Equestrian resource
Livery agreements: what they should cover and what happens when things go wrong
Published 6 May 2026 · Reviewed for England and Wales, May 2026
A livery arrangement can feel informal because everyone is dealing with horses, yards and daily routines. But when fees are unpaid, care standards are disputed, notice is unclear or a horse needs urgent treatment, a vague arrangement can turn into a serious dispute very quickly.
About this guidance
This page is about England and Wales only. It is general information only, not legal advice.
Reviewed by Resolutor Legal Support for England and Wales in May 2026.
Why written terms matter
A livery agreement should identify the owner, the yard, the horse, the type of livery and the services included. Full livery, part livery, DIY, schooling livery, rehabilitation livery and sales livery all carry different expectations. If the agreement does not say what is included, both sides may later remember the deal differently.
The goal is not to make the relationship hostile. The goal is to prevent avoidable arguments. Written terms give both sides a shared reference point when something changes.
Services and standards
The agreement should set out daily care clearly: feeding, hay or haylage, bedding, turnout, mucking out, rug changes, holding for vet or farrier, exercise, medication and holiday cover. If feed, bedding or supplements are charged separately, say so.
If the yard offers care to a particular standard, avoid vague wording. For example, “daily turnout where ground and weather conditions permit” is more useful than “regular turnout”. A yard should also be careful not to promise services it cannot reliably deliver in winter, staff absence or extreme weather.
Fees, extras and notice
The agreement should say when fees are due, how they are paid, what happens if payment is late, and whether interest or administration charges may apply. Extras should be transparent. Many disputes start because one side thinks something was included and the other thinks it was chargeable.
Notice periods matter. Set out how much notice either side must give, whether notice must be in writing, whether fees remain payable during notice, and when the horse must leave. Emergency termination should be dealt with separately for serious welfare, safety or conduct issues.
Welfare and emergency care
GOV.UK guidance on keeping horses says owners or people responsible for a horse have a duty to look after basic welfare, including suitable environment, diet and protection from pain, injury, suffering and disease. A livery agreement should match that reality.
The agreement should say who can call the vet, who pays, which veterinary practice is used, what happens if the owner cannot be reached, and whether the yard has authority to approve urgent treatment. For a real emergency, delay caused by unclear authority can be dangerous.
Yard rules and risk
Yard rules should cover opening hours, visitors, children, dogs, hat and footwear requirements, storage, arena use, hacking routes, biosecurity, worming, vaccinations, isolation and whether third-party instructors or riders are allowed. Rules should be practical and consistently applied.
Insurance should also be addressed. Horse owners should check public liability cover. Yard owners should check their business, care custody and control, employers liability and public liability arrangements. A contract cannot replace insurance.
Unpaid bills
Unpaid livery bills need careful handling. A yard should not make threats it cannot lawfully carry out, and should avoid any step that risks the horse’s welfare. Keep a clear account, send invoices promptly, confirm arrears in writing and set realistic payment deadlines.
If the horse remains on the yard, ongoing care still has to be managed. The practical question is often how to recover the money, secure removal of the horse and avoid a welfare problem at the same time.
The short version
A good livery agreement is specific about services, fees, notice, welfare, emergencies, yard rules and unpaid bills. It should reflect how the yard actually operates, not an ideal version of it. Clear paperwork at the start is much cheaper than trying to reconstruct the deal after the relationship has broken down.
Nothing in this guide is legal advice for your specific situation.