Soo... what *is* the situation now for transporting horses to Ireland?

RachelFerd

RachelFerd

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helloo.. I've looked on the internet and the answer just seems to be "bl**dy complicated" so it's probably a no-go.... but if I theoretically wanted to take my horse to an FEI event in Ireland, a 4 hour drive away from the port - in a 7.5 tonne lorry - what is actually required?

non-commercial, in that would be transporting own horse and no others, but there is an (unlikely, hahaha) risk of prize money...

I can't make head nor tail of what is actually needed. Effin Brexit and everyone that voted for it :) :) :)
 
A lot more expensive than it used to be I gather, apparently the number of horses coming from Ireland to the English stud near us has dropped significantly.
 
Transporters from Europe go via Ireland then into Northern Ireland to England to avoid VAT on purchases. Would it be easier to do similar? I.e. Liverpool to Belfast and drive from there?
 
So to go from the uk to Ireland northern or southern you need a coggins test and health papers. You are best contacting brahams of buckingham as I think they act as an agent for a fee and will know exactly what you need and can point you in the right direction
 
I wouldn’t even try to understand it- just contact an agent and see where that gets you. I only go to mainland EU but for that we need a carnet and coggins bloods, plus a digital tacho after July. The vet then does health papers approximately the day before we go. Health papers then at the event pre home travel. I wouldn’t like to speculate how much of that you do or don’t need for IRE, and if the tax evasion NI route is possible for an FEI show.
I’m using Robin Spaak this season and very pleased so far.
 
Your lorry has to be certified (camera etc in horse area), so you will need to go to Ireland unloaded, get it checked and certified -takes a matter of minutes, come back and then go with horse
 
I was also going to recommend Brahams as above. We are in Northern Ireland and travel to English events and still need a lot of paperwork that we didn't before, including vets certs within a short time frame of the travel etc. Brahams can also advise you on what your lorry needs in terms of certification (fans etc). It is well worth the ££ to avoid getting stuck at the port
 
It's usually cheaper to buy your berth through a haulage broker, they buy so many metres for each sailing and if you need to do a last minute change - bad traffic etc etc they'll sort it for you, they don't charge you until you're on the ship (or didn't!), I've swapped onto an earlier ferry when I've arrived 20 minutes ahead of time and they just sort it it. I've used Victor Treacy before
 
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EventingMum said:
As others have said and I think you need lashing points (may not be the correct term) on your lorry for the ferry.
Click to expand...

Yes OH (mechanic) added them to a friend's lorry when she was going by ferry to compete (France not Ireland but still ferry). That was on a quite old lorry yours may have them already.
 
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