What to do with my horse when I move

[casey2312]

Dont know if this is in the right place... But as she is a competition horse I thought perhaps.

Next year if all goes to plan, we are moving to Australia. I want to take Tiff, but been looking at the journey and wondering if it will be too much for her.

The cost is also very steep, at about 9k.

I was thinking, if I didn't take her, I would like to secure her future here. ie would like her to go to a breeding home, and produce beautiful babies. She has absolutly the right temerment/ability and pedigree to contribute to a sports horse breeding programme.

She is perfectly fit and sound, dont really want to sell her to an unknown person, as I would worry about her non stop.

As anyone taken their horses to Australia? and do you forsee any problems by securing a future for her here?

I do have 2 breeders in mind.

What do you think?

Thanks for reading. Just playing about with thoughts at the moment.

 

[PaddyMonty]

My old boss took his horse to aus when he was relocated by the company. Horse traveled fine and he wasn't a young lad by any standards. Brought him back 3 years later and again fine.

 

[dieseldog]

I know someone bringing over 2 horses from NZ to jump for a couple of months in the UK, they are staying at my friends house, I cant imagine they are paying that much just to jump over here for a few shows. Might be cheaper to ship her to NZ first then hop over to Aus?

People are shipping NZ/AUS TBs up here all the time and they aren't that expensive to buy, I would shop around a bit more before you make any major decisions.

 

[henryhorn]

They seem to move horses long distances a lot now so I would think she would cope fine.
I reckon to New Zealand first then ship to you would be easiest.
It's always difficult securing a future for a horse here, we have horses from people currently living in India, Australia and travelling the world.
The agreement we have is that if by any chance we gave up retired horses we would either find somewhere very similar or a good home for their horses, last year we stopped accepting any new retired ones as we wanted to concentrate on the stud instead, reckoning that by the time the current ones are ancient we will be ready to give up ourselves! Neither of us fancy driving the tractor through howling gales and in and out of the barns amongst milling horses in our seventies...
All that's happening now is as they age and pop off we don't replace them with any more.
You have a couple of options, find a place similar to here and pay retirement keep (starts at around £20 and can be as much as £60 some places)
Sell her, or loan to a stud. if she is an exceptional mare you won't have any problems doing that, but if she isn't a good breeder you may be stuck with the same old problems again and this time you're a long way away!
The cost of moving her sounds prohibitive to me I'm afraid, we don't have a horse we would pay that much to keep with us, it may even be cheaper to save some of her embyos and fly them with you!!!
Sorry that sounds hard hearted, it isn't, more realistic..
If you want somewhere I'd recommend as a loan home Charles Upham at Langaller can't be bettered, not a prissy life but a really comfortable one with lots of room, ample food etc and other mares plus a visiting vet most weeks.
Daughter worked there one holidays and they really know how to keep horses happy!

 

[siennamum]

There are a few Aussies on here - hopefully they can contribute. I have a friend who emigrated a couple of years ago and she's really struggling to keep horses at the moment in Melbourne as the drought is so bad. She is paying horrendous money for hay and says that some acquaintances are having to give up as there is pleny of land but no grass. Might be scaremongering, but it does sound farly dire.
Probably depends whereabouts you are going?

 

[cazza]

It is cheaper to fly them out from Luxembourg to NZ and then hop them over to NZ, alternatively find out when the racehorses are being shipped over to Aus as they are doing it week in week out. All our horses that have been shipped all get off the other end with no problems and appear to have travelled well.

 

[casey2312]

I will look into it more, and get cheaper quotes.

Siennamum we are off to Perth.
HH thanks for the tips, I will also look into the place your daughter worked.

 

[BBs]

So what will happen to forrest *sob*

 

[casey2312]

I cant even think about it *double sob*

 

[BBs]

*wails*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[casey2312]

I'm feeling it BB's, I'm feeling it.

But on the other hand, having read the replys, I may be able to take him with me. Depending on the cost.

 

[BBs]

*WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO*

Phew... Feeling better now

 

[Weezy]

I have a solution - give them both to me

Seriously though, I do think you will be able to find MUCH cheaper shipping options than the price stated. Very exciting times coming for you, I do hope you get to take the neds too xxx

 

[casey2312]

Thanks Weezy. Just informed hubby that Forrest was coming too. Dont think he was best pleased.....He'll get over it!

 

[Little_May66]

Hi Shirley. You could always leave Tiff with us! Kelly will be onto Seniors next year and she'd take good care of her! LOL