Gryfiss
Well-Known Member
As the title says really , you seem to be able to get more for your money and better quality from abroad.Just wondering how you go about it and if anyone has ever done it.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
How do you go about importing a horse from germany
- Thread starter Gryfiss
- Start date
popsdosh
Well-Known Member
Just be cautious as I would suggest the equivalent quality horse without issues will cost less in this country . The cheaper ones tend to have some issue that may not be immediately obvious and comes back to bite you later .Also dont forget maybe £500 /600 for transport depending on where in Germany you buy.
Its not you cant get as good quality in this country its just people mostly dont want to pay what they cost to produce !
Its not you cant get as good quality in this country its just people mostly dont want to pay what they cost to produce !
~ Clear Light ~
Well-Known Member
Yes I imported a German dressage pony last year and would do it again as there just wasn't what I was looking for over here. It really helps if you speak German and/or have reliable contacts over there. If you want to reduce the risk factor and don't mind paying extra do an organised trip with someone reputable.
crabbymare
Well-Known Member
The shipper will do the import papers and sort out that part so you just need to the fun bit and find the horse and get it vetted then arrange with the transporter but check if the transporter is sorting out the fed vet or not as some do and some expect the seller to book them. a lot of horses in Germany will have xrays done as 3 or 4 year olds so when you have the horse vetted you may have a set to compare with any that you want done.
rowy
Well-Known Member
My boss bought 2 dutch warm blood 3 year olds from holland for £4k each including travelling them back here and getting. She originally bought 3 but one cribbed so the seller took it straight back and refunded her.
They are brilliant! Very talented although they are only small. One has floating dressage paces and the other can jump for England and they both have lovely temperaments to boot and were really easy to back.
My boss has said she would go over with me if I wanted a dressage horse from over there. Soo tempted!!
They are brilliant! Very talented although they are only small. One has floating dressage paces and the other can jump for England and they both have lovely temperaments to boot and were really easy to back.
My boss has said she would go over with me if I wanted a dressage horse from over there. Soo tempted!!
rowy
Well-Known Member
That should be vetting not getting lol.
And by small, they will probably make about 15.2hh.
And by small, they will probably make about 15.2hh.
Andiamo
Well-Known Member
Get the horse vetted, and you must absolutely be there for the vetting.
The horse gets something called a TUV, and xrays are rated based on being free of issues (or not). You would want to request the Xrays from the vetting (before agreeing to buy and before payment), and have them checked by a UK equine vet (get the German vet to send directly to the UK vet) - I used Liphook for this, and they charged about £70 for an xray assessment by a senior vet, and were able to make a recommendation on whether to buy or not - German vets trivialise some things - like OCD (chips) - but a UK vet will flag it up as an issue.
There are also legal points to be aware of - legally you can request from the buyer - that if their horse fails the vetting - they pay for the vetting (not you). You MUST do this BEFORE the vetting takes place and get it in writing. If you don't, you will be liable for costs - a vetting with a full set of XRays, it will cost you in the region of 1000 euros. This is written into German law, I consulted a German equine lawyer at the time as well. If they don't agree to it, well, you're going to have to pay for it. The vet will take full payment from you for the vetting before it is carried out.
Like others have said, the horse can have issues - despite being sound and sane at the time of trial. It is very difficult, due to cross border legal challenges to either get your money back or to take legal action - if the horse turns out to be a lunatic. Whereas if you buy in this country, it is easier to assert your legal rights.
Maybe you could buy from someone here that imports horses to the UK from there? - you will pay a bit more than buying direct, but you will have the benefit of a getting a UK vetting done, UK legal rights, ability to return the horse, and you don't have to wait for any acclimatisation - the horse is already here and settled. Also, you can check the reputation of the dealer beforehand (this is difficult to do in DE or NL). Also, no long transport for the horse - it's already done it, and settled. There are quite a few knowledgeable people that import from NL and DE.
If you do buy over there, which is tempting, and it can have a good result, you can get a very correctly trained horse, very good quality, and there is a lot to choose from. Try to take someone with you, or see if you can somehow find a German professional who is local to horses you're going to see to come with you... (altho this has risks as well!).
Summary - there are pros and cons!!!
The horse gets something called a TUV, and xrays are rated based on being free of issues (or not). You would want to request the Xrays from the vetting (before agreeing to buy and before payment), and have them checked by a UK equine vet (get the German vet to send directly to the UK vet) - I used Liphook for this, and they charged about £70 for an xray assessment by a senior vet, and were able to make a recommendation on whether to buy or not - German vets trivialise some things - like OCD (chips) - but a UK vet will flag it up as an issue.
There are also legal points to be aware of - legally you can request from the buyer - that if their horse fails the vetting - they pay for the vetting (not you). You MUST do this BEFORE the vetting takes place and get it in writing. If you don't, you will be liable for costs - a vetting with a full set of XRays, it will cost you in the region of 1000 euros. This is written into German law, I consulted a German equine lawyer at the time as well. If they don't agree to it, well, you're going to have to pay for it. The vet will take full payment from you for the vetting before it is carried out.
Like others have said, the horse can have issues - despite being sound and sane at the time of trial. It is very difficult, due to cross border legal challenges to either get your money back or to take legal action - if the horse turns out to be a lunatic. Whereas if you buy in this country, it is easier to assert your legal rights.
Maybe you could buy from someone here that imports horses to the UK from there? - you will pay a bit more than buying direct, but you will have the benefit of a getting a UK vetting done, UK legal rights, ability to return the horse, and you don't have to wait for any acclimatisation - the horse is already here and settled. Also, you can check the reputation of the dealer beforehand (this is difficult to do in DE or NL). Also, no long transport for the horse - it's already done it, and settled. There are quite a few knowledgeable people that import from NL and DE.
If you do buy over there, which is tempting, and it can have a good result, you can get a very correctly trained horse, very good quality, and there is a lot to choose from. Try to take someone with you, or see if you can somehow find a German professional who is local to horses you're going to see to come with you... (altho this has risks as well!).
Summary - there are pros and cons!!!