Relocating to Rome with horse...impossible?

[nannubu]

Hi everyone, We are thinking of relocating to Rome and would be living outside the ring road. I am absolutely heartbroken at the thought of having to leave my horse behind. Anyone got any experience of relocating with their horse abroad? Would livery yard rates be extortionate (money would be tight)? Should I just bite the bullet and sell before we go? All advice gratefully received!

 

[Winters100]

It is very easy to transport them, granted there may be a bit of extra paperwork post brexit, but no reason to leave the horse behind. Just check yards where you will be, boiok a transport and you are done Good luck and enjoy your new life

 

[IrishMilo]

We took two to France, had a third shipped there at a later late, and when I moved back to the UK I brought one of them back. Like Winters said, getting them to and from is easy (or, was!). Livery was probably a bit cheaper out there. No idea what it would be like in Rome - I imagine a bit harder than semi-rural France!

 

[nannubu]

It is very easy to transport them, granted there may be a bit of extra paperwork post brexit, but no reason to leave the horse behind. Just check yards where you will be, boiok a transport and you are done Good luck and enjoy your new life

Thanks! All seems a bit overwhelming at the moment!

 

[nannubu]

We took two to France, had a third shipped there at a later late, and when I moved back to the UK I brought one of them back. Like Winters said, getting them to and from is easy (or, was!). Livery was probably a bit cheaper out there. No idea what it would be like in Rome - I imagine a bit harder than semi-rural France!

That's what I was worried about. There seems to be a fair few riding centres though on the outskirts. I will have to investigate.

 

[texenstar]

I relocated from Dubai back to the UK with my horse and have considered relocating to Canada and taking my two horses with me. Rome should be very achievable Keep up posted on your move!

 

[IrishMilo]

Another thing I didn't mention is be prepared for a very different standard of care.

 

[muddybay]

Would you want to drive or fly them? Flying is very expensive so that might be another thing to consider!

 

[spacefaer]

My cousin lives just outside Turin. She's found it a very different way of keeping horses compared to the UK .

Nearly all horses are kept at livery yards, very few privately.
Hay is lucerne and the range of feeds available are limited and expensive - her horse was getting whole oats as that was what the yard fed.
She was keeping him on the outskirts of the city itself - there were huge sand arenas but very limited turnout paddocks.
The weather meant that it was too hot for most of the summer for daytime turnout and too snowy in the winter for any turnout.

She found the farriers pretty agricultural and the vets fairly lacking in equine knowledge - they tended to be small animal or farm vets who did equine as a sideline.

It's not a particularly equine friendly country in her experience.

 

[Cortez]

Of course it's doable, you just need a good international transporter and either connections or an exploratory trip out to the area for a recce. The climate will be different and it's unlikely that things will be run in the same way as in the UK, so feed, etc. will be different too. It may be important to remember that the UK way of doing things is not necessarily better than an alternative.