Travelling horses abroad (Germany)

henryhorn

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Totally new to us but my daughter is planning on taking two horses to Germany for dressage training.
We know they need certificates from a defra vet to cross borders, and that you need two breathaliser kits on the lorry for France. A pair of warning triangles plus yellow tabard and all your documents in the cab. Also been advised you need to pay your toll road fees at a motorway or garage service station by credit card.
Can anyone help us with any other advice please?
Plan is to stable with friends near Dover then cross and with two drivers sharing reach the destination the following day.
Exciting but rather daunting at the same time..!
 

henryhorn

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It's a private yard near Hamburg, if it all comes off she will take William and Jack for a month at a time.
It's taken a few years but she has decided dressage is the career path for her, we have put more mares in foal in the hope we can breed something fabulous, but it's a long hard road ahead..(and an expensive one!)
 

siennamum

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My brother has a large yard in Hamburg and my niece is a similar age to C, if you think she would like to meet some English speakers/young peeps let me know
 

kerilli

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wow, how exciting, that is such a fantastic opportunity.
it's years since i went but off the top of my head: fill up over there, diesel's a lot cheaper!
I think when I went it was about 10 hours of driving (to near Bonn) which we did without stopping, my mare was fine (my groom travelled horses back and forth to the continent all the time in her real job and that is how they always did it, no dangerous unboxing at services etc).
Tell her to take Cadbury's, seriously. German Schokolade is nothing like as good! ;) ;)
 

partypremier

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I take it you are going by ferry if you are staying at Dover. Don't think you are allowed to stay with horses below deck.
I worked for a vet near Hamburg, she was an eventer.
We trained with the Ruder family.
Everything is flatwork orientated.
When we were cross country schooling (quite often with no stirrups) we would suddenly be told to do stop & make space to practice traver, renvers, shoulder-in & of course always practising flying changes.
Always sitting trot, hope she has good stomach muscles, if not she will have!!!!
It was great fun, people really friendly & they are great perfectionists.
Good Luck.
 

tink101

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You have to have a breathalyser to drive on the continent now. Became a legal requirement end of June :)
 

Nicnac

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If you are going to Hamburg you wont need toll money as you are better off going via Belgium. Just head for Brussels from Calais/Dunkerque and then east on the E40 towards Germany. Roads are much better than in France and its quicker and less miles.

It's along way to Hamburg from the ports (probably 9-10 hours in a lorry) so will be a good 13-14 hours in the lorry from your departure near Dover. May be an idea to plan a stop for a pony leg stretch.

You also need a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher. The breathalyser is just for France so I wouldn't personally bother as there is a grace period until November for foreign vehicles.

Have fun!
 

PolarSkye

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I can't help, but a good friend of mine has moved her horses to Germany and back twice so I will ask her in the morning.

Sounds very exciting!

P
 

spookypony

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Tell her to take Cadbury's, seriously. German Schokolade is nothing like as good! ;) ;)

No advice cause haven't a clue, but Kerilli, seriously?!! You must have a seriously spoilt palate. Cadbury's is second in terribleness (yes I know that's not a word) only to Hershey's. It's barely deserving of the name, chocolate.
 

henryhorn

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Gosh loads of info there and all helpful. Thank you.
I think the planned route is through Belgium with just a few short breaks, with two drivers we should be able to do the distance ok.
Bit worried if you aren't allowed to see the horses on the ferry, what if they get upset?
 

Nicnac

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You can sweet talk one of the guys and they will let you down accompanied if you are worried (it's not allowed but a smile and a sob story usually works!)

The other thing you could do is leave a person 'hidden' in the lorry to keep an eye on the horses - illegal, but does happen ;)
 

spookypony

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Bit worried if you aren't allowed to see the horses on the ferry, what if they get upset?

Ooh, this one I can speak to, from very limited (2 ferry trips, 3 weeks ago) experience! I honestly found it a bit of a relief not being allowed to go down: it was out of my hands! Everyone kept reassuring me that they generally travel very well on a ferry. On our return trip, when two of the horses needed keeping an eye on because they weren't feeling well before the trip, the team vet was allowed to go check on them.

I was warned to make sure that we weren't parked near a refrigerated lorry, due to risk of CO poisoning, but the ferry people appeared to have a very definite plan as to where to put all the horses. Maybe if you're the only horse-box, it's worth asking for reassurance on this matter?
 

Auslander

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Gosh loads of info there and all helpful. Thank you.
I think the planned route is through Belgium with just a few short breaks, with two drivers we should be able to do the distance ok.
Bit worried if you aren't allowed to see the horses on the ferry, what if they get upset?

I took my old horse over on a regular basis, and, as Kerilli said, it's best to do the trip without unloading. He got more bored and stroppy the more we fussed him, so got into the habit of loading him up, and just getting on with it. No unloading to walk him, and no popping back to fuss him unless strictly necessary (water/temperature check) He was better if we kept moving, so I only stopped for fuel/comfort breaks.
The guys on the ferries are pretty good if there are horses on board. I never had a problem, but was advised that if they heard anything untoward, they would tannoy for the owner to come and check. Aus used to fall asleep for the ferry bit anyway.

Better, if you can bear it, to travel unbooted - its a long way to go with legs wrapped up.
 

crabbymare

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If you get your paperwork done by one of the agencies they will make sure you have everything you need. On the ferry they normally put horses as close to the middle of the ferry as possible if there is likely to be any choppiness on the crossing, but if you are worried you can have the horses a little bit hungry and give them a net each before you have to leave them so they are eating when the ferry starts its engines and first moves. Try to avoid the Antwerp ring road in rush hour ;) and remember that although there are rest stops on the motorways actual service stations with fuel are further apart there so make sure you keep the needle off the bottom of the tank just in case its ages before the next one. Watch for overtaking signs once you get to Germany as on a lot of motorways (usually the 2 lane ones) lorries must stay in the right lane and are not allowed to overtake so look out for those signs which are a black car on the right and a red on the left with a picture of a coach lorry and car with trailer underneath it. Apparantly things you cannot get in Germany include proper bacon cheddar cheese and marmite so if she likes any of those its worth taking a supply!
 

partypremier

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My best advice is give Carl a ring, methinks he is doing very well at training people to Olympic Gold standard at the moment.
Forget the germans they are too overbent the whole time.
You could stay here & eat Cadbury's & Marmite too.
 

tixi

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Anyone know if you need a vehicle inspection certificate if the journey is over 8 hours but not related to economic activity? Can't seem to get a yes or no answer on this!!
 
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