Long Distance Travelling (Again... Sorry!)

T

Tierra

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Hi peeps,

I'd like some opinions from you all again if poss!

As mentioned, we're moving to Denmark rather soonish and horsey is going with us. So, ive spent the last few days getting quotes from companies and a feel for what the journey will be like for him.

Now, ive had quotes from some of the large companies in the UK, for both shared and individual loads. The individual loads are very, very expensive and Im not actually convinced that travelling alone will make him all that happy. On the other hand, the shared loads can be upto 20 horses and can add a good 2 days onto the journey.

So, quotes for shared load journey to Denmark are in the region of 4 - 5 days (which worries me somewhat)

Anyway. I was speaking to a friend over the weekend who's father imports a lot of horses from Denmark and has done for many many years and she was horrified at the delivery time given.

She called her dad to ask his advice and he said that we would be better finding someone willing to do the journey in one go. He then gave us the number of a Danish company that they always use to move their horses

OH spoke to the company and they do shared loads only but that consists of two horses. They do a straight trip (obviously offering water en route) and it takes a total of 18 hours.... significantly less than the 5 days quote.

I trust my friend and they say their horses have always arrived perfectly fine, albeit tired. But I dont see how my horse wont be shattered after a 5 day journey anyway

So... what do people think about this? My horse has had a slightly bad experience of travelling before and Im wondering whether it is better for him to just do it in one go or, go with the companies that split it up over several days.

(Incidently, do you know that they dont check the vaccination records of ANY of these horses that they carry through europe? Nor do the destinations? Passports are required for identification but doesnt matter if they arent even vaccinated. Just found that interesting!)

Thanks in advance guys!
 
Where would he be shipped to and from? Presumably ending up in Aarhus or Hamburg I guess?

Personally I'd go for the shortest journey, even if it was by sea.
 
Yes, do the 18hr one. Horses will cope much better I reckon than 5 days travelling (and what care do they get at stops?)
We travellled a pony over to england with a travel company, worst experience ever. Were not told (byt he PC) it was a commercial transporter who would be picking up other horses. They left one evening, didn't arrive til 24hrs later, no stops, no hay, no water. Some very old ponies were on that lorry (games team) and not best pleased owners as they weren't in the best shape. The transporter was trying to sneak the extra horses (presume we paid extra and their owners paid as well extra!) off before we got there to pick up our pony...
 
With the Danish company they'd collect him from us (Derbyshire in the UK), take him down to Dover... over to france on the ferry and then she just said "fastest route into Denmark" and down to Svendborg (destination). Journey time approximately 18 hours but to allow for ferry delays. This means the vet check for travel is done by my vet at my yard before he travels.

The other 3 companies Ive spoken to would collect him from us and take him to Dover where he'd stay overnight and be checked by their vets. They then leave first thing in the morning over to france and have a night stop there. Next day onto Germany and stop there over night. Next day onto Denmark and there may or may not be a stop in denmark. Bringing it upto a 4 or 5 day trip

I dont know... is it me or does this seem rather excessive for a trip to Denmark? :| Its not THAT far away...

(p.s. to chop down to a single load with the above UK companies runs his transport cost close to the £4,000 mark)
 
Thats precisely why it takes so long. They take huge lorries over and have to unload / load a lot of horses en route... which to me, sounds quite a horrific experience for the horses on board.

The danish company take two at a time... both will ONLY be going to denmark. They do offer water every two hours but the lady on the phone said to be aware that they very often refuse to drink.

Just to mention.... this Danish company has been recommened by my friends dad... who is the chairman of Dansk Varmblod... so im thinking they must be trustworthy!
 
Thanks for your opinions guys. I was completly split as to whether one burst journey would be better or staggering it over days.

I dont think my nerves could cope waiting for him for 4 or 5 days though
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£4,000!!!!
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Holy moly! I've never paid more than £500 from Germany....and Denmark isn't that far from Germany! That is shocking - I guess they are giving you that price as they don't want the hassle of all the ferry crossings??

Okay, how about this? Might not be doable but here goes. What about if you ferry him to Rotterdam or Hamburg? Are there any ferries transport horses to there? You could then stable him in Germany and go and collect him yourself with a horsebox? Or use a Danish transport company to collect him from Germany?

All sounds awfully complicated though doesn't it
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. I wish I could remember how they transported the horses from Denmark to the UK; many of them were exported to the UK but even though I am racking my brains I just cannot remember the route they took. Something tells me it was via Hamburg though
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. I guess it must have been ferry from Sjaelland over to Hamburg and then road tripped through Europe and over at Dover.
 
We've been quoted £600 for the trip with the danish company which we thought was reasonable. I will get my OH to find out exactly which way they go (unfortunatly, they're english aint so good so im dependent on him atm)

But yes... all around the £4k mark for single loads with the larger companies or about £600 if he's on a shared load with 19 others for 4 / 5 days
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And yes, it does sound ridiculously complicated when you consider its only just over ----->

Its under 2 hours by plane for god sake :P Im not shipping him to the other side of the world :|
 
Just spoke briefly to my OH and he seems to think that the danish company isnt going via Dover and through france.

Im not quite sure where that means they are going though
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He's hoping to speak with them again tomorrow though. (Other advantage to this company is they're doing weekly runs as opposed to monthly)
 
I sold a pony to someone up north and she had a 9 hour trip up there. (It was a shared load and she was the first on and last off!). I wasn't there when she arrived but apparently she was as birght as a button when she came off the lorry. (But then nothing much bothers that pony, she is a star!). I know that this is only half of you horses trip, but I thought I'd say....
 
I know.
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Crikey I only paid just over £6,000 to bring Cloud all the way from there to here! And that was by plane and included quarantine and door-to-door delivery.

£600 seems very reasonable to be honest. Yes my horses all came over on shared loads so that is why my price was so low.
 
I did a 14hr journey with my mare recently, including 11 hrs on the ferry in rough weather and she travelled absolutely fine - I would go for the 18hr trip if I were you. Hope it all goes well
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My YO drove their horses (showjumpers) to Amsterdam last year, they went via Hull, and drove for 24 hours without a stop-over. All the horses were fine with travelling without a break, although he needed lots of coffees to keep awake! I'd go with the 18 hour trip if I was you
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I certainly wouldnt go for the 5 day one! Thats crazy! But then again, I wouldnt travel a horse for 18 hours straight either. Surely they stable them somewhere to split the journey and give them a break? One of my horses was imported from Portugal (not by me) - they transported him all the way from there in one go. He came off the lorry VERY VERY tired and lost a hell of a lot of weight in the days after. Not a happy horse.
 
Go for the 18 hour one but check what size lorry they are doing it in! £600 sounds very cheap although the Euro operators do not have the excessive costs that uk based operators have.

It does sound like they are doing it in a 3.5 tonner! The ferry costs will be very much lower as ferrys charge by the metre. Check which crossing they are going on-dover to calais is only 1 hour 45 mins whereas Harwich to rotterdam and is around 7 hours where the horses will be unattended.

Get them to send you a photo of the lorry! Make sure it is a lorry and not a trailer!
 
I think 18 hours in one stretch in a lorry is far too long.

We had horses brought in from Denmark last year. It took 3 days with 2 stable rest stops. Horses arrived in first class order - might just have travelled a few miles. The cost was £2750 - nobody elses horses were on load. A 5 day trip would need to involve a lot of extra road mileage on the way - but that is what you will get on the big loads - thus they can be cheap.

I don't like the very long ferry crossings - all ok unless things go wrong. There are not vets on the ferries and grooms cannot stay with the horses.
 
I shipped my horses 1200 miles which took 4 days (if they had done it direct it would have been 1 and a half). What makes the difference is who is transporting your horses - my horses after 4 days jumped off the rig as if they had just been driven 40 miles up the road. The guy took fantastic care of them, they were off the rig 8 hours a day, the truck and trailer were new and even gave them a carrot and pat when he said good bye!

I personally do not think 18 hours straight is a big deal - a lot of companies here ship horses for 2-3 days with the horses getting out once a day to stretch their legs.
 
I agree the quality of the driving is of utmost importance - but veterinary opinion does not recommend such long distance travel in one go - as it increases the risk of complications such as transit fever developing. This can be fatal.

In Europe transporters can not have horses on a lorry for 3 days. After 24 hours they have to stop for 24 hours. To travel over 22 hours with 2 drivers they would also be in breach of tacho hours. If they break these laws they may loose their licence to operate lorries.
 
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