Defra - horse transport

[JBM]

Was getting quotes to transport a horse from England to Ireland..and getting it transported to Northern Ireland instead maybe because it’s closer and can just collect the horse
And was weirdly told all vet costs would be covered by defra if I transported the horse to the north?? What is that ?
Do they get vetted on transport? I know they get bloods done

 

[Rowreach]

Horse will need to have an EHC completed in GB ahead of travelling to NI. Who said DEFRA will pay for it?

 

[Laafet]

Sounds very fishy - for a start it's the APHA that you deal with not DEFRA and they definitely do not cover any costs! Horses have to be vetted within 24 hours of their journey - the wording is actually on the day of travel but in practice it is done the day before at the yard where the horse is. That yard needs a CPH number as that is to prove that the horse is from an identifiable location. Coggins blood is to be sent to Weybridge for testing which is more expensive than your normal equine practice.
We don't deal with transport horses via Northern Ireland - we go HLY/DUB - as far as I am aware the loop hole still exists for getting over to Ireland that way with no paperwork done. But I stand to be corrected on that!

 

[JBM]

Here’s two different transport companies telling me that ??‍ I found it a bit weird too!

 

[ycbm]

DEFRA would pay if the horse is going into NI to ensure that the N Irish are not disadvantaged on importing a horse by Brexit, no?

I'm guessing you might have to lie about the actual intended destination of the horse, though.
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[JBM]

DEFRA would pay if the horse is going into NI to ensure that the N Irish are not disadvantaged on importing a horse by Brexit, no?

I'm guessing you might have to lie about the actual intended destination of the horse, though.
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That makes sense! I only live 30 minutes out of Derry so wouldn’t mind driving over to pick him up for a price save like that!

 

[RachelFerd]

It is the Movement Assistant Scheme (MAS) - more detail here - http://apha.defra.gov.uk/official-vets/Guidance/MAS/index.htm

 

[Rowreach]

DEFRA would pay if the horse is going into NI to ensure that the N Irish are not disadvantaged on importing a horse by Brexit, no?

I'm guessing you might have to lie about the actual intended destination of the horse, though.
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Probably not designed so that someone in Ireland can save a few quid on transport and get a free EHC ...

 

[RachelFerd]

Probably not designed so that someone in Ireland can save a few quid on transport and get a free EHC ...

Yes - it is intended for movement of agri-food into NI - not for UK-Ireland exports. Interesting that it is getting used in this way - which I doubt was the intention and is probably non-compliant/fraudulent.

 

[ycbm]

Probably not designed so that someone in Ireland can save a few quid on transport and get a free EHC ...

Hence why I said I expected them to have to lie about the final destination, which is not something I would do myself.
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[Laafet]

It is the Movement Assistant Scheme (MAS) - more detail here - http://apha.defra.gov.uk/official-vets/Guidance/MAS/index.htm

That makes sense, as I don't deal with NI I delete those emails! We only export to the Republic. It is interesting though and clearly people are using it as a way to save a few quid. This is most likely because they are actually cracking down more on horses travelling without papers which has been happening IRE-GB very recently!
The biggest thing that would put me off taking a horse GB-IRE is the VAT payment, so I am sure that these would also negate that is the horse is going 'end up' in NI?

 

[JBM]

Yes quote went from 850 to 500 just by getting the horse dropped 30 minutes from my house instead of at my house..a bit mad

 

[Laafet]

I would also like to warn you that sometimes the APHA go and inspect horses at their final destination. They don't give much warning and there are massive implications if there is not a good reason why the horse is not where the Health Paper said it was going to be......