Equine

Books and taxes for equine dentists.

Floating fees, a barn's annual herd day, sedation costs shared with a vet, and the power float unit you just bought. Gus sorts every payment as it lands, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number each month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
AprilExample month
$6,500
what you made

April came in at $6,500. Three barns booked their annual herd days this month, so the income is heavier than usual, and I kept the sedation costs you paid the vet separate from your floating fee.

  • Venmo floating feesFloating fees
  • Meadow Ridge Farm herd dayHerd day bookings
  • Equine dental supply orderEquipment and supplies
  • Vet sedation reimbursementSedation costs
  • Shell fuel, dental rigTruck and rig
Money in$16,000
Money out$9,500
Set aside for taxes$1,300
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

An equine dentist's books go wrong when a big herd day gets mistaken for a strange month.

A generalist sees a spike and worries. Your work runs on annual herd days that cluster hard into a few months, sedation money that passes through you on the way to a vet, and power tools that cost real money to keep running. When the books do not know the difference, a normal season looks like a fluke.

  1. 1

    A herd day spikes one month and leaves the rest quiet

    Many barns book your whole herd on one annual visit, so three or four barns booking their herd day in the same spring month can make that month look unusually large next to a quiet month right after.

    What we doKeeps herd day income visible as what it is, a batch of annual visits, so a big month reads as a normal part of your yearly cycle, not a fluke.
  2. 2

    Sedation costs paid to a vet look like your own expense

    When you work alongside a veterinarian who sedates horses for floating, the money that passes between you for that sedation is not really your cost or your income, it is a pass-through tied to someone else's service.

    What we doKeeps sedation costs and any related reimbursements in their own category, separate from what you actually earned floating teeth.
  3. 3

    A power float and generator look like a routine supply buy

    A motorized power float unit and the generator that runs it in the field can cost several thousand dollars, and filed as a routine supply purchase it drags down a single month instead of showing up as the equipment investment it really is.

    What we doFlags power tool and generator purchases, logs them as equipment, and gets the accountant's call on how much comes off this year.
  4. 4

    Barn discounts blur with single-horse visits

    A barn with fifteen horses on one visit pays a different rate per horse than a single owner calling for one horse, and if both land in the same bucket you cannot tell which kind of work actually pays better for your time.

    What we doKeeps barn route bookings separate from single-horse calls, so you can compare what each brings in against the time each takes.
  5. 5

    Blade and bit replacement gets lost in a big equipment line

    Float blades and bits wear out and get replaced regularly, and lumped in with a rare power float purchase, you cannot see your real ongoing cost of doing the work.

    What we doKeeps routine blade and bit replacement separate from big equipment buys, so ongoing costs and one-time investments do not blur together.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for an equine dentist.

Set up once for how herd days, single calls, and sedation costs reach you. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Floating feesRoutine dental floating, priced per horse.
  • Herd day bookingsA barn's whole herd done in one annual or biannual visit.
  • Dental examsStandalone exams for pre-purchase or senior horse care.
  • Extraction and specialty referralsHarder cases referred to or coordinated with a vet.
  • Sedation coordination feesYour share when working alongside a vet who sedates for the visit.

Money out

  • Equipment and suppliesFloat blades, bits, and dental instruments.
  • Power toolsMotorized power floats and field generators, logged as equipment.
  • Truck and rigFuel, maintenance, and insurance for the dental rig.
  • Sedation costsFees paid to or shared with a supervising veterinarian.
  • Liability insuranceCoverage for working around horses on someone else's property.
  • Continuing educationClinics and certification through equine dentistry associations.

What we watch for you

  • Herd day share

    How much of your income comes from annual herd bookings versus single-horse calls, so scheduling reflects what actually pays.

  • Route income per stop

    What each visit brings in against the drive time it takes, useful for planning your route.

  • Equipment cost per year

    What blades, bits, and power tools actually cost you across a year, separate from a rare big purchase.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax season is a number you already know.

Ask Gus

Things equine dentists ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

Three barns all booked their annual herd day this month. Why does it look so much bigger than usual?

Because it is. Herd days cluster a barn's whole floating schedule into one visit, so a few landing in the same month is normal, not a fluke.

I split sedation costs with the vet who comes along for tougher horses. How does that work in my books?

I keep that as its own category, separate from your floating fees, since it is really a pass-through tied to her service, not your own cost or income.

I just bought a new power float unit and a field generator. Does that come off this year?

Often it can. I logged it as equipment, not a supply, and flagged it so the accountant makes the call with your whole year in view.

The tax side

The tax side of an equine dentistry practice.

Most of what goes wrong here is a big herd day month that looks unusual, and equipment that is really a business asset, not a routine supply.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Herd day income clusteringSeveral barns booking their annual visit in the same month is normal for this work, not a sign of an unusual year. Clean, consistent books show that pattern instead of hiding it.
  • Depreciation on power toolsA power float unit or a field generator is usually a business asset. Section 179 can often write off qualifying equipment up to $2,560,000 in the year of purchase, and bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
  • Self-employment tax on practice profitA dentist working as a sole proprietor or through a pass-through pays 15.3 percent self-employment tax on top of income tax, up to the Social Security wage base of $184,500.
  • Sedation costs shared with a veterinarianMoney that changes hands between you and a supervising vet for sedation is usually a pass-through cost, not your income or your expense in the ordinary sense, and keeping it separate matters for an accurate return.

Deductions equine dentists miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Float blades and bits
  • Power float units and generators
  • Truck fuel and maintenance
  • Liability insurance
  • Continuing education and certification
  • Dental instrument sterilization supplies
  • Phone and scheduling software
  • Association dues
  • Work gloves and protective gear
  • Truck or trailer registration
  • Advertising and website
  • Rig storage and shelving

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

An equine dentist's year, kept every month.

Herd days cluster around spring and fall, and a big month is a normal part of the cycle. Gus keeps the tax side steady through it. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, sedation cost-sharing with any vets you work with gets reviewed, and a monthly set-aside is planned.

  2. April

    Filed. Done.

    Your return is filed and signed, with the set-aside already covering it.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand at midyear, and whether spring herd days changed what you will owe.

  4. October

    Before fall herd days

    A look at equipment worth buying before the fall booking rush.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for equine dentists. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions equine dentists ask first.

Several barns book their annual herd day in the same month. Won't that make my income look strange?

No. Gus keeps herd day bookings visible as what they are, a normal cluster of annual visits, so a big month reads as your regular cycle, not a fluke.

I share sedation costs with a vet who comes along for tougher horses. How does Gus handle that?

He keeps it in its own category, separate from your floating fees, since it is really a pass-through tied to her service, not your own income or expense.

I just bought a power float unit and a generator. Does that count as equipment?

Often, yes. Gus logs it as equipment and flags it, and the accountant decides how much comes off this year with your whole year in view.

Do you handle any of the sedation drug logs or state licensing paperwork?

No. That stays with you and any vet you work alongside. Gus keeps your income and costs visible in the books, nothing more.

How does Gus tell apart a herd day visit from a single-horse call?

They get their own categories, so you can compare what each kind of visit brings in against the time it takes.

I've never kept real books, just a spreadsheet of who paid me. Can Gus start from that?

Yes. Send your bank statements and whatever records you have. Gus sorts them into real categories, the accountant checks the work, and most dentists know where they stand within a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for

Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever