riders who don't own a horse, plus riders who want a ride without the cost of ownership.

Price per ride or per hour, with block bookings, group rides and school holiday sessions adding extra income.

• Confident, experienced horse handling
• Teaching or leading beginners safely
• Reading a rider's ability quickly
• Customer service and booking management

• In Great Britain, hiring out horses for riding generally needs a council licence under riding establishment law, which usually involves a vet and council inspection. Check with your council; Northern Ireland has its own rules
• Public liability insurance and employer's liability insurance if you take on helpers, plus a clear liability waiver for riders
• Qualifications such as BHS instructor awards may be expected by insurers or the council, so check what applies
• Horse welfare costs (feed, farrier, vet, livery) continue all year even when bookings are slow in winter
• Rider injury risk and road safety on hacks, so plan routes and rider-to-leader ratios carefully

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £10,000 to £40,000, depending on the number of horses, tack and the yard you rent. Horse welfare costs continue all year, even when bookings are slow.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around £1,500 to £7,500, depending on how many rides you run and the season. Winter bookings can be slow while feed, farrier and vet costs carry on.

Things to check: in Great Britain, hiring out horses generally needs a council licence under riding establishment law, usually with a vet and council inspection. Northern Ireland has its own rules. Also check insurance and instructor qualifications.