Ali-Cat

Hello There,

We are hoping to move to N.Z at the end of the year and have decided to take our horse and two dogs with us.
We know how to go about sorting the dogs out but are having trouble finding out about the horse. Has anyone transported their horse or know of anyone who has?

Thanks,

Cat.

Pollster

Blimey - can't help I am afraid but the mind boggles at the potential cost!

Ali-Cat

Yeah!!! We have a VERY boggled mind after getting a few ideas from people who know people who know people!!!! Don't ask!!!

Cat.

Go Banana's !!

Just a suggestion ...

The stables my daughter rides at have joked about sending over the pony she rides or exporting another one out there when we arrive. How about contacting a breeder / jockey club / or such like who exports ??

Sorry if this doesn't help - it was just a thought

good luck

Jill

tiredwithtwins

sorry I cant help either, but do let us know what you find out...Im fascinated!!!!!!!!!

sue

Pollster

Bumping this up 'cos I want to know the answer!!

It'll make taking my woofer out seem cheap!

Don

It can definitely be done. NZ has a thriving horse import/ export business (mostly export) and just recently had very successful sales of yearlings, many destined for Aus/ UK/ USA.

Suggest you check out 'stud yearling New Zealand' or similar.

Grayling

Surely these are likely to be Racehorses,thoroughbreds etc. where cost is far less of an issue.
It does,of course mean that there are firms used to doing it.
Many of these horses go by air and that must be very expensive.

Good luck

G

deedee

from what i was told its quite easy and faily inexpensive to get a horse to Aus as there is a 747 geared up just for horse transportation but it is only used when the Melbourne cup is on.How you get to NZ with a horse i would,nt know but it sounds like a huge task.Good luck.

janeyray

I too wanted to bring my beautiful horse to OZ but after carefull consideration (and hubby saying NO WAY!!) we didn't. The cost for our two cats and dog were enough.

If you look in Horse and Hound towards the back pages there are lots of international shipping companies.

The cost for bringing a horse to OZ is around 8000 pounds. The horse has to have two weeks quarantine in the UK which was included in the price and two weeks quarantine this end which was also included in the price.

There are a lot more things to think about though other than just the price. My horse is a dressage horse and had very sensitive feet, normally lame during the time when the ground was hard in the UK so Oz wouldn't have suited him at all. The weather is another thing to consider, the heat is something they won't be use to (not sure about NZ?) and the flies!!!!!!!!! oh my goodness!!

Finding a decent livery yard (called aggistment in OZ) would be a problem for me, there are lots of places to keep horses in Perth but most look like 'Steptoes Yard'!! The cost for keeping them is the same as the UK, but remembering the wages are lower in NZ (?) Feed is the same price and shoeing is the same price.

The hard feed is very different from the UK, they don't feed Sugar Beet, or any mixed feeds that we know of. So if your horse is food sensitive then there could be problems there?

I found a brilliant home for my horse (on a permanent loan kind of thing but she isn't allowed to rehome or sell him) and will be able to see him again shortly as we are returning. There is always that to consider, you may not settle and then have to leave your horse behind?

Good luck with your choice.

DonnaS

I found this website - they seem to do it, not just racehorses!

http://www.flyirt.com/index.html

There was a figure of about NZ$12,000 from NZ to Los Angeles, so don't know for Europe.

deedee

Here in NZ(south) we feed sugar beet,and medow hay bailed is considerably cheaper than the UK.I would have to say the costs of keeping a horse here are considerably less than the UK.Vet prices are lower,ground is cheaper to rent, more available and the prices of horses are far lower too.However,we don't do dressage,we just use them for transport and mustering stock.

janeyray

I don't think the cost are less if you have to use a livery yard. If you have your own place then yes I agree the costs are lower. I don't feel though that vet prices are lower. From the vets bills I've seen my employer get it's about the same but we aren't earning the same wage? A full set of shoes cost $100 which at todays rate is 43 pounds, well I use to pay 38 pounds. Again I suppose it depends on the farrier you are using.

There seems to be little in the way of insurance to cover vet bills, my employers horse broke it's leg and the bill was $10,000 (no insurance but they are loaded!), in the UK I had to have one of my horses put to sleep through OCD, the insurance company paid for all the vet bills, MRI scans etc etc and paid out $3000 (which was her value at the time of death) when she was put to sleep.

I think a lot of people keep horses as pets in fields with hardly any grass over the summer and out in the cold over winter. Now to buy a horse is cheaper here but I feel thats because most are of the race track as failed race horses? Maybe thats why so many seem to have horses?

I suppose it depends on what type of horse Ali-cat has, if it's a hardy New Forest type then it maybe ok?

deedee

i agree about some of your comments but i do find vet bills cheaper.We spend thousands here with the vets in QT for everything from velveting stags,AIing cattle to injured working dogs and when you compare the prices against UK vets its nearly half.I guess like anything it depends on where you live in the country as we're rather rural.

Ali-Cat

Thank you everyone.

I will be off out to buy the 'Horse and Hound' tomorrow and checking out that other site.

For whoever is interested, my 'boy' is a 15hh supposed Welsh Cob but we think he's more likely to have some Dales in there somewhere (so definately NOT a yearling, thoroughbred or racehorse!!!!) . He lives out all year round and doesn't seem to bother too much about any particular weather. I am not looking for livery, appart from the fact that he doesn't 'do' stables, I enjoy looking after him too much. I only use him for hacking so no dressage won't be a problem!

I know people think I'm mad for considering taking him and many people have said 'sell him and get a new one when you get there', but he is my 'baby' and I couldn't leave him behind anymore than some people could leave their children (much as they might like to!!!).

I am going to let him go and stay at my sisters, with her horse, when we first go, to make sure that we like it before we unsettle him or at worse have to bring him back.

Will keep you updated.

Cat.