DIY Agistment Agreement
Clearly define responsibilities, property expectations and care arrangements for DIY horse agistment
DIY horse agistment is one of the most common agistment arrangements, allowing horse owners to retain responsibility for the day-to-day care of their horse while accessing the facilities and services provided by an agistment property. Like any shared arrangement, clear expectations from the outset are essential to help prevent misunderstandings.
Whether you're an agistment provider welcoming horses onto your property or a horse owner seeking DIY agistment, a written agreement helps document each party's responsibilities and provides a practical framework for the arrangement
The StableDocs DIY Horse Agistment Agreement has been specifically developed for Australia and New Zealand to help document self-care agistment arrangements in a clear, practical and professional way.
What Does the Agreement Cover?
What's Covered in the Agreement?
The agreement has been designed around the situations that commonly arise in DIY horse agistment arrangements, including:
- Agistment fees and payment arrangements
- Facilities and services provided
- Horse owner care responsibilities
- Property rules and expectations
- Veterinary treatment and emergency procedures
- Liability and risk acknowledgement
- Insurance considerations
- Biosecurity and property access requirements
- Notice periods and termination arrangements
- General responsibilities of both the agistment provider and horse owner
Why Use a Written Agistment Agreement?
Many agistment arrangements begin with good intentions, but without documenting the details, misunderstandings can develop over time.
A written agreement helps:
- Clearly define the responsibilities of both the agistment provider and horse owner
- Establish the services and facilities included in the agistment arrangement
- Document fees, payment terms and additional charges
- Set clear expectations for horse care, property use and conduct
- Clarify veterinary procedures and emergency contacts
- Support the welfare of the horse through clearly documented responsibilities
- Provide a practical reference point throughout the agistment arrangement
While no agreement can prevent every disagreement, documenting expectations from the outset provides greater clarity and confidence for everyone involved.
What is DIY Agistment?
DIY (Do It Yourself) agistment is an arrangement where the horse owner remains responsible for the day-to-day care and management of their horse, while the agistment provider supplies the agreed facilities and amenities.
Typically, the horse owner is responsible for tasks such as feeding, rugging, administering medications, organising veterinary and farrier visits, and attending to the horse's daily care. The agistment provider, in turn, provides access to the agreed paddock, stable or facilities in accordance with the agistment arrangement.
Every property operates differently. Some DIY agistment properties simply provide paddocks and basic facilities, while others may offer optional services such as feeding, rug changes or holding horses for the farrier or veterinarian at an additional cost.
A written agreement helps ensure both the horse owner and agistment provider clearly understand their respective responsibilities, the services being provided, and the expectations of the arrangement before the horse arrives on the property.