Using a horse as a mode of transport....

My friend works from home, she lives in the middle of the countryside and uses a horse every day (sometimes more than once a day) to take her wares to the post office (her only method of sale). She doesn't use her car for this at all.
Obviously the horse isn't wholly and exclusively for the business however, can she claim a small percentage of his costs or is this just getting into something silly?
Sarah-Lou
Obviously the horse isn't wholly and exclusively for the business however, can she claim a small percentage of his costs or is this just getting into something silly?
Sarah-Lou
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Riding a bike it exercising yourself but you can still claim 20p per mile for it! Never come accross a horse situation though, don't know if the 20p per mile could be claimed as well.
I would say based on this list that the answer would be no ? The relief is based on classes of "vehicles" as opposed to classes of "transportation".
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/travel.htm
http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/pony-miles/504859
Didn't get a good answer, just some very silly responses...
And it is wear and tear with the bike.. But maybe you could say the same for the sadle & horse shoes etc
I would say the issue is one of measureability (if that is even a word..!).
The default position is that any cost that has duality of purpose (business and personal) cannot be claimed as a deduction UNLESS you can apportion the costs with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Cars have an odometer hence why you can apportion business and private journeys with reasonable accuracy. A little trickier with horses but I would be tempted to come up with some reasonable method of apportionment and give it a go.
And I'd be tempted for it to be at least the same as the 20p rate for bikes.
It'd be asinine of HMRC to reject that, but it wouldn't come as a surprise!
What has a horse got to do with a bike?
Also, where would a subbie store his horse on site?
Slightly off subject, I've seen builders who take dogs on site and the only use I can see is to wipe their dirty hands on them. Does the dog and the associated costs go under cleaning and laundry?
This.
Like a car on the acutal axpenses apportionment basis, I would keep a record of miles ridden, those ridden for work/ pleasure and apportion. A bit of a faff, estimating how long your weekend hack was, or morning trot round the school, but it might be worth it.
Edit: might be better/ easier to use a time-apportionment basis?
This sums it up.
If you can't get the same for a horse then theres something wrong somewhere! Am I missing something Dean?
I thought you were suggesting going to HMRC with the argument that "Well, you get 20p a mile for a bike so I want the same for my horse."
Hilarious! Every tree surgeon I know does the same!