horse travel to france

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skewbaldmillie

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We want to take our horse on holiday to our French house with us but don't really know how to go about it, any experience? We want to travel from the south west to either Cherbourg or caen. We have a trailer not a lordy and just one horse to take. What are the forms you need and do you have to do anything special at the port? Which ferry companies do these routes with horses thanks for any help!
 
I would speak to Shelley Ashman who will be able to tell you exactly what you need in the way of paperwork, info re ferries and can obtain all the necessary if you want that. Be warned horses travel as freight on ferries so it will be the length of your towing vehicle and trailer that determine the price of the crossing.
 
Knowing about a horrific accident an associate had on a ferry from Stranraer in high seas with a trailer I would personally never travel a horse in a trailer on a ferry. If you have no other option but to travel with a trailer then I would take heavy duty ratchet straps as the deck has anchor points and you can ratchet the trailer to the deck. I'm sorry I don't want to scare you but if I can help make someone keep their horses safe then I have to speak. You need to speak to the ferry company as I believe some lines won't accept trailers for the risk, they will advise you best and the poster that advises they will travel as freight is correct and be aware that you will not be allowed onto the deck to see the horses at any point during the journey.
 
We never have any problem going down to check the horses during the crossings - especially on the longer ones you have to check and water. Yes of course you do have to get someone from the ship staff to accompany you but they have always been very willing. Point I was trying tiomake re trailer was, it is as long as my 6 horse lorry, so pretty expensive fare! When I collected just one mare from stud in France it was cheaper to hire a 2 horse lorry for the day and use that, than put the trailer/big lorry on the ferry. I have used Portsmouth/Caen route but the further west routes are pretty long crossings and would be very subject to weather. Cherbourg has some pretty rough currents and I have never seen horses on those ferries - which means I have never seen them not that they do not go that route!! Most horse people use Dover/Calais and drive the extra distance because there are so many more boats going and hopefully if the weather is tricky you will not have to wait too long for a gap in the weather or a big boat that can cope better.
 
That's good if they do allow you down to check the horses on the longer journeys, we've never been allowed onto deck (even accompanied) on the Ireland crossings but hopefully that's changed for the better now as not travelled on them for a few years now.
 
My 3.5t cost only 1/2 of what the trailers cost when we crossed Stranraer to Belfast, because it's short enough to travel as a normal car. I think every trailer or lorry was anchored to the deck by the ferry crew. On the return journey, 2 of our horses had been unwell beforehand, and the chef d'equipe and vet were allowed to go down and check on them.

Princess Rosie, I hope the horse involved in the accident was ok in the end?
 
Very sadly one horse had to be euthanised on the ferry as the trailer had tipped over and the other horse had crushed the horse that ended up on the bottom in an attempt to stand up, it was an ifor as well but the partitions obviously would never be strong enough for this event, the other horse did make it out with surprisingly small amount of injuries but was so traumatised the owner retired him and he is living his days out in the field behind her house with company. I've never heard of anything else happening like this so I hope to god it is lessons learnt and a rare occurance and I certainly don't want to worry anyone, it was rough weather on the crossing.
 
I am really surprised that they took horses onto a ferry in bad weather - we have spent quite a few hours on the dockside at Calais waiting for the weather to calm down enough that they would let the horses sail. All horseboxes are routinely chained to the deck floor to prevent them moving. We normally travel with P & O Ferries and they are very good. What a terrible thing to happen and have to sort out on a ferry, possibly with no veterinary assistance. PS if they do chain you down do make sure that they have unchained you before you drive off (bitter experience!!!)
 
It beggars belief but things hopefully things have progressed as a year or so later I had a horse go Into lairage after a 20hr delay at Stranraer when they wouldn't sail due to bad weather.

Thing that scared me also was the lack of knowledge or even common sense of the defra rep at the docks, when I brought my two back to England he wouldn't even get on the lorry to see what horses we had on board, I practically had to push him into the lorry and told him to at least stick his head into the stalls to see, he was terrified of my 16.3hh lad and in the end I had to call my miniature (who was at the back) so he would neigh so I could prove there was two on board (I could have had a whole herd of smaller ones and he would never have known) i gave him a right dressing down about what he needed to check on passports. I complained to defra and never heard anything more so hopefully he was retrained or removed from post to a more suitable role! Hope to goodness that has improved also!
 
That's ridiculous, ours was a lad who clearly wasn't trained and was terrified of horses. Makes you realise how easy it is for unscrupulous people to get away with stolen horses, also big worry about imported horses bringing disease. Was my first time transporting by ferry and I was shocked at the lack of knowledge of the defra rep, I'm now even more shocked at the fact there appears to be a serious lack of defra reps!!!!
 
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