My Horse Embarks on his European Trip in 4 hours! (Emigration Contd..)

Tierra

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 September 2006
Messages
3,041
Location
Denmark
dressage.wordpress.com
Anyone following the drama of our rather sudden emigration will know that we (myself and my OH) arrived in Denmark last Sunday night along with our two dogs and our bunny. This was after a 24 hour drive over Europe, with said pets in the car and not ONCE were we asked to show their documentation!

The last big stage commences today.... I had to leave my darling horse behind because we hadn't found a suitable yard in Denmark. That finally got sorted and Jack is due to leave the UK this afternoon.

Of course, Im not living there anymore and although Jack is stabled with my trainer and on full livery... they got rather grumpy over us refusing to sell him when we announced our move. Sooo... they're not being very helpful
tongue.gif


My poor none horsey mum has been recruited!

I just got a call to confirm Jack has passed his pre-travel health inspection with flying colours and now has all his relevant export documentation.

The transport lady arrives at 4pm UK time to load him up... he's then got a 2-3 hour road journey before embarking on an 18 hour (ish) ferry crossing. His final leg is another short-ish road trip at this end before arriving at his new yard at (if he's on time) 6pm tomorrow Danish time (5pm UK time)

Im TERRIFIED

The company moving him came completly recommended by a friend's dad who frequently moves horses between the uk and dk but im so far this morning ive been physically ill twice, my hands are shaking as a type and ive not slept in about 2 days (and i KNOW i wont sleep tonight).

She's promised to keep in touch as much as she can but to be aware that communication will be very limited while he's on the boat.

So tomorrow i have to drive for the first time on my own, on the wrong side of the road, to go and await my horse's arrival.

Im crossing everything that he has a good journey and that he settles well. Im told the horses are generally very quiet on the ferry (which is why she prefers to take a long boat trip as opposed to a long road trip) because they cant feel any movement, so to them... they're in a similar state to being stabled.

Soooooooooooooo please please send good vibes to my darling boy. He had an awful experience last time he travelled (due to full partitions in a lorry.... we found out he HAS to have skirted) and although he's had a small journey since then (which didnt bother him at ALL), he's got a mammoth journey ahead of him.

Stupid things are going through my head at the moment such as "what if he thinks he's been sold", "what if he falls in the box again", "what if he needs a vet on the crossing"....... and while im 99% sure he'll be ok, theres a part of me that has doubts and is making myself very ill!

So hugs and good thoughts for Jack if you can spare them please!
 
I would be terrified too - I'm pretty sure all of us understand your fears. I wish him an uneventful journey and that by this time tomorrow you will be getting all excited waiting for his arrival. xx
 
Massive massive positive vibes for you and your boy tomorrow.
I cannot begin to imagine how excited you will be tomorrow when he arrives. Just think about his face lighting up when he sees you there. He's probably going to have a very exciting day himself on the boat. I don't think he'll think he's being sold though. He'll probably be a bit bewildered and confused but I'm sure that will all pass with a wave of euphoria when you are reunited!
laugh.gif
 
Huge hugs and best wishes for Jcak on his journey. I'm sure as soon as he's in his new home with you again he'll forget any stresses of his journey. I do sympathise. Mine had to travel 6.5 hours in a horsebox when I moved..al 5 of them. I started smoking again and paced and felt sick all day for them. They arrived late afternoon, looking a bit scraggy and bemused and rather tired but absolutely fine and by the next day they looked like they'd been here for years...
 
I'll update as soon as he's loaded and on his way.

My poor mum has just had to go in search of a haynet at our local saddlery because the YO doenst want to let Jack have one of hers, even though my mum offered to pay for the damn thing!
 
Best of luck and Im sure he will be with you safe and sound soon!

Make sure you update us with pics of him all settled in his new home
tongue.gif
laugh.gif
 
Lots of positive vibes for Jack. I'm sure he will be fine, but I totally understand your panic! That is why my darling boy is still in the UK and I am in the USA! The thought of him on an airplane terrifies me! I think if it were just a boat trip it might be better!

Just keep looking forward to being reunited with him when he comes off the boat.
 
Jack actually doesn't need the vibes as he is going to be just fine, it's you I'm more worried about!! I know it's awful not being with them but he is in the safest, most experienced hands, they will be calm and matter of fact around him so he won't sense a thing.

Therefore - hugs and more hugs to YOU and that you are re-united tomorrow all safe and sound.
 
Jack left about 15 minutes ago!

Apparently he loaded well and my mum is currently following him in her car with the windows down (to make sure he's not banging about). Feeling soooo sorry for her at the moment as Ive been calling her every half an hour asking for updates and the like. It was her idea to follow the box for a while but she's now starting to get lost!

Hes neighing lots but otherwise seems quiet. Sooooooooooo now i just have to wait for the update when he boards the ferry.

Oh god im in a state! TY for your thoughts though... it IS a huge comfort
laugh.gif
 
Everything crossed for you - I am sure he will be absolutely fine and will be thrilled to see you when he arrives. He will also be very impressed with his new home I'm sure. Know you have lots to do but photos of a HHO horse arriving in a new country would be very cool!
 
My mum is still following the horse box lol :P

She can see him through the window and he's eating.. No more neighing and he's quiet
laugh.gif


Not sure how far she intends on following him really...
 
Lol can we expect your mum to turn up tomorrow behind the box
wink.gif
Does she know how far he's got to go- she might get caught up in the excitement and end up on the boat!
grin.gif


I'm glad he's settled somewhat! Hurrah for tomorrow
smile.gif
 
He doesnt have far to travel by road. He's going to Immingham and sailing from there to Esberg (18 hour trip). He then has about 2 hours to do by road in Denmark.

So although the trip is long... for most of it she says he wont even think he's moving.

My mum has just left the horse box and Jack could still be seen munching his hay. Im feeling 1000% calmer now
laugh.gif
 
LOL bless your mum, can imagine you opening the lorry to find her sitting there having deicde to just MAKE SURE he was ok!

Your old YO sounds like a petty person, sheesh!

Aww just think, before you know it he will be with you and meeting his new friends!
 
Old YO was rather horrid tbh
frown.gif
She was my trainers mother and quite a dragon
frown.gif


My mum is visiting from the 9th of May anyway
laugh.gif
I just want my horsey back now!!!
laugh.gif


Mum even bought him a new black leather headcollar with sparkly bits on so he looked pretty for me when he arrives
laugh.gif
(Jacks a bit of a girl boy tbh)
 
Aww bless her! It sounds like Jack is in the best hands and he will LOVE his super new yard Im sure!

ooh I hope the horses there can understand his English accent!
laugh.gif
 
aww, bless you and your mum, he will be fine - i groomed on a couple of long trips to amsterdam and back and all 8 of ours travelled well and arrived looking very calm.

im sure your boy will be fine and is in excellent hands!

big hugs and he'll be with you soon

xxx
 
Hi,
STOP worrying, ive bought 3 over now from the UK to Spain, my 2 Appaloosas came 3 years ago, and my daughters first pony (who I have just rebought) and he arrived 2 weeks ago,
the travel companys do this all the time and know what they are doing (i used John Parkers both times) mine did have a short ferry trip, and a long drive (4 days) but arrived looking fresh as daisys,
im sure horse will be the same, but sending you good vibes anyway.


Jenny x
 
My mum is great
laugh.gif


I felt so sorry for her earlier running around looking for a damn haynet because the YO was being so petty. Also nearly made me cry that after spending the whole day up there with firstly the vet to sort his export documents and then waiting for the transport lady, she also nipped out and bought him a new head collar to travel in
smile.gif


She ended up following the horse box for about 90 minutes before she turned off and left him. Up until then, she was texting me every 15 minutes or so to let me know he was still eating and she could see him out of the windows in the box.

The worse thing about emigrating has been leaving her behind. But shes visiting from the 9th and her and her boyfriend (hehe silly calling him that when its my mum!) are moving over here hopefully in December
laugh.gif
Miss her loads already though and i can still reduce myself to tears nearly every time i speak to her
frown.gif


Jack is now on the ferry. I actually havent heard from Marianne (the transporter) but Im assuming she would have been in touch had there been any issues. I think he's on there until about 3pm tomorrow :|

We did consider using John Parker but I was concerned about the length of the trip for Jack (was told 5-6 days on a shared load) since he did have a bad travelling experience late last year. I did get a quote from them for individual loads but it was horrendously expensive (bout £4000).

The lady we're using came highly recommended to us by a friends dad:-

http://horsecab.dk/

and so far she's been fantastic. He's on an individual load and she only had 5 days notice from us to collect him.

Soooooo all being well he'll arrive tomorrow evening at his new yard. He's having some time out to recover and settle in. Quite lucky in that we have a choice between him going out in the field all day in a group or having a combination of time on the horse walker and then two hours in an individual field.

Ive been over here now 11 days and im missing him like crazy!
 
Top