Moving horses from UK to Portugal

[huskydamage]

Has anyone done it recently? How difficult is it and rough cost? Looking for an idiots guide to this and what's involved. I'm doing some early research.

Was hoping to do it myself but wondering now if its easier with a transporter but having never used one I have no idea of cost or who is good.


I have looked on the gov website thinking in my nievety it would be similar process as it is for dogs but it looks way more complicated than I thought it would be!

One of my horses has a breed passport the other a pet ID one, am I right in thinking the process is different for each?

This would be a long term 6months to permanent move. From private yard by themselves to other private land by themselves.



Any info or tips much appreciated.

 

[Cortez]

Has anyone done it recently? How difficult is it and rough cost? Looking for an idiots guide to this and what's involved. I'm doing some early research.

Was hoping to do it myself but wondering now if its easier with a transporter but having never used one I have no idea of cost or who is good.


I have looked on the gov website thinking in my nievety it would be similar process as it is for dogs but it looks way more complicated than I thought it would be!

One of my horses has a breed passport the other a pet ID one, am I right in thinking the process is different for each?

This would be a long term 6months to permanent move. From private yard by themselves to other private land by themselves.



Any info or tips much appreciated.

I would strongly advise using a professional international transporter. They will take care of the paperwork and organise everything for you.

 

[ihatework]

I would strongly advise using a professional international transporter. They will take care of the paperwork and organise everything for you.

100% agree.
Save your sanity this way!

 

[Maxidoodle]

John Parkers, they took my four from U.K. to Denmark and brought 3 of them back end of last year, their care is faultless and they will advise you on all the export and import paperwork (you will need your own vet who is approved to do export work).

Edited to add, it will be way too complicated and full of hassle to try to do it yourself, apart from the paperwork, how will you find appropriate rest stops (you need a journey log detailing all your rest stops, unloads etc), if you’re planning on just popping to the channel tunnel and going over, that’s a no also, you have to use one of the approved transporters to go on through the tunnel, Parker’s is one and Peden bloodstock is another, they have to be in wagons with independent air systems etc, in case of a train breakdown. So you’re left with the option of a ferry if you want to do it independently. Also, don’t underestimate the laws of the import country, whilst they have EU laws they have to adhere to, you’ll like find like we did, that the country also adopts its own rules, for us to get out of the country we were in, we had to have our beloved healthy old boy PTS, as whilst our own vets were happy for him to travel, the government vets refused based on his age alone.

Honestly, speaking from experience of exporting ours and importing recently, get one of the big transporters to do it.

 

[Snowfilly]

Get someone like Parker’s in and let them do it all. Worth checking with your vet right now if they’re approved for export stuff otherwise you’ll need to register elsewhere in advance.

Honestly not worth the hassle trying to do it yourself.

 

[huskydamage]

John Parkers, they took my four from U.K. to Denmark and brought 3 of them back end of last year, their care is faultless and they will advise you on all the export and import paperwork (you will need your own vet who is approved to do export work).

Edited to add, it will be way too complicated and full of hassle to try to do it yourself, apart from the paperwork, how will you find appropriate rest stops (you need a journey log detailing all your rest stops, unloads etc), if you’re planning on just popping to the channel tunnel and going over, that’s a no also, you have to use one of the approved transporters to go on through the tunnel, Parker’s is one and Peden bloodstock is another, they have to be in wagons with independent air systems etc, in case of a train breakdown. So you’re left with the option of a ferry if you want to do it independently. Also, don’t underestimate the laws of the import country, whilst they have EU laws they have to adhere to, you’ll like find like we did, that the country also adopts its own rules, for us to get out of the country we were in, we had to have our beloved healthy old boy PTS, as whilst our own vets were happy for him to travel, the government vets refused based on his age alone.

Honestly, speaking from experience of exporting ours and importing recently, get one of the big transporters to do it.

Omg that awful, so sorry.
One of my horses is old so I will def be checking this out.

 

[huskydamage]

Think a transporter seems the easiest option thank you all! I just need to get some quotes for an idea on costs see if it's affordable for me.
This is something we were thinking of doing for retirement so no rush, I just cannot bear leaving my horses behind and lately we are considering 'why wait years lets do it now' so something I am looking into as I haven't travelled horses abroad before let alone now with all the added brexit faff

 

[Quigleyandme]

I agree with others; use a professional but if you can afford it I would urge you to not go the shared load route or at least quizz the transport company on projected route and timings. My horse was on the transport for 24 hours travelling from the company’s base in County Carlow to Gordano Services near Bristol. He had already travelled from Sligo to Carlow the morning he sailed. It simply never occurred to me such a well known, professional and well regarded company would subject a horse in their care to that. He was absolutely fine apart from being thirsty but I was in pieces and our transporter for the last leg to Devon was kept waiting at Gordano for four and a half hours. I’ll be arranging single load door to door when he comes home next April.

 

[Maxidoodle]

I agree with others; use a professional but if you can afford it I would urge you to not go the shared load route or at least quizz the transport company on projected route and timings. My horse was on the transport for 24 hours travelling from the company’s base in County Carlow to Gordano Services near Bristol. He had already travelled from Sligo to Carlow the morning he sailed. It simply never occurred to me such a well known, professional and well regarded company would subject a horse in their care to that. He was absolutely fine apart from being thirsty but I was in pieces and our transporter for the last leg to Devon was kept waiting at Gordano for four and a half hours. I’ll be arranging single load door to door when he comes home next April.

OP, have a chat with the transporters to find out their routes, we did a dedicated wagon for our four, on the way out and it was around £8k, to bring our three back on a shared load it was around £3.5k. They have to do a full journey log, so they can tell you the route and stop overs, on the shared load home, mine went on a pretty direct route, with overnight stops (and I got photos of them in their stables each night) and they only had one small diversion to collect polo ponies. Parkers did soaked hay for ours and I made all their daily feeds up in zip loc bags, ready for them to tip into their buckets, nothing was too much trouble for them. I’ve got one in particular who is a nightmare for not drinking enough and all of them arrived in perfect condition and not dehydrated. You’ve got to remember you get what you pay for and the big transporters do this all the time, so they know what they’re doing. Personally I’d never use anyone other than Parkers, four day journeys each way (with multiple overnight stops in stables) and the ponies stepped off like they’d been travelling just a couple of hours (our little lad was 30yrs old when they took him over, so they’re amazing with oldies too).

I did import a horse many years ago with what turned out to be a bin end transporter, he ended up being dragged all over the place and he wasn’t right for weeks after and he was seriously dehydrated.

 

[Gloi]

I did import a horse many years ago with what turned out to be a bin end transporter, he ended up being dragged all over the place and he wasn’t right for weeks after and he was seriously dehydrated.

My friend had a bad experience with a bin end transporter getting a yearling from Ireland. Poor thing was hauled all round the country and was exhausted and went down with pneumonia when it arrived and it was touch and go if it would live for a while

 

[Quigleyandme]

I sent my horse with George Mullins so hardly bin end but it was not expensive at €400 including the gorgeous stallion box they sent to pick him up from home, custom fees and VAT. The booking and office side of things was very professional but clearly the truck meandered all over the country after disembarking at Liverpool before delivering my horse to Gordano. I phoned HQ at 12:00 to ask where in God’s name is my horse and was told at Cheltenham so would be at Gordano by 14:00. The truck arrived at 18:30. The horse was absolutely fine and didn’t hesitate to load for the last leg after a few turns of the lorry park, a pick of grass and a drink but I won’t go for that sort of economical shared load again. Our man phoned George Mullins to tear a strip off them about the excessive thirst but my son tells me the horse can’t pass a trough without trying to drain it so that may have been unwarranted. My son the army vet has contracted out all travel documentation for army horses going abroad to do musical drives, rides, etc. because it is so complex and he would be in the poo if they were turned away at the port for incomplete or incorrect documentation.

 

[Palindrome]

I would recommend Parker if using a pro, they are really good and the only ones I trust with my horses.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I sent my horse with George Mullins so hardly bin end but it was not expensive at €400 including the gorgeous stallion box they sent to pick him up from home, custom fees and VAT. The booking and office side of things was very professional but clearly the truck meandered all over the country after disembarking at Liverpool before delivering my horse to Gordano. I phoned HQ at 12:00 to ask where in God’s name is my horse and was told at Cheltenham so would be at Gordano by 14:00. The truck arrived at 18:30. The horse was absolutely fine and didn’t hesitate to load for the last leg after a few turns of the lorry park, a pick of grass and a drink but I won’t go for that sort of economical shared load again. Our man phoned George Mullins to tear a strip off them about the excessive thirst but my son tells me the horse can’t pass a trough without trying to drain it so that may have been unwarranted. My son the army vet has contracted out all travel documentation for army horses going abroad to do musical drives, rides, etc. because it is so complex and he would be in the poo if they were turned away at the port for incomplete or incorrect documentation.

Having dealt with meeting a couple of horses for friends who used that transporter, I'd not hesitate to never recco them, ever.
One was over 5 hours late with no comms, the other a full 12 hours late with no apology whatsoever.

Parkers and Peden for overseas, Gillies for UK.

 

[Reacher]

Apologies for going off topic, but if moving horses to Portugal have you considered Piroplasmosis which seems to be endemic there (spread by ticks).

 

[Barlow]

Having done the reverse on three separate occasions, I’d plump for Victor Gache over Parker’s any day of the week. The level of care is exceptional and well worth paying the extra for if you have an older horse. Electrolytes and hard feed as well as regular forage. I’ve never had anything arrive so settled and in good nick as when I used VG. Any international transporter will be able to sort the paperwork for you.
Piro isn’t a problem everywhere in Portugal but varies region to region.

 

[teapot]

My friend had a bad experience with a bin end transporter getting a yearling from Ireland. Poor thing was hauled all round the country and was exhausted and went down with pneumonia when it arrived and it was touch and go if it would live for a while

Remember waiting for a late Goresbridge delivery in a job that had literally been all around the houses, dropping horses off on the way from Scotland to South Coast. Think horses were close to 48hrs late in the end and boy did they look worse for wear. Boss never used that company again.

Parkers or Pedens OP for international - it'll make it SO much easier for you all round as the export documentation and requirements is eerr somewhat extensive these days.

 

[blitznbobs]

I was quoted about 1500 by Parker’s for the reverse trip not including import duty