Renting out my riding ring?

[danacat]

Last fall I finally built my first outdoor arena – did it right with drainage and amazing footing (ArenaMend). It’s 200+ x 80, beautifully fenced, three access gates, large mounting block in the center + immediate access to my on-property trail system.

It’s just me here, and though I use the ring almost everyday, it stll sits empty a lot and I was thinking of advertising it for rent (hourly basis) to riders who need a quiet place to school, or are interested in working their horses away from home, etc. etc. Plenty of room for trailers to come in, park and turn around.

I realize their are ‘problems’ with this idea (every reason you can think of) but maybe it’s not such a completely terrible idea?

Thoughts?

[JanM]

You’ll need commercial insurance, and a list of rules in the contract. You don’t want to get someone who is unsafe on your property. Also, does rent mean the person can do lessons for others? How many people can the renter have riding with them? Talk to your insurance agent first. May need a business license too, and be zoned for a business operation.

[Aussie_2020]

I would have loved to have had access to a private arena when I was riding. Are you thinking of one person at a time? Or would you be opening it to ride at certain times?

[LaurieB]

Your arena sounds amazing!

This post, and its replies, may be of interest to you:

Barn owners – hypothetically - Around The Farm - Chronicle Forums

[Spyder]

Beware. I totally understand the desire to share a wonderful, little-used space. Not everyone is as they seem. There was someone who boarded at my barn that I thought was fine.When my DH met the person, he said, “She acts nice.” He is a better judge of character than I am.

I don’t post the address of my farm online because a few years back there was a rash of tack thievery. Seems that with the economy as it is now and becoming worse by the day, that may happen again. Call me paranoid but you never know who you may be inviting into your world.

[LCDR]

I have two arenas, jumping and standard dressage, and decent trailer parking, My original plan was to have occasional schooling days just for friends and neighbors, not for money. But after a few times I realized that it created way more work for me, and intruded on my quiet farm life more than I though it would.

Just a short list- picking up and disposing of the extra manure, wear and tear on the pasture I used for trailer parking, more frequent arena dragging, concerns about shared trough water and potential for disease transmission, setting and re-setting jumps, toilet facility maintenance, sharing of my one wash stall and not enough hot water, disturbing routine for my horses. All may seem trivial by themselves, but they add up.

[FjordBCRF]

Between insurance and this…and don’t forget wear and tear on your driveway:

@LCDR

Just a short list- picking up and disposing of the extra manure, wear and tear on the pasture I used for trailer parking, more frequent arena dragging, concerns about shared trough water and potential for disease transmission, setting and re-setting jumps, toilet facility maintenance, sharing of my one wash stall and not enough hot water, disturbing routine for my horses. All may seem trivial by themselves, but they add up.

And this:

@Spyder

Call me paranoid but you never know who you may be inviting into your world.

I would not open up my property to anyone I didn’t know well or had one heck of a good reference from someone I knew well.

It’s a nice thought, and I would probably think it in your case too, but I wouldn’t take on the headaches that may come along at the end of the day. There’s too many people with screws loose these days it seems.

[danacat]

Great posts everyone! Thanks!

To answer a few questions: No trainers giving lessons, no groups. Only individuals with a single horse – one at a time. Hopefully they will pick up their manure! Muck basket + fork provided for them.

No bathroom facilites + no use of my wash stall or my water troughs. In fact, my barn is not easily accesible from the arena. Arena is in it’s own area well separated from my horse’s and my personal space. Only I know how to get to the arena; I use a gated off alley-way between pastures that doesn’t look like a barn access point.

Though theft is certainly a possibility, my driveways are long, my house is right near the barn, main driveway is gated etc. Not particularly inviting to thieves. But you never know!

I harrow the arena all the time anyway, so I don’t think the occasional extra footprints will be a problem. I can’t imagine I’ll be inundated with ‘renters’. And I would screen them / get references etc.

All food for thought!

[clanter]

@danacat

. Only individuals with a single horse – one at a time.

for us our home owners lability covers “invited guests” that are not charged a fee, we just increased the lability to several million for a few dollars

Since we are not a business our horses are considered “pets” by our insurer

[LCDR]

@danacat

Only individuals with a single horse – one at a time.

Will you be there to watch these solo riders in case of an accident or to manage a loose horse?

Consider requiring each rider to have another adult with her. Ask your insurer and attorney about any added liability issues for folks who pay you to ride by themselves.

[danacat]

No, I wasn’t planning on being there – I was ‘hoping’ that an adult rider (more professional than a backyard yahoo) would have sense enough to forsee mishaps and come with another person. Maybe I’m dreaming! LOL

I was planning on talking to my insurance guy, but the more I think about this whole thing the less I’m inclined to do it.

Too many negative variables.

[danacat]

Very good point!

[Bluey]

We have regularly emptied muck dollies with bucket and pitchfork by every gate into the arena and in the parking lot, two by the main gate and still could not get everyone hauling in to consistently clean after themselves, some even dumped on the lot from their trailers.

[2DogsFarm]

@danacat

Hopefully they will pick up their manure! Muck basket + fork provided for them.

Don’t hope, TELL!
You already have great advice here re: liability
If you do go ahead (I’ve read your 2nd Thoughts post) print out a list of your Rules & don’t feel bad adiosing anyone who disregards even a single item.
What seems like common sense courtesy to you won’t to everybody.

[trubandloki]

With your plan, maybe reach out to a trainer you trust and see if they have clients that would like this option. That would give you a better chance of getting people who would respect your property.

[Bluey]

@trubandloki

With your plan, maybe reach out to a trainer you trust and see if they have clients that would like this option. That would give you a better chance of getting people who would respect your property.

Just be sure trainer and you have adequate insurance and both of you are on the same page what he will be free to do or not do.
Decades ago we let a trainer use our facilities and first, decided we needed barn cats.
I am very allergic to cats and I could not even go there after that.
Cats were using aisle for litter box and no one cleaning after them.
Also we are in a wildlife preserve and cats are mere breakfast offerings for said wildlife, especially our very territorial bobcats, barn cats didn’t last long, sadly.

That warning is for all and any you let in your property, if once to take pictures, to use some of it, or wholesale to come and go as they want.
Be sure to cover every detail you can think of and add in the contract a clause to add more as they come up.

Our world is very different today, sharing what you have with others used to be the norm, boundaries were left to the individual.
Not so today, is more complicated and in the OP’s circumstances talking to her insurance company and a good attorney would be safest, especially if money is involved.
Money makes it a different kind of operation that just letting a neighbor/friend come to ride free.

[trubandloki]

@Bluey

Just be sure trainer and you have adequate insurance and both of you are on the same page what he will be free to do or not do.

I agree that making sure insurance is covered is totally mandatory.

The OP is not talking about having a trainer move in to use the ring, and I was not suggesting having a trainer come use the ring to give lessons.
Sorry I was not clear.

There was some discussion about the OP finding the right fit for people to come use their ring and I was simply suggesting they ask someone they trust for references of people who would respect the space and follow common sense rules, etc. instead of just advertising on social media that the ring is for rent.

[Bluey]

@trubandloki

I agree that making sure insurance is covered is totally mandatory.

The OP is not talking about having a trainer move in to use the ring, and I was not suggesting having a trainer come use the ring to give lessons.
Sorry I was not clear.

There was some discussion about the OP finding the right fit for people to come use their ring and I was simply suggesting they ask someone they trust for references of people who would respect the space and follow common sense rules, etc. instead of just advertising on social media that the ring is for rent.

For a few years I had a friend reining trainer that would come about once a month or two with a handful of clients and horses and train for a few hours, under her insurance.
They were extremely considerate and always left it all pristine.
That was fine, but was not an every day thing.

[findeight]

If you have a swimming pool you rarely use would you let strangers come and use it? Most of the same reasons yes or no and precautions with this as the arena.

[GreyDes]

@findeight - There’s an app for that https://swimply.com/

Maybe someone needs to do a similar one for arenas?