The latest middle class divorce headache? Who gets the horse

DIVORCING middle- class couples are increasingly unlikely to fall out over who gets the house – instead arguing over who gets the horse.

Up to one in 15 break-ups among betteroff couples involves a dispute over who keeps the mount, an analysis found.

Experts say quarrels often revolve around subsequent upkeep costs – which can reach thousands of pounds a year – as well as the outright ownership.

Divorce lawyer Alice Couriel, who works for Hall Brown Family Law, said: ‘Horse ownership has become a noticeable feature of the divorces which we deal with not only due to the frequency with which it crops up but because of the intensity of the disputes. Husbands often contest wives’ insistence that keeping horses is a need ...contending that they are luxuries instead.’ Miss Couriel added that three out of four equine disputes in marriage break-ups are among childless couples. She said: ‘In those cases, horses become a substitute part of their wives’ lifestyles and are almost treated as surrogate children.’ Figures from the British Equestrian Trade Association put the annual cost of keeping a horse at around £3,600.

Miss Couriel added that while some couples are wealthy enough not to worry about the bills, for others ‘discussions about finances are so closely contested that the amounts needed to pay for any kind of horse can be a problem.’

Hall Brown said that of 300 divorces it has handled over the last year, 19 involved rows over the ownership and costs of horses.

The National Equestrian Survey found that in 2015 three in four riders were women – with 962,000 regular female riders compared with 348,000 males.