Taking Horses
Apr 18th 2011, 4:38 pm
#16
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 24
Re: Taking Horses
Horses normally travel better on planes than on roads. It's a smoother ride for them and less work for them to balance. At least according to the grooms I know who've travelled with horses to major competitions.
I'm not sure about paying per crate. I've seen the crates on planes with horses inside and I've never seen just one horse in one crate. My understanding is that if you want the entire crate for yourself, you pay for all three stalls. If you want your horse to have a wider stall then you pay more.
You can do loads yourself to cut costs however, most airlines will only accept bookings for horses through a freight agent. You may want to look in to that.
Also, if you check with jockey clubs etc, you may find that there are planes dedicated for horse transports crossing the atlantic. You might be able to blag yourself on to one of those loads and cut costs. You'd be surprised to find out how many european born race horses are sent to kentucky when growing up to grace kentucky bluegrass then shipped back to europe to start their racing career.
I talked to one of my cousins who is in to harness racing here in Sweden and he said that when the time comes I should let him know and he'll check if he can get my geegees across the atlantic a lot cheaper than going via Peden, airhorse or any other equestrian freight company.
I'm not sure about paying per crate. I've seen the crates on planes with horses inside and I've never seen just one horse in one crate. My understanding is that if you want the entire crate for yourself, you pay for all three stalls. If you want your horse to have a wider stall then you pay more.
You can do loads yourself to cut costs however, most airlines will only accept bookings for horses through a freight agent. You may want to look in to that.
Also, if you check with jockey clubs etc, you may find that there are planes dedicated for horse transports crossing the atlantic. You might be able to blag yourself on to one of those loads and cut costs. You'd be surprised to find out how many european born race horses are sent to kentucky when growing up to grace kentucky bluegrass then shipped back to europe to start their racing career.
I talked to one of my cousins who is in to harness racing here in Sweden and he said that when the time comes I should let him know and he'll check if he can get my geegees across the atlantic a lot cheaper than going via Peden, airhorse or any other equestrian freight company.
Have spoken to Prestwick airport which seems to be the main route from UK to Calgary and they gave me two freight companies that will deal direct with the public, those were Cargolux & Hellmann Worldwide Logistics. I haven't phoned either yet. But I have been assured by Prestwick that either will be a far cheaper option than going through a horse transport company.
As we're going to Saskatchewan the option of flying to USA & transporting by road isn't really an option as the road trip is way too far.
Apr 18th 2011, 4:56 pm
#18
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Taking Horses
I'm not sure I follow, my neighbours took their horses to Texas for the winter each year for decades. That has to be farther than the nearest airport is to Saskatchewan. It seems to me that it's all about the cost/bureaucracy. One would have to be careful about choosing a shipping company from the US of course since horses sent to Canada aren't usually expected to arrive in good condition.
Apr 18th 2011, 5:07 pm
#19
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 24
Re: Taking Horses
I'm not sure I follow, my neighbours took their horses to Texas for the winter each year for decades. That has to be farther than the nearest airport is to Saskatchewan. It seems to me that it's all about the cost/bureaucracy. One would have to be careful about choosing a shipping company from the US of course since horses sent to Canada aren't usually expected to arrive in good condition.
Apr 18th 2011, 7:41 pm
#20
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Prince Albert
Posts: 26
Re: Taking Horses
Just early days yet, OH has applied for job and is waiting to hear, so I'm just getting everything sorted and preparing myself just incase it becomes too impractical to take my horse... I fear I may be more devistated at leaving her than family!
Apr 19th 2011, 8:28 am
#21
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Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto - I belong there.
Posts: 2,251
Apr 19th 2011, 11:07 am
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 30
Re: Taking Horses
Hi,
I am also in the same boat, so please can you let me know when you get any more information on doing it yourself and the charges etc.
I am also in the same boat, so please can you let me know when you get any more information on doing it yourself and the charges etc.
Hi,
We're hoping to move later this year and are planning on taking our four horses. All quotes through international transport firms are for between 5 & 7k which is a bit steep, they want £1600 - £2000 just to take them to the airport!! but through alot of research I've found out that if the horses are your personal horses & not for sale / breeding then you can do it yourself. They are still subject to the same health checks and quarantine but no licence is required.
The only UK airport they can fly from is apparently Prestwick & they sugested I get in touch with Hellmann Worldwide Logistics - I haven't yet. Other option is Cargolux. Some airlines will only deal with registered transporters but these will deal direct.
Will post more when I get more info!
Where in Mid Wales are you from, we moved from Welshpool area recently & are just about to move near to Brecon until we hopefully leave.
Hope this is some help
Sam
We're hoping to move later this year and are planning on taking our four horses. All quotes through international transport firms are for between 5 & 7k which is a bit steep, they want £1600 - £2000 just to take them to the airport!! but through alot of research I've found out that if the horses are your personal horses & not for sale / breeding then you can do it yourself. They are still subject to the same health checks and quarantine but no licence is required.
The only UK airport they can fly from is apparently Prestwick & they sugested I get in touch with Hellmann Worldwide Logistics - I haven't yet. Other option is Cargolux. Some airlines will only deal with registered transporters but these will deal direct.
Will post more when I get more info!
Where in Mid Wales are you from, we moved from Welshpool area recently & are just about to move near to Brecon until we hopefully leave.
Hope this is some help
Sam
Apr 20th 2011, 12:57 am
#23
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: On a hobby farm in Upper Burlington, Nova Scotia
Posts: 22
Re: Taking Horses
Hi thanks for that. I had thought about arranging for her to follow a few weeks later, a friend has offered to look after her until I am ready to move her, which is great. A couple of questions, did they stop anywhere on route or did they go straight through? Where did yours fly from, was there a choice and how long did it take to arrange? Did the transport company sort out the paperwork, and what sort of things need to be thought about vet wise etc?
I really appreciate any help and advice. Thanks
I really appreciate any help and advice. Thanks
The transport company sorted everything for me, all paperwork and they liaised with the vet. Make sure your vet knows what he/she needs to do (blood tests and vaccinations), your horse will have to do isolation before he/she travels, again the transport company can arrange it if you can't. Mine was able to do his at the yard I kept him at, your vet will be able to advise you on that one.
It can all be arranged fairly quickly, the transport company will wait until they have a full load (3 horses for a crate), it depends on how long your horse will have to go into isolation for (mares and geldings have different periods of time). Just make sure your horses passport is all up to date and that your vet knows what needs to be done.
Hope this helps. I would also advise bringing any rugs/tack etc with you a choice is limited here and expensive (well that's true of Nova Scotia anyway). You'll find there isn't the supply and demand here in Canada so there are much less in the way of different brands and most of the rugs are designed on big shouldered quarter horses!
Dec 31st 2011, 7:10 pm
#25
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1
Re: Taking Horses
Can anyone tell me if they know at all what would be the entire cost of taking my three horses to canada ?. i know getting transporters in will be pricey - was thinking maybe of arranging all myself independantly . Has anyone ever done this and if so how much did they save themselves . 
I would also like f anyone could provide me with details on how the whole process would work !!!
Be grateful of any help , an owner not wanting to leave behind her faithful steeds
I would also like f anyone could provide me with details on how the whole process would work !!!
Be grateful of any help , an owner not wanting to leave behind her faithful steeds
Dec 31st 2011, 8:12 pm
#26
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,849
Re: Taking Horses
Check this link for CFIA requirements.
http://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca/Ai...ns.aspx?lang=1
This link for Customs
http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/publications/d...9-1-1-eng.html
http://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca/Ai...ns.aspx?lang=1
This link for Customs
http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/publications/d...9-1-1-eng.html
Jan 8th 2012, 9:34 am
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2009
Location: London, UK
Posts: 76
Re: Taking Horses
well my 2 cents worth,
we have arabian horses, and we transported them from the uk to belgium by road, where they stayed about 6 weeks or so before we flew them out to egypt.
we had to get their passports all medical records, have them wormed etc,
the road part was easy because we could do it ourself in out own trailers, the flying bit, the crates some in standard cargo sizes, they each take 3 horse, if you ship 1 horse or 2 or 3 you will pay the price for the whole crate unless there is someone else that is flying the same route at the same time. ( you will normally find this last option of sharing before major events/shows by a number of weeks where there are more horses moving about)
you will need to consider and allow for if there is any quarantine requirement when they arrive and cost for food/hay etc for flight and when they arrive, and transporting them from the airport to your stud.
im planning on doing the reverse, but this time from egypt to belgium then from belgium to ontario, but probably wont be till the end of the year or so once i finish pr and get everything sorted once we land.
hamazz
we have arabian horses, and we transported them from the uk to belgium by road, where they stayed about 6 weeks or so before we flew them out to egypt.
we had to get their passports all medical records, have them wormed etc,
the road part was easy because we could do it ourself in out own trailers, the flying bit, the crates some in standard cargo sizes, they each take 3 horse, if you ship 1 horse or 2 or 3 you will pay the price for the whole crate unless there is someone else that is flying the same route at the same time. ( you will normally find this last option of sharing before major events/shows by a number of weeks where there are more horses moving about)
you will need to consider and allow for if there is any quarantine requirement when they arrive and cost for food/hay etc for flight and when they arrive, and transporting them from the airport to your stud.
im planning on doing the reverse, but this time from egypt to belgium then from belgium to ontario, but probably wont be till the end of the year or so once i finish pr and get everything sorted once we land.
hamazz
Jan 8th 2012, 11:25 am
#28
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto - I belong there.
Posts: 2,251
Re: Taking Horses
Heads up all of you taking your horses to Canada. Starting January 15 2012, ALL horses (no matter if they are mares, geldings or stallions) have to go through 30 day pre-exportation quarantine before they can fly out.
Going via US is no longer an option as you'd STILL have to quarantine the horse for 30 days unless it has lived in US for 60 days before entering Canada.
That just added €750 to the freight bill for my boy.
Going via US is no longer an option as you'd STILL have to quarantine the horse for 30 days unless it has lived in US for 60 days before entering Canada.
That just added €750 to the freight bill for my boy.
Apr 17th 2012, 9:45 pm
#29
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Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto - I belong there.
Posts: 2,251
Re: Taking Horses
Heads up again, those of you taking a horse to Canada.
Overseashorseservices.com (based in calgary) just emailed me and told me that CFIA are changing the rules for geldings. They will now only need 7 days of pre-export quarantine.
I hope this takes effect soon. Still not seeing any of it on the CFIA website.
Yup. They just updated. No mention of set time at all. Just need to be isolated for the time needed to go through all tests.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/.../1325285922473
Overseashorseservices.com (based in calgary) just emailed me and told me that CFIA are changing the rules for geldings. They will now only need 7 days of pre-export quarantine.
I hope this takes effect soon. Still not seeing any of it on the CFIA website.
Yup. They just updated. No mention of set time at all. Just need to be isolated for the time needed to go through all tests.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/.../1325285922473
Last edited by YYZlover; Apr 17th 2012 at 10:09 pm.
