Moving to France - Any tips or advice

[Salcey]

We have a close friend thinking seriously of relocating her family and two horses to France. I suggested a post on here might prove helpful as shes worried how the horses will cope and what the best method of transporting them will be. I think the region shes looking at is the Jura region. The horses are aged 10 and 7.

Any tips or advice most welcome

 

[Sooty]

No tips, my only advice is go for it! It's not far in the great scheme of things, there are plenty of horse transporters who tackle international journeys. Wish I had the courage to do the same...

 

[fizzer]

a friend of mine went 2 years ago. she regulary comes back for tack and stable equipment as finds it hard to get stuff out there so stock up on hay nets etc. she went down towards the south so find she had to ride very early b4 the heat. she loves it there now as she would never have afforded her own land and house together in the uk

 

[Rambo]

Isn't TrecPeter in that part of the world

I'm sure the horses will cope fine though....let's face it enough of them are imported into this country in the first place, i'm sure a journey back to the continent won't hurt them

 

[Tierra]

We have being considering it due to land / property prices over there so will be following this thread closely

 

[TrecPeter]

HI - Yes, I am from arond here - GREAT RIDING COUTRY - if you like long rides outside or Trecking. There's also plenty of covered menege and clubs.

The Jura are a nearly 400km long range of mountainous hills starting in the dept of AIN in France, and ending somewhere near Zurich.

Shouldn't be any problem to transport the horses - you might need to give them a stopover rest half way for their and your confort - they generally travel very well on the motorways being free from sudden gradients and bends. I've taken my horse from the middle of Ain right up to near Basel in one go without any problems last year.

Which area of the Jura were you thinking about?
And - can you speak french ? - Some parts of the Jura are quite rural (& beautiful ! )

 

[TrecPeter]

[ QUOTE ]
a friend of mine went 2 years ago. she regulary comes back for tack and stable equipment as finds it hard to get stuff out there so stock up on hay nets etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

Felix Buhler in Geneva stock all sorts of equestrian equipment.
Excellent mail order as well

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

A friend of mine relocated to France a few years ago, taking their two elderly horses with them Thy had a quality horse transportation company take them. The company did all the paperwork & arranged stopping places for feeding & watering etc. They travelled very well.

Only thing is, is that whenever anyone goes over to visit they phone first & take an order for various feed suppliments etc which are difficult to get hold of over there.

 

[GTs]

Just becareful of hungry people - they might eat your horse.

 

[brighteyes]

GT's!!!!!!

 

[TrecPeter]

Don't worry - he's got a thing about eating horseflesh, you'll get used to it in the end

 

[Salcey]

How cold is it in winter over there? I know you can ski in the jura region. Do the horses stay in covered barns?

 

[TrecPeter]

The climate is continental of course, so a bit colder in winter, and a bit warmer in summer. Horses are tough creatures though and will adapt to living in all sorts of conditions. Ours live out 24/7 right through the winter. I think they find the heat of summer more objectionable then a cold frosty day, providing there's hay on permanent supply

Here's my OH's Welsh D in a scattering of snow.

and some of the other horses on another snowy day.¨
Ianto looks as he's been rolling in the snow !!

cheers !
TrecPeter

 

[Salcey]

Thanks TrecPeter - the info much appreicated. I have passed it all on. Its very interesting to hear from people having the courage to do this.