Importing a horse from Ireland to UK

[Cubbini]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of buying and importing a horse from Ireland to UK. What are the current export/import fees and any other charges that may arise from doing this?

Also what are the advantages/disadvantages of journey/route? E.g. Can horses come via Northern Ireland or Southern Ireland? Are there any differences etc?

TIA

 

[stormox]

Do you have a horse in mind? Horses are fairly dear here at mo.....and it's not easy to find one.

 

[catembi]

I bought one unseen from an Irish dealer & he dealt with all that. She just arrived as if by magic!

 

[Barton Bounty]

@AShetlandBitMeOnce might have an idea

 

[Red-1]

Mine was from Southern Ireland, he came in via Northern Ireland. The dealer arranged the transport with a big transport company. The big companies will be able to tell you all the regulations as they do it all of the time. We had a shared load onto the ferry, then switched to a private load from Liverpool.

He arrived just fine. It wasn't overly expensive, although I can't remember the exact fee.

 

[LEC]

I had two shipped over this time last year and was about £900. I use McMahon and mine come through NI. All my friends use same shipper and come on a large artic.
Best thing about the shipper is have them at their place while waiting to be transported and will ring you if have any vices or issues before it’s shipped.

 

[ycbm]

Take a look at this thread to see what can potentially happen even in such a short trip. This poor little fellow looks like he just lived on his nerves for the whole journey. He is very young and raw, which obviously didn't help.

My new pony

Aww Miles! What a sweetheart! I will look forward to reading about his progress. Sorry if I have missed elsewhere in the thread but how old is he?

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

Use a reputable carrier, there was a case 2 years back where a starving horse ate the empty haynet and died of colic after being operated on shortly after arrival. Some carriers don't like horses to poop in the lorry!

 

[Northern Hare]

I'd personally go for a smaller carrier, and definitely don't go for the cheapest.

When I was in NI I tried a horse out for a friend, who then purchased the horse and arranged to have him shipped him over from NI. He was a really super, big young horse who my friend had fully vetted, but he arrived after a very long and delayed journey with quite severe back problems, and had dropped an alarming lot of weight. Incredible really how much weight a horse can drop on that route. I didn't recognise the horse. I appreciate that it's easy to be wise after the event but we found afterwards that it's not uncommon for big horses on the route to injure their backs on the big lorries as they carry a lot of horses so the partitions can be tight.

I also shipped my own horse over and back to NI. He was supposed to be going with a recognised large transporter and had been held at one of the holding stables due to weather delaying the ferries. When he arrived with me, he was no longer on one of the carriers lorries, but on his own at the back of a massive artic that could have probably fitted 18 horses, and they had to offload four motorcycles before they could get him off!! I was furious.

On the way back from the UK after a couple of years, I chose a much better carrier, but having loaded him with full travel kit, travel boots, tail guard, Thermatex etc as it was in the winter, he arrived in just a headcollar!!

 

[JBM]

Can get it done through NI for 500 Sterling
Pm me if you need names

cost more if coming from down the country
£500 for me when I sent a horse from Donegal to Kent

 

[Rowreach]

There are threads on here about who not to use (one of them in Donegal) and who is recommended.

In terms of logistics OP, the regular transporters will take care of all of that for you, and will give you a ball park cost.

I would never send a horse with a load of rugs, boots, bandages etc as firstly they will be far too hot in with a load, they are likely to stand on boots and bandages and get into bother which the transporter may not be able to deal with, and the transporters will strip them anyway.

Also, some of the transporters like to have the horses at lairage before travelling, not just for the logistics of having a load gathered in one place, but to deprive them of water (yes, really) before travelling so they don't all pee on the lorry. I prefer them to go straight on the lorry and straight to the boat.

 

[Kaylum]

My friend runs transport business she said beware of shared loads. Horses getting on and off sharing the same space as one that's just got off. Same haynet, headcollar no idea if they have flu or strangles. Biosecurity must be a priority. Ask these questions.

Make sure you quarantine upon arrival.

 

[BBP]

Mine came over with a large well recommended transporter. They definitely did not feed. I could put the weight loss down to stress for a yearling (not as bad as the pony above) but the lorry was spotless when it arrived. Not a piece of poo or spec of hay to be seen, and mine was the last one of a very long trip.

 

[shortstuff99]

If you transport the horse in via NI then you won't pay the import fees.

 

[Welly Boot]

Looking for recommendations for reputable transport to come out of NI and across to England... PM me if you prefer especially those to avoid.
Am waiting on call back from Equitrans and Bramhams don't seem to want to do Ireland any more.... thank you

 

[Rowreach]

Looking for recommendations for reputable transport to come out of NI and across to England... PM me if you prefer especially those to avoid.
Am waiting on call back from Equitrans and Bramhams don't seem to want to do Ireland any more.... thank you

Have a search on here for those to avoid. There are quite a few.

 

[Welly Boot]

Have a search on here for those to avoid. There are quite a few.

I looked and nothing came up... execpt the mention of one one based in donegal... but no names?

 

[LEC]

I have used one of the ones that has been panned a lot as have friends - had 5 horses over the years delivered and never had an issue. All arrived in good nick and kept up to date. In fact they sent one back to the sales for us because it cribbed chronically as a 4yo when they got it to their holding stables so saved us a fortune on a horse with a vice. Got the money back for it as not declared.

 

[Fieldlife]

Are there any reputable ones that provide water and hay throughout the journey? Sound horrific withholding water and hay!

 

[Rowreach]

Are there any reputable ones that provide water and hay throughout the journey? Sound horrific withholding water and hay!

Not to mention withholding water prior to travel on the holding yard ...

 

[BBP]

I used George Mullins. See my post further up thread for if I would recommend or not.