Horse owners may face extra tax bills

A government incentive has been proposed for all horse owners across the country to pay a tax on their horses and ponies, a call that has infuriated horse owners and groups.

The stealth tax will mean that all horse owners, including breeders and trainers, will have to pay a £10.50 tax eper year on their animals generating more than £6.8 million a year to help fund towards the outbreak of diseases on livestock across the country.

Horse groups, including the British Horse Society and the British Equine Veterinary Association have set up a 'rethink the horse tax campaign' to try and tackle the plans; they are shocked with the proposal which they believe is a total waste to tax payers money. £14 million will have to be spent initially for the set up of the scheme, along with a cost of £2.3 million each year in administrative costs.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are behind the proposals for the introduction of the tax next spring, alleging that £44 million of tax payers money is spent each year on controlling diseases amongst livestock.

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September 30^th 2009

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