Anyone live with horses in Basel, Switzerland?

[Fransurrey]

It’s highly likely that I will be asked to relocate to Basel by my company. It’s this or redundancy, so I have some tough decisions to make (we are just entering the ‘consultation period’, so I have 90 days to research EVERYTHING about a possible move). They pay the relocation fees for pets as well as family, but I have never had to move a horse abroad and have never kept one in Swiss choccie land!!

Does anybody have or know anybody who has horses in Switzerland, that I can ask questions to?

Obvious ones are cost of keeping horses, HOW they're normally kept (mine live out all year), good riding areas around Basel, vaccinations needed on top of flu/tet...

Help!

 

[Tickles]

I don't know about Basel but I do know that you should be able to get everything you need from the company to make the journey comfortable for your horse. E.g. if you have a trailer but horse would travel better in a lorry/plane ask for them to pay for a lorry/plane. Ask for the time to travel 'in convoy' with the lorry so you can be there at the regular checks and so forth.

Very best of luck!

 

[Fransurrey]

Oh I'd be getting them on more than that, Tickles - I don't have trailer OR lorry, so they'd have to pay for it!

Thanks for the luck - I'm going to need it!

 

[Rollin]

He is not horsey but an ex-business colleague has lived happily in Basle for several years. He loves the life.

If you ring the FEI on Switzerland - all the girls speak English. Perhaps they could put you in touch with an Equestrian organisation in Switzerland.

 

[Mithras]

Not Basel, but I worked in Switzerland with horses (the German speaking part) and it was pretty similar to here. The horses had daily turnout for a short time in a smallish paddock/school but there was nice hacking with a mixture of schoolwork. I was at a private yard not a livery yard but I think livery yards are common. It was a really nice place to ride and keep horses!

 

[Frans]

I live just across the border from Basel in France. Can't help for the Swiss side but if you want any info on keeping the horses in France let me know - it could be a possibility depending on where you end up living.....

 

[Fransurrey]

Thanks, peeps, this is a good start!

Frans, the company is right on the border (in fact one of the campuses is literally AT the border!), so that might be an option. I understand that depending on personal circumstances (children etc), people choose to live either over the German border, French border, or on the Swiss side!

I've been looking at the satellite map and it does look quite green just outside the centre. Not keen on taking the ponies with me (don't intend to stay out there, as my OH's business is here, so he can't relocate), but it's good to know all options!