Who Takes Their Passport With Them When Travelling? I DON'T!!!!?

I got stopped by VOSA last week, they asked if I had any horses on board and when I said yes their reply was 'Oh we'll not keep you hanging about then in case he doesn't like it - off you go!!'
 
I always take mine, not just for travelling but to prove they are vaccinated when competing, I also keep my membership cards with it too for ease.

I take my passport even if I am driving 5 mins up the road because the passport lives in the car!
 
cronkmooar said:
Never, one horse doesn't even have one and has competed all over the UK.

Thankfully I live somewhere that doesn't subscribe to the passport nonsense!
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Sorry cronkmoor, if you compete all over the UK with horse that has not got a passport, you must only compete at small unregistered shows, I presume your vaccinations are up to date for your horse, or are you putting him or her in jeopardy as well as the other horses you are meeting at these shows all over the UK. I apologise if this post is annoying you, but, if you live outside the UK, how are you getting into the UK, surely you must have to produce some sort of identification as you travel over the borders.
 
yep always take my horses passport as its kept on the lorry, HOWEVER i dont know if people i take on the lorry with me and my horse, have their horse passport?????????????? Not sure if im naughty or they are naughty for not having 'their' horses passport when travelling 'their' horse....... although its me actually travelling it 'so' are they naughty or am i!!! hmmmmmmm
 
marble said:
Sorry cronkmoor, if you compete all over the UK with horse that has not got a passport, you must only compete at small unregistered shows, I presume your vaccinations are up to date for your horse, or are you putting him or her in jeopardy as well as the other horses you are meeting at these shows all over the UK. I apologise if this post is annoying you, but, if you live outside the UK, how are you getting into the UK, surely you must have to produce some sort of identification as you travel over the borders.
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Sorry Marble but YOU are incorrect!

I live in neither the UK or the EU and none of my horses are required to have a passport. I can enter the UK (under UK legislation) with my horse to compete or just to stick in a field and look at him for 30 days consecutive days without the requirement to obtain a passport.

My horse can be tranported by a transporter and treated by a vet during these 30 days without the need for a passport.

For the record I compete at affiliated shows - the post is about passports - not vaccination records and that is what I responded to but for the record my horse is vaccinated and has a record of same - I certainly do not need tips from you on the care of my horse!

I am not required to produce any identification document to enter the UK - and I get the to UK by boat.

Why is it that you think it acceptable to jump down my throat and hold yourself out to be an expert on this matter when you clearly are not?

Especially when the the UK passport legislation is a complete joke and at least where I am from you are required to have an import licence for your horse before you can board the boat! No licence, no boarding - no exceptions!

The following might clarify the matter for you

The ‘Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2004’ allows entry into the UK and a stay of up to 30 days without a passport.
 
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Mine usually lives in the car. I tend to keep it there as it is there for travelling and that way I can never forget it for the vet.
 
Croakmoaar, I did not jump down your throat, and I still maintain, that if you travel in the UK with a horse (or pony) you need a passport....if this is wrong, why do all the people on this forum who are posting on this thread, talk about passports, I was at an event in the last three weeks, where a shetland pony who travelled as a companion had a passport, if you have a vaccination certificate, I presume it has a sketch of your animal, and yes, I am aware that you can travel into UK with import certificate. Why are you so against passports, I think that they have done more to stop illegal trafficking of equines than anything else so far. the only problem is that as usual all the law-abiding citizens of the UK (and elsewhere) rush out to spend their hard-earned money on the latest bit of paper-work we are told we need, dog licences, passports, micro-chips...........whilst the rogues do not. I AM NOT INFERRING THAT YOU ARE A ROGUE....you obviously do what is needed in the country that you live in.
 
Marble

I have given you the legislation which will confirm your comments are incorrect. The people you mention that talk about passports on the forum like yourself have horses resident in either the uk or the eu - and as such are required to have passports when travelling. As I stated previously neither myself or my horses are residents of these areas and as such the 30day rule applies. If my passportless horse stayed in the uk for 31 days he would be deemed resident and as such would be breaking your laws.

It is also incorrect to state that I need an import certificate to get into the UK - I do not - I need a licence to exit the UK which is required under the laws of where I live - nothing to do with the UK. Your authorities request and require nothing from where i come from - they don't keep information of what is entering or where a horse is going.

This is UK procedure/legislation not something that I have made up for my own convenience!

I not only comply with the legislation of where I live but also those of the UK

I have no problem with passports - if you think they are of use you are entitled to your opinion. I however do not think they are of any more use than an old style id document - a document that you did not have to spend any of your hard earned money on. I do agree that it is an excellent idea but something that has turned into a wasted opportunity on many levels ie proof of ownership etc

I would also add that where I live there is ZERO horse theft and that for any animal that enters and that includes horses, cattle, sheep and pigs must provide the address where they will reside,
 
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I keep mine with my competition folder and aways take it, but have never been asked for it, which is surprising as most of my shows are at equestrian centres or large showgrounds.

I keep a photocopy of the passport in the glove compartment of my towing vehicle, although I probably wouldn't legally need it, at least I could show something if I was stopped, if I was taking my horse for instruction or for a hack.

I know someone who had brood mares being taken to stud in a lorry who didn't have the passports, but it was very early in the days of the new law and they were allowed to carry on. They had completely forgotten they needed to take the passports.
 
I keep forgetting it and I know one day my daughter is going to want it to do an ex racer class or something
 
i think that its really irresponsible to travel without one TBH :o Mine normally lives in my car but have forgotten it the odd time if i've gone in a friend's box or whatever- but its not something that i would intentionally leave without. Aside from the fact that its a massive fine if you do get pulled and caught without one (iirc its something like 5 grand and you have around 3 hours to produce it)... if you break down horse transporters will usually require a passport to take your horse anywhere- why on earth would you risk having your horse stranded on the side of the motorway???? i've broken down and had to have the horse recovered- was scary enough without the added stress...
 
So the general consensus is ''take the passport''!

So I have dug out my daughters passport for tomorrow, although not sure if my sister will bring hers along but I will tell her for next time we travel

I think that most people who have been stopped have produced theirs and the one's who haven't had the passports on them don't mention a fine of any sort?

My main concern if I didn't have the passport on me would be if my breakdown cover company wouldn't take me home if I needed them too..what a scary thought!

So now I will travel with them and definitely read my breakdown cover. If I hadn't posted this I would never have thought about that! Thanks folks!! :)
 
OK so if your lorry is nicked and the horses and their passports are on board couldn't the horses be moved on by their new owners as the have proof of ownership ( passports) i know there's lots of ifs and buts but could they ???

surely a photocopy is the better idea after all who'd buy a horse with a photocopied passport.
 
sorry, but can i ask a couple of dim questions?
a] i hack to RC comps & try to carry as little as pos - no-one has ever asked to see a passport - are they likely to?
b] should my mare ever need to get a life home from a comp [ injury/lost shoe etc] - would it be a real issue that i didint have it?
c] & this is a bit embarrassing - but having my owned this horse for 7 yrs - i have just remembered that i have never actually got round to registering her passport to me - is this a really bad thing?
 
rubysmum said:
sorry, but can i ask a couple of dim questions?
a] i hack to RC comps & try to carry as little as pos - no-one has ever asked to see a passport - are they likely to?
b] should my mare ever need to get a life home from a comp [ injury/lost shoe etc] - would it be a real issue that i didint have it?
c] & this is a bit embarrassing - but having my owned this horse for 7 yrs - i have just remembered that i have never actually got round to registering her passport to me - is this a really bad thing?
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a). If it is an 'Official' RC competiton like an area qualifier you will need to bring your flu vac certificate. That information may or may not be in the passport, it may be on a flu vac card, or a combination of both. However RC officials are only interested in the flu vac history, not in the passport itself.

b) A horse can be transported withouts its passport in an emergency if it would be detrimental to it's welfare for it not to be transported. If you are travelling to a training session or just going for a ride then its not needed. (Ours are often very smartly prepared for their rides..............!)

c). While the passport is not a proof of ownership in itself it's a good start. There have been several posts on here from people who are unable to get the passport put in their name because they can't trace the original owner to sign the paperwork needed for the transfer.
 
zebedee said:
a). If it is an 'Official' RC competiton like an area qualifier you will need to bring your flu vac certificate. That information may or may not be in the passport, it may be on a flu vac card, or a combination of both. However RC officials are only interested in the flu vac history, not in the passport itself.

b) A horse can be transported withouts its passport in an emergency if it would be detrimental to it's welfare for it not to be transported. If you are travelling to a training session or just going for a ride then its not needed. (Ours are often very smartly prepared for their rides..............!)

c). While the passport is not a proof of ownership in itself it's a good start. There have been several posts on here from people who are unable to get the passport put in their name because they can't trace the original owner to sign the paperwork needed for the transfer.
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thank you very much for going to the trouble to type all that out - twas very useful:)
 
kickandshout said:
OK so if your lorry is nicked and the horses and their passports are on board couldn't the horses be moved on by their new owners as the have proof of ownership ( passports) i know there's lots of ifs and buts but could they ???

surely a photocopy is the better idea after all who'd buy a horse with a photocopied passport.
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you don't have to leave it in the car/lorry???
presumably when you go to a show you remember to take other things like horse and saddle and hat so just make an effort to remember your passport? ;)
 
diggerbez - are you inferring i have a defective memory ( no im not admitting to that on here LOL)

i actually meant if you were at a show with horses and saddle and a hat and passports then went off to walk course/eat/wait for class to start etc AND THEN someone nicked the vehicle containing hoses etc.
now do you get what i originally meant ????
 
We have all 5 kept in the lorry at all times. They are kept behind the driver's seat (we have a big storage compartment behind the driver and passage seats. We have never been stopped however we have had passport checks done at BE secretarie tents and random vet checks.

I would feel naked without them in the lorry whilst travelling to competitions.
 
My horses passports live in my kit bag so in theory should be with me when they travel. That said I dont always take my kit bag when going for lessons!

Vehicles do get stolen be they lorries or tow vehicles (my lorry was stolen from the yard, fortunately the passports were not on board). Be very very careful leaving passports in lorries/tow vehicles especially if you have an imported horse. I am pretty sure that to get a replacement KWPN passport you would need a record of the identichip number and then need to go through the process of DNA testing to prove the horses identity. An expensive exercise I suspect. I am not sure what the process is for BWP registered horses, think I remember reading somewhere that they will not reissue passports!

Not only will you have lost your horses identity documents/breed papers but even if you get a new passport (from which ever agency will issue one) you will have lost any vaccination records and run the risk of having to restart your vaccination programme - another big expense.

To have a vehicle stolen is a massive inconvenience, to have to replace horse passports on top of that would make the matter even more complicated IMO
 
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kickandshout said:
i actually meant if you were at a show with horses and saddle and a hat and passports then went off to walk course/eat/wait for class to start etc AND THEN someone nicked the vehicle containing hoses etc.
now do you get what i originally meant ????
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I don't think I have ever heard of a lorry or trailer been stolen at a show, out hunting yes, but not at a show centre. So I think just remember to remove them when you get home.

Everyone should bear in mind that if you are competing affiliated, riding club or pony club all have the right to spot check your passports and eject you from the ground if you haven't got them.

Cronkmoor - I am quite concerned that somewhere outside of the EU is free to move horses in and out of the UK without a passport, perhaps we should be tightening up the rules?
 
I've been stopped 3 times and each time passports have been checked. It is law that the passport of the horse you are transporting is in the lorry with you, and its hardly like its an effort to keep it on the lorry!! Id rather that than get a fine......
 
kickandshout said:
diggerbez - are you inferring i have a defective memory ( no im not admitting to that on here LOL)

i actually meant if you were at a show with horses and saddle and a hat and passports then went off to walk course/eat/wait for class to start etc AND THEN someone nicked the vehicle containing hoses etc.
now do you get what i originally meant ????
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haha sorry i see what you mean...i think that would be really crappy luck and just one of those things...i guess you could take a little bag with you and cart the passports around in little bag on your person all day? :D
 
I am also amazed at the number of people who say they keep their horse passports in their car or lorry. What about risk of having them stolen and or of having your horse stolen from your yard along with its passport which is handily kept in the lorry?

OK, I do sometimes forget my passport by not keeping them in the lorry but from the replies here the worst that is going to happen is a strongly worded letter.
 
No, not only you Fourlegs. Having been the victim of a lorry theft this is something I became very aware of. I used to keep my horses passports on the lorry but stopped doing it and moved them to my riding kit bag which does not stay on the lorry. Just as well I did or the passports would have disappeared along with my truck! As my horses are all imported warmbloods who are vaccinated it would have been a long expensive process to try to sort out.
 
I keep mine secure at home unless we are travelling somewhere - in which case it stays in my kit bag. I treat it the same as my passport and keep it in the safe at home unless its being used. I cannot see why there is a difference between travelling to a competition or travelling to go out for a hack or lesson - surely you are still transporting a horse and should therefore have your passport....? Unless you are travelling to somewhere less than an hour away and can go and retrieve it immediately I suppose..
 
Forgot to add to mine that we only keep the passports in the lorry if travelling anywhere. Whilst we are at base they stay in a 'keep safe' place at home. :)
 
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