A UK Horse Livery Agreement is a legally binding contract between a livery yard owner and a horse owner that sets out the terms and conditions on which a horse is to be kept, stabled, and cared for at a livery yard in England and Wales. The agreement documents the type of livery (DIY, part, full, or grass), the services to be provided, the monthly fee, the payment terms, the responsibilities of each party, the veterinary and farrier arrangements, the insurance requirements, the yard rules, and the provisions for liability, indemnity, and termination.

The legal framework governing horse livery arrangements in England and Wales is drawn from several statutes and common law principles. The most important is the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which imposes a positive duty of care on any person who is responsible for an animal. Section 9 of the Act requires the responsible person to take such steps as are reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the animal’s five welfare needs are met: a suitable environment, a suitable diet, the ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns, appropriate company, and protection from pain, suffering, injury, and disease. A livery yard owner who accepts a horse into their care becomes a person responsible for that animal and is subject to this statutory duty.

The Animals Act 1971 governs liability for damage caused by animals. Under section 2(2), the keeper of a non-dangerous animal (such as a horse) may be strictly liable for damage caused by the animal where the damage was of a kind that the animal was likely to cause and the likelihood was due to characteristics known to the keeper. This has significant implications for livery yard owners, who may be treated as temporary keepers while the horse is on the yard. It is therefore essential that the livery agreement includes an indemnity from the horse owner in respect of claims arising under the Animals Act and that both parties hold appropriate insurance.

The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 implies into contracts for services a term that the service will be carried out with reasonable care and skill. Where the yard owner provides livery services in the course of a business and the horse owner is a consumer, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies and imposes additional protections, including the right to have services performed with reasonable care and skill (section 49) and the prohibition on excluding liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence (section 65). The Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 impose duties on the yard owner as occupier of the premises in respect of the safety of visitors and, to a lesser extent, trespassers.

Additional regulatory requirements include the Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018 (requiring all horses to have a valid passport and microchip), the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 (requiring all farriery work to be carried out by a registered farrier), and the Animal Health Act 1981 (governing the notification and control of notifiable diseases). Livery yard owners should also be aware of their obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 in respect of the personal data of horse owners and their emergency contacts.

A Horse Livery Agreement is needed whenever a horse owner in England or Wales places their horse at a livery yard for stabling, grazing, or care on a regular or ongoing basis. The agreement provides a written record of the terms agreed between the parties and protects both sides in the event of a dispute about services, fees, or liability.

The most common situations in which a livery agreement is required include: a horse owner moving their horse to a new livery yard and needing a formal written contract before the horse arrives; a yard owner taking on a new livery client and wishing to document the services included, the fee, the payment schedule, and the yard rules; a horse owner upgrading from DIY livery to part or full livery and needing to record the additional services and revised fee; a situation where there has been a dispute at a previous yard about what was and was not included in the livery fee, and the horse owner wants clarity going forward.

A livery agreement is also important where the yard operates a yard-wide worming programme and needs the horse owner’s agreement to participate, or where the yard requires evidence of vaccination status before the horse is accepted. Many equine insurance policies require the horse owner to have a written livery agreement in place, and the absence of one may affect the validity of a claim.

From the yard owner’s perspective, a written agreement is essential for managing the risk of non-payment. The agreement should include a lien clause confirming the yard’s right to retain possession of the horse until outstanding fees are paid. Without a written agreement, it can be difficult to prove what was agreed and to enforce payment through the County Court. The agreement also protects the yard owner from liability for pre-existing conditions or behavioural issues that were not disclosed by the horse owner, and provides an indemnity against claims arising under the Animals Act 1971 for damage caused by the horse to third parties.

A livery agreement should be reviewed and updated whenever there is a material change in the arrangements, such as a change in livery type, a fee increase, a change of veterinary practice, or a change in the horse’s health or management requirements.

Horse Identification -- The agreement must clearly identify the horse by name, breed, colour, age, gender, height, microchip number, and passport number. Accurate identification is essential for insurance purposes, veterinary records, and compliance with the Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018. The horse owner should warrant that the horse has a valid equine passport and that the identification details are accurate.

Type of Livery and Services -- Specify whether the arrangement is DIY livery (the owner provides all daily care; the yard provides only the stable and facilities), part livery (duties are shared between the yard and the owner), full livery (the yard provides all daily care including feeding, mucking out, turnout, and exercise), or grass livery (the horse is kept at pasture without a stable). List all services included in the fee to avoid disputes about what is and is not covered.

Monthly Fee and Payment Terms -- State the monthly fee in pounds sterling, the day of the month by which it must be paid, and the accepted payment methods. Include a clause allowing for annual fee reviews on reasonable notice. Specify the consequences of late payment, including the right to charge interest and to exercise a lien over the horse for unpaid fees.

Turnout Arrangements -- Describe the daily turnout schedule, including hours, paddock type (individual or shared), and seasonal variations. Turnout is an important welfare consideration under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, as horses have a need to exhibit normal behaviour patterns and to have appropriate social contact with other horses.

Veterinary Care and Emergency Authorisation -- Name the horse’s registered veterinary practice and provide the telephone number. Authorise the yard owner to call the vet and approve emergency treatment up to a specified financial limit if the horse owner cannot be reached. Specify that all veterinary fees are the responsibility of the horse owner.

Farrier and Worming -- Describe the arrangements for farriery (which must be carried out by a registered farrier under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975) and for worming (including whether the yard operates a yard-wide programme based on faecal egg counts). Both are important for the ongoing health and welfare of the horse and for the protection of other horses on the yard.

Insurance Requirements -- The horse owner should be required to hold appropriate equine insurance including at a minimum public liability cover. The yard owner should confirm that they hold public liability insurance for the premises. Insurance details should be recorded in the agreement and updated annually.

Yard Rules -- The horse owner must agree to comply with the yard’s rules, which typically cover gate security, speed limits, hat-wearing, dog restrictions, smoking prohibitions, and general conduct on the yard. The yard owner should reserve the right to update the rules on reasonable notice.

Liability and Indemnity -- Allocate liability clearly. The yard owner should not be liable for injury or illness arising from pre-existing conditions not disclosed by the horse owner, and should not be liable for field injuries unless caused by their negligence. The horse owner should indemnify the yard owner against claims arising under the Animals Act 1971 for damage caused by the horse. Neither party may exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence.

Termination and Notice Period -- Specify the notice period required by either party to terminate the agreement (typically one calendar month). Include grounds for immediate termination by the yard owner, such as persistent non-payment, serious breach of yard rules, or the horse posing a danger to persons or other animals on the yard.