HOW TO HIRE · PETS · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a livery yard in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A horse care & livery in Ireland costs €25–€180 per week, typically around €80. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a livery yard in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers livery yard work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — health and Veterinary Care — health and veterinary care includes regular vaccinations, dental check-ups, and emergency care.
- How does services required change the price?It decides how much of the day the job takes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does horse's specific needs change the price?The choice of style changes the skill the job needs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does location of the service change the price?City rates reflect what it costs to work there. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Services such as training for competitions, specialized veterinary procedures, or farrier services may not be included in standard horse care packages — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a livery yard job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL cover, not just public liability — public liability pays if your dog bites a stranger; care, custody and control is what pays if your dog is injured, lost or killed while in their charge, and plenty of walkers carry only the first; How many dogs are walked at once, and whether yours is walked with strangers' dogs; Whether they are insured to drive your dog in their vehicle, and how it is secured; What happens if your dog is hurt or runs — the plan, and which vet; Keys: who holds one, how it is returned, what happens if it is lost, in writing; Two references from current clients, called not read.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers livery yard work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — health and Veterinary Care — health and veterinary care includes regular vaccinations, dental check-ups, and emergency care.
A good answer: It decides how much of the day the job takes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The choice of style changes the skill the job needs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: City rates reflect what it costs to work there. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Services such as training for competitions, specialized veterinary procedures, or farrier services may not be included in standard horse care packages — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a livery yard job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect care, custody and control cover as well as public liability — exercise and Training — exercise and training can be vital for a horse’s well-being.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the livery yard starts, and an itemised invoice after — daily Care Tasks — daily care tasks include feeding, grooming, and health checks.
Getting the quote right
- Services required — it decides how much of the day the job takes.
- Horse's specific needs — the choice of style changes the skill the job needs.
- Location of the service — city rates reflect what it costs to work there.
- Complexity of the care required — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: services required — it decides how much of the day the job takes
- They will not talk about it: horse's specific needs — the choice of style changes the skill the job needs
- They will not talk about it: location of the service — city rates reflect what it costs to work there
- A price for the livery yard before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the livery yard has begun
What a livery yard costs: €25–€180 per week
The figures are for the job, per week, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Full livery and Part livery each carry their own band. Horse Care & Livery price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Livery yards near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstServices required — it decides how much of the day the job takes — that is what the livery yard is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneHorse's specific needs — the choice of style changes the skill the job needs — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfLocation of the service — city rates reflect what it costs to work there — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of the care required — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the livery yard is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, look for professionals with relevant qualifications in equine care and management.
- Daily Care Tasks
- Daily care tasks include feeding, grooming, and health checks.
- Exercise and Training
- Exercise and training can be vital for a horse’s well-being.
- Health and Veterinary Care
- Health and veterinary care includes regular vaccinations, dental check-ups, and emergency care.
- Full Livery
- This service includes comprehensive care, providing everything from feeding and mucking out to exercising the horse.
- Part Livery
- Part livery offers basic care services while the owner retains some responsibilities, such as riding and grooming.
- DIY Livery
- This option allows horse owners to manage their horse's care themselves while having access to facilities and basic services.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a livery yard: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the services required, the horse's specific needs, and the location of the service. Additional factors include the level of expertise of the caregiver and any specialised care needed.
A typical horse care visit usually lasts between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the services provided. For more comprehensive care, such as full grooming or training sessions, it may take longer.
Many providers offer emergency care, but availability can vary. It's advisable to check with local services beforehand to understand their response times for urgent situations.
Services such as training for competitions, specialised veterinary procedures, or farrier services may not be included in standard horse care packages. Always clarify what is covered before booking.
NO LICENCE OR REGISTER APPLIES TO DOG WALKERS, PET SITTERS OR GROOMERS IN IRELAND. Anyone may trade as one. The protection is insurance and what is written down — and the insurance that matters is not the obvious one.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
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