What Does a Horse Trainer & Stud Groom Do?
Horse Trainers and Stud Grooms care for, train and manage horses in racing, breeding, performance, equestrian or agistment environments. Duties include feeding, grooming, exercising horses, assisting with foaling, managing breeding schedules, maintaining stables, training horses to develop fitness or behaviour, coordinating veterinary care, preparing horses for competitions or sales, and keeping detailed care records. The role requires specialised horsemanship skills, animal-handling experience, tools, protective equipment, and ongoing training in equine care and welfare.
Typical Tax Deductions Include:
- Professional memberships – Equine, racing, breeding or horse industry associations
- Training, CPD & courses – Horse handling, training techniques, stud management and equine welfare programs
- Laptop/desktop (> $300 depreciated) – Used for training plans, horse records and scheduling (must depreciate and apportion private use)
- Small tools & equipment – Grooming kits, leads, brushes and hoof picks if not supplied by the employer
- Reference materials – Equine health guides, training manuals and breeding resources
- Software – Stable management systems, training logs and breeding software (work-use portion only)
- Home-office running expenses (approved method) – Scheduling, reporting, administration or study completed from home
- Work-related travel – Travel between stables, agistment centres, training clinics and sales yards (non-reimbursed travel only)
- Stationery & planning materials – Training logs, feed schedules and breeding charts
- Professional insurance – Professional indemnity or public liability insurance for independent trainers or grooms
- Marketing & website costs – For trainers offering private or freelance services
- Tax agent & bookkeeping fees – Deductible
Non-Deductible Expenses Include:
- Riding clothing, boots, hats or gloves – Private unless employer-branded or compulsory PPE
- Feed or supplies used for personal horses – Private, not deductible
- Equipment provided by the employer or stable – Not deductible
- Home-office occupancy costs – Rent, mortgage interest and council rates are not deductible unless strict eligibility rules are met
- Travel: home ↔ regular stable or training property – Private
- General horse-riding lessons not directly tied to employment duties – Not deductible
- Horse tack or saddlery for personal equestrian activities – Private
- 100% claims for laptop, phone or internet – Must apportion private use
Click here to see Tax Calculator for Horse trainer / stud groom.
