Skidding across the yard on sheet ice might be a distant memory, but don’t be fooled — knee-deep mud and frozen troughs are only a matter of months away. Take a look at these nine ways to get your yard and fields in shape before the clocks go back (28 October) and the cold weather sets in.

1. Stay on your feet — stock up on salt and grit in advance as prices tend to soar during a cold snap. “People tend to order late,” explains Lucy Tate of agricultural wholesaler Armstrong Richardson. “I’d advise getting in there now. Make sure that you have the right winter equipment too, such as snow shovels for clearing the yard.”

2. Dealing with the pipes — you can protect pipes and taps to some extent by using lagging from DIY stores and old duvets as insulation, but it’s a good idea to have a back-up plan for serious cold periods. If you have a reliable indoor water supply then it might be worth investing in a special connector that allows hosepipes to run off internal taps.

3. Beat frozen troughs — insulated troughs and submersible water tank heaters can be bought at farm supply stores and are a good — if pricey — solution. A simpler and cheaper option is to keep a football floating on the surface of the water. This should prevent an ice sheet forming in all but the most bitter conditions.

4. Keep your exercise area frost-free — Nicholas Collins of equestrian surface solutions provider Martin Collins recommends keeping an eye on the weather forecast and letting it guide your arena maintenance plan. “If a surface is even slightly over-compacted then surplus water will not drain through the material as easily,” he explains. “This causes a backlog of moisture in the surface, which can then freeze.”

5. Get the most out of your maintenance machine — if you use a maintenance machine, Nicholas suggests setting the tines a quarter to a half-inch deeper than usual to help excess water disperse, ideally carrying out the process just as the frost is catching. The following morning, use a roller or rake to disrupt any ice crystals that may have formed on the surface.

6. Prevent flooding — badly draining fields can be prone to surface flooding. James Boggis of land drainage specialists White Horse Contractors suggests performing essential field maintenance before the bad weather kicks in. “All ditches should be cleared and any pipes or culverts [open drains under road] unblocked,” he advises. “Where drainage is particularly poor, a series of land drains laid laterally and running to a suitable outfall will make the affected area more usable.”

7. Prepare your grazing — James also has several tips on how to prepare your grazing for winter conditions. “The autumn is a great time to cultivate and seed grassy areas lacking vigour. Heavily trafficked areas may have become compacted over the summer, so suitable decompaction should be carried out to maintain an open soil structure. I would also advise moving feeders regularly to ensure that areas of the field are not poached during wet weather.”

8. Managing mud — extreme poaching can be managed to some extent by limiting turnout and taking a conservative approach to stocking levels during the winter months. Laying hardcore in gateways and other problem areas while the ground is still dry can help as well, while a more innovative option is to install honeycomb mats to protect the ground. “Honeycomb mats are more effective than hardcore, which tends to just disappear in muddy areas,” says John Mathews of field accessories company Fieldguard. “Now is the time to install them, when the grass is still growing. If you wait until the area is muddy then they will sink in and work less effectively.”

Continued below…

9 reasons riders love (and hate) autumn

Struggling with mud fever? Here’s what you need to know to tackle it…

9. Spot checks on stables — David Wilson, the director of Warwick Buildings, suggests carrying out a series of spot checks to make sure everything is in working order. “Pay particular attention to your roof, monitoring for any tears, as well as noting glass that needs repairing, doors that stick and blocked gutters,” he says. “If your horses have been out all summer and the stables out of use, it’s also important to look at whether the lights are still working as wires can corrode over time. Finally, remember that your stables will need treating with a proofing agent such as Stable Coat from Shedcare every two years. You should be looking to do this now before the horses come in for the winter — once the weather breaks, you’ve had it.”

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Many a leisurely weekend morning at the stables has been completely shattered when you come into contact with the remains of a dead rat. While many yards will claim to be vermin-free, without proper management in place, you might be surprised where rats and mice are crawling, eating and even reproducing (E.G: your rugs and feed bins).

Pest controller Michael Flatters, owner of the Lincolnshire-based Fen Tiger Pest Control and former farrier, gives us his top tips for preventing and dealing with vermin outbreaks.

Q: Why should I bother dealing with an infestation?

A: Having a presence of vermin on the yard can be more than just an eye sore. “Rats and mice can be a disease risk to humans and other animals, and if you are a yard owner, you will have a legal obligation to protect staff and clients,” says Michael.

Some of the problems and diseases rats can cause include:

• Weils disease
• Salmonella
• Damage to property
• Electrical wiring chewed/fire risk
• Chewed water pipes
• Damage to building structure
• Damage to tack, rugs, blankets, clothing etc
• Reputation – no one likes to see rats and mice.

“As a farrier I have even seen hooves chewed by rats on stabled horses, and watched video footage of rats running over the top of horses while they are laying down,” says Michael.

Q: How can I prevent rats and mice using my yard as their home?

A: “Prevention of rats and mice in stable areas is never going to be easy,” continues Michael. “It is nearly impossible to seal a stable building, but having a separate feed room with a good fitting door and keeping it closed will certainly help.

“Store foodstuffs in steel feed bins or galvanised dustbins (not plastic), and always keeping your feed storage area tidy — let’s not forget the bags of carrots/apples, which need to be stored safely too.

“Rats in particular will often (but not always) live immediately outside buildings and come in to feed, so keeping a weed free area immediately around your stable buildings will be a great help, as will removing any goods stacked against or next to the exterior walls.

“Other areas where rats may like to live include inside hollow wall cavities and under concrete floors. Stacks of hay/straw can often be a great home for rodents and although this is not easy, I would recommend having the stack lifted off the ground 30cm or more. If stacked on wooden pallets the rats have a perfect safe place underneath to make home.”

Q: So how do I get rid of rats once I’ve seen them on the yard?

A: “If rats or mice are present then it is always best to treat them at source, so where they are living,” he says. “With rats, searching for rat burrows outside the buildings will be a good start. Look for holes under the concrete slab of the building and look for runs the rats have made as they move from home to the food source and back. Also look inside the buildings. Get a torch to look for holes in walls, in hay/straw stacks, even in ceilings — areas that are often left alone.

“Mice will tend to live much closer to their food supply ­— wall cavities are a favourite for mice, but rugs and blankets make great homes too.”

Q: What are the treatment options?

Non-toxic baits

“The use of non toxic baits should always be your first approach. As mice are naturally inquisitive and normally easy to trap, we tend to use peanut butter or chocolate spread on a mouse trap for mice. Boxes are available to keep traps safely away from non targets.

“I am not a fan of live catch traps for rats or mice as it heightens the stress of the animal when captured — some will eat each other, and too often I will find live catch traps that have been forgotten, leaving rodents to starve to death inside. Let’s not forget that if you catch a rodent in a live trap, it is a legal requirement that you need to kill it quickly and effectively. Drowning is illegal and even if it is only a rat or mouse, they still deserve a quick clean dispatch.

“With rats trapping is not so easy. They are naturally wary of any new object, even food, so trapping can be difficult to attain control. We tend to use snap traps for rats inside bait stations and often use them un-baited and let the rats just run through the boxes to get caught. You can bait the boxes with similar foodstuffs.

“Glue boards are my pet hate. I refuse to use them in my business, they are cruel, inhumane, and can easily catch many non-target species.”

Rodenticides

Michael adds that the use of rodenticides will always carry a risk, so he recommends using a qualified pest controller. The National Pest Controllers Association, or The British Pest Control Association will be able to advise of members in your area. He says: “There are many things that can go wrong and it is too easy to be complacent when baiting for rodents.”

Amateur rodenticide baits

“Until recently many of the same baits used by professional pest controllers were also available for amateur use, but this has now changed,” says Michael.

“The Campaign For Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) and new hazard classification of most rodenticide baits will now mean greatly reduced amounts of product can be sold to amateurs and strength will be reduced to 0.0025% of active ingredient. Professionals will still have access to higher strength baits and the new lower strength.

“I would recommend looking at think wildlife.org before starting any baiting program to see why we are all now bound by these regulations. Also ask at your feed supplier as if they stock rodenticide. Training courses are available if you wish to learn more.”

Protecting non-target species

“If you still wish to use rodenticides I recommend using strong bait stations to help protect non target animals from the baits. These are steel boxes available with a key lock that can withstand the tough environment of a horse yards. But place them away from horses and secure them to the ground or wall to prevent spillage.

“The use of block type baits (above) will be the safest method if secured on steel rods inside bait stations, there is less chance of spillage than wheat baits.”

And finally…

READ THE LABEL — the statutory box on the label will provide instruction for use. It is a legal obligation to follow those instructions.

BAIT CYCLE — more bait will not kill more rodents. Regular checks and replenishment of baits will be the most effective method of control, and then once treatment has been successful, remove baits to reduce the risks of poisoning non-target species.

DISPOSAL OF DEAD RODENTS — dead rodents should always be picked up and disposed of correctly. Do not handle them with bare hands — double bag them and place them in with domestic waste, or have them incinerated at a licensed incinerator. Do not bury them in the muck heap — dogs, foxes and badgers will dig them out to eat and then suffer from secondary poisoning. If in any doubt, use a professional.

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Many yards are pumping with radio breakfast shows. The grooms are swinging their pitchforks with zeal, the place is buzzing and there’s a good vibe. But are the horses happy? Could they be stressed by the same sounds that motivate those mucking out?

There has been plenty of research on the effect of music on animals, albeit limited in scale. Cows have been found to produce more milk while classical music is played compared to pop. Back in the 1970s, scientific studies showed that loud music of any sort has a negative effect on horses.

‘Nature is pretty quiet’

Susan McBane, an equestrian author and experienced practitioner in equitation science, has analysed the findings.

“Nature is pretty quiet if you think about it,” she says. “Horses [have been found to] hate loud music, particularly rock, rap or punk, for example, but are soothed by soft, classical music — but only for up to 30min.”

After this time, the test horses showed tension in the form of tightened skin, worried faces and even stereotypies.

Susan adds: “When they do like music, they prefer gentle instrumental music without the human voice, or military music.”

A more recent study on “auditory stimulation equine behaviour”, undertaken at Hartpury College in 2012, found that the genre and volume of music had different effects.

Student Clare Carter and her supervisor Linda Greening analysed the behaviour of eight thoroughbred geldings that had been stabled for three hours. They played classical, country, rock and jazz for 30min each, and also observed the horses for 30min in silence.

With classical, country and silence, horses were more restful and ate more quietly. With jazz and rock, the researchers recorded stamping, head tossing, snorting and whinnying. Although the horses still ate, it was in short bursts.

“Music that encouraged relaxed behaviour appeared to act as a barrier to external noise distractions, while rock and jazz may have encouraged stress because they added to noise distraction,” said Linda.

Jazz — in a minor key and fast tempo — provoked the most stress, while country — major key and slow tempo — proved the most positive.

The researchers recommended 21 decibels (dB) as the maximum volume. 60dB is normal conversation level.

Strict rules

Conversely, there are many extremely successful riders who believe music has benefits, such as “light entertainment” for those on box rest, desensitisation to the tannoy and show environment, or as a distraction from local hunting or fireworks. Many say that grooms who are motivated by the relaxed atmosphere that music can provide pass on their good mood to their horses.

Katie Jerram says: “A radio on the yard is a good thing because it keeps horses occupied” — but she has strict rules.

“We don’t put it on until around 10am when the horses have been fed and have digested, and we start mucking out.”

“It’s always peaceful — my horses like Radio Two. And it does help them get used to tannoys because they are familiar with that sort of noise.”

Darren Hegarty, who has competed at three-star eventing, says “it keeps horses relaxed”. His radio is on most of the day.

“All our horses are very chilled and there’s a calm atmosphere,” he says.

“No heavy metal though!”

But Clare Turner, a British Eventing accredited coach, says that while she can see there are advantages, she has a “no radio” yard.

“It can get too busy and the horses need a break,” she says. “Grooms have their phones to play music on quietly.”

Many racing yards do not permit radios. The late trainer Gordon W Richards required absolute quiet on the yard (but not in the tackroom). He even forbade music in the horsebox cab, as he believed horses had enough to concentrate on travelling and anticipating racing.

Ref: H&H 11 December, 2014

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Q: I have three spare stables at home, and provide a livery service for two friends at “mates’ rates”. Do I have to declare the income to the taxman?

I haven’t declared anything to date, as the overall expenses exceeded the income.

RG, Cornwall

It sounds like a lovely scenario, providing an informal livery service to your friends. But if you are taking money from them and providing a service, you are running a business.

Specifically, Julie Butler of chartered accountants Butler & Co, based in Hampshire, says there are tax and national insurance concerns here.

“The Taxes Management Act dictates that all new income sources must be declared to HM Revenue and Customs [HMRC] within six months of the end of the tax year,” Julie explained.

“It sounds as if this is effectively a business, and the existence therefore should be declared to HMRC’s National Insurance Contributions Office within three months of starting to trade, otherwise there is a £100 fine.

“Although you think the net result is a tax loss, some of those expenses are probably your own personal costs.

“If the tax office discovers this source of income without you declaring it, there would be penalties as well as ‘back tax’ due.”

According to Julie, you should immediately tell the HMRC about your business to prevent problems ensuing and allowing them to decide whether your expenses genuinely exceed your income. Consult an accountant for further advice.

It is worth bearing in mind that HMRC also operates a “shop online” system, whereby nosey neighbours or concerned locals can report undeclared income and this is a risk you face.

Information

Butler & Co, tel: 01962 735544 www.butler-co.co.uk

The Institute of Chartered Accountants www.icaew.com

HMRC’s National Insurance Contributions Office www.hmrc.gov.uk/nic

HMRC www.hmrc.gov.uk

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (25 February, ’10)

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Q: I moved into my own yard with five stables and six acres last year.

There are two buildings opposite — one a commercial business — and both tenants are complaining about the smell of the muckheap, which is removed by a local farmer four times a year.

The council asked if I could cover the muckheap up, but I am worried about the fire risk.

I have also considered having someone collect the muck and leaving a trailer for me to fill, but the council does not like that idea because it will be “unsightly”. What can I do?

A Holden, Beds

There are no products that adequately deal with the smell of a muckheap and covering the heap would, as you say, bring its own risks.

A spokesman from the environment and planning department of Central Bedfordshire council explained that nuisance smells are dealt with as statutory nuisances under sections 79 and 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Statutory nuisance

“Under this legislation, we would probably look at such complaints in terms of accumulations of a nuisance. Whether a smell was a statutory nuisance would depend on its severity and duration, and its distance to the houses in question,” the spokesman explained.

“We would make a judgement as to whether the smell materially interferes with a person’s enjoyment of their own home. There are no readings taken to assess the level of smell!

“Our best advice in this scenario is to have the muck regularly removed by a regulated waste contractor; perhaps more frequently than your current three-monthly removal.

“I would not recommend covering up the muckheap, as this will increase the likelihood of harbouring rodents.”

The Environment Agency deals with commercial — as opposed to private — issues concerning odour problems, but added: “We realise the distinction between an acceptable and an unpleasant smell can be subjective, but also recognise that persistent odour can have a big impact on people’s quality of life.

“Our odour experts do work with companies to help resolve problems and, where businesses ignore odour problems, we can and do bring prosecutions.”

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (22 October, ’09)

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Q: I am about to convert a tumbledown farm building into a small equestrian livery property; planning permission has been obtained.

Can I claim back the VAT that has been and will be paid on the improvements? I am proposing to let out the livery yard.

MA, Hants

VAT paid for on improvements is classed as “input” VAT, which refers to VAT a company is charged when it makes purchases.

Input VAT can be reclaimed by a VAT-registered individual on any non-residential (business) building at any time, according to Julie Butler of Hampshire Chartered Accountants, Butler & Co.

“However, this is provided you make an ‘opt to tax’,” Julie said.

“When you opt to tax, it means you will be entitled to input VAT deduction; in addition, the rent you charge the tenant will have to have ‘output’ VAT added to it — VAT which your company charges on items sold.

“Also, the opt to tax cannot be revoked for 20 years once made, so if you sell the building at any time before 2029, you will have to charge VAT on the sale.”

According to Julie, the tenant of your yard will probably not charge VAT on the liveries, as the majority of livery services are exempt under the Business Brief 21/2001.

“The VAT on the rent could therefore be a disadvantage to your tenant, given that the rent you charge them will have output VAT added to it,” she said. “The answer is therefore to look at what lies ahead now, and do the maths.

“There could be a VAT disadvantage in the long run. Although if the tenant was, for example, a racehorse trainer whose owners could claim back the VAT, there would not be such a problem.

“Discussions must therefore take place with the tenant as to their plans in the future, and it is worth doing forward projections.”

Information

Butler & Co, tel: 01962 735544 www.butler-co.co.uk

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (1 October, ’09)

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Q: I run a livery yard, and my business is suffering as I have to charge VAT on full liveries. There is little input VAT [VAT on expenses] I can reclaim, as the majority of my costs are attributable to wages, feed and rent.

I understand that I may be out of the scope of VAT and need not be VAT-registered — is that correct?

CD, Northants

According to HM Revenue and Customs, the definition of business for VAT purposes is governed by specific rules and regulations.

These address issues such as business work, as opposed to “daily enjoyment”, and work that has “recognisable continuity”, as opposed to ad hoc work.

When should VAT be charged?

Certain DIY livery services are outside the scope of VAT, therefore no VAT is charged and no input VAT can be reclaimed.

“Regulations state that VAT exemption extends to full livery services,” explained Julie Butler of Hampshire chartered accountants Butler & Co.

“A livery business with turnover in excess of the VAT registration limit of £68,000 does not need to be registered, nor does it have to charge VAT. You may not therefore have to charge VAT on full liveries.”

Are there exemptions?

“If the livery business is in isolation to another business, this can be extremely beneficial,” said Julie.

“However, where the livery business is part of a larger VAT-registered organisation, eg a farm or a riding school, there could be problems of partial exemption for VAT, through a complicated system of disallowing input VAT.

“The reality is, there are lots of opportunities for livery providers not to charge VAT to private customers, which is a real advantage in the credit crunch.”

According to Julie, VAT on liveries is a complicated subject and you should seek advice from a specialist chartered accountant.

Information

Butler & Co, tel: 01489 896996 www.butler-co.co.uk

This Q&A was first published in Horse & Hound (30 July, ’09)

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Q: I have a farm with 12 stables and nine of my own horses. I want to use the remaining three boxes for liveries and have been told that, even though they will all be friends and have their own insurance, I need to take out business insurance. Also, should their horses injure any of my staff, I believe I would be responsible on my insurance.

So, I will declare myself a business to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), and will probably make a loss as there’s not much profit to be made on three liveries. But my accountant informs me that if, after two years, I continue to make a loss, HMRC will close me down because then it is a hobby not a business.

Is there any way round this catch- 22 situation?

SH, East Yorkshire

According to Angie Bailey, equine account manager at the Ryan Insurance Group, the matter of staff is key.

“Presumably you already have your staff covered under your farm policy for the activities that they carry out now,” said Angie. “You could ask your farm insurers to extend your business description to include a livery yard, and then your staff would be covered for the new activity.

“By law, you must have employer’s liability cover,” Angie said. “This would also mean the public liability section would be extended to cover your friends, or other members of the public coming into the yard. Some farm insurers will not extend cover, therefore you could have a standalone employer’s and public liability policy with a specialist insurer.”

According to HMRC, the organisation does not close down loss-making businesses. HMRC cannot advise on your individual case here but suggests you contact your local tax office, where you can receive specialist advice. Further information can be found on its website.

Colin Davison, tax consultant at Cranleys Chartered Accountants, added that your accountant is partly correct.

“If you continue to make a loss, it may be deemed that you are just operating as a hobby,” he said. “This issue is actually commonplace. As accountants, we aim to ensure that for some years at least, the business in question has a profit, and will fall outside the ‘hobby’ issue, but it is not correct that the business will be closed down.

“If it were to be seen as a hobby, the activity would not stop — it would merely need to complete a set of accounts to state the business will stop trading. The tax inspector will not be visiting your liveries to put a lock on their doors!”

INFORMATION

• Cranleys, tel: 01256 830000 www.cranleys.co.uk

• HMRC www.hmrc.gov.uk

• Ryan Insurance Group, tel: 08445 739422 www.ryan-group.co.uk

This Q&A was first published in Horse & Hound (6 November, ’08)

Q: I am contemplating a move to France to set up a yard offering riding holidays and training, but don’t know where to start. I am qualified to BHSII standard, but am worried this won’t be recognised in France. I also wish to employ local staff, but am unsure what qualifications to look for in instructors or ride leaders. Is there anywhere I can go for advice? Should I take a European-wide qualification?

AD, Yorkshire

This is a complicated question and it would be sensible to take specific legal advice. As with any new business, do research the relevant country’s licensing, employment and business regulations.

A British Horse Society (BHS) representative explains: “The International Group for Equestrian Qualifications (IGEQ) was set up in order to recognise and equate equestrian coaching qualifications internationally. The IGEQ has drawn up a matrix, of which there are three levels — the BHSII is recognised as International Level Two.”

If you are looking for qualifications to use within the tourism industry, the British Equestrian Tourism (BET) qualifications are recognised by the International Federation of Equestrian Tourism (FITE).

“French equestrian qualifications are regulated by the French government, and this has led to issues with the recognition of other countries’ qualifications,” the representative continues. “Contact the French Equestrian Federation to discuss this.

“The BHS is working closely with the French Equestrian Federation to remove obstacles that have been encountered by some people moving to France. I suggest you contact Olivia Gann (email: o.gann@bhs.org.uk) for further information about the IGEQ, which is administered by the Register of Instructors.”

We also asked Jeffrey Quirk, who moved to south-west France seven years ago to run Château Sombrun, a livery yard and holiday facility, for advice.

“Most areas have their own federation, which is affiliated to the French Equestrian Federation; based on my experience, their president will be more than helpful,” Jeffrey says.

“In addition to BHS qualifications, there are recognised French qualifications for the equivalent of horse management, ride leader etc — get the information from the French Equestrian Federation’s website.

“If you intend to affiliate to the Gîtes de France, they will also give you their requirements. The Gîtes de France label awards accommodation with one to five ears of corn, like a star rating, and ensures properties are correctly insured.”

Information

• British Horse Society www.bhs.org.uk

• French Equestrian Federation www.ffe.com

This Q&A was first published in Horse & Hound (16 October, ’08)