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  Discussion on Importing Horse - Advice re Shipping?
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Member:
Canderso

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2004 - 7:30 am:

Hi all,
I am planning on bringing a horse from Ireland to Canada and am just starting to research everything related to actually shipping the animal.

Do any of you have advice you would be willing to share? Any shippers you could recommend?

Many thanks (and apologies if this is posted in the wrong spot)

Cheryl
Member:
Tlcstabl

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2004 - 8:38 am:

Hi Cheryl:
I had the opportunity 3 years ago to escort horses from US (Chicago) to Germany (Frankfort) with a stopover in Ireland (Shannon). I'm not sure of the company that was used for shipping because the owners took care of all of that, but I do believe the horses have to travel with a "groom". A groom needs to be able to provide basic first aid, present paperwork and answer questions about the horses in shipment, ride in the shipping container with the horses when they are traveling on the cargo pulley system and give them feed and water during the trip. I had a lot of fun but it was almost 3 days with very little sleep..... If this is still the case, try to find someone who knows the horse(s) to travel with them (if you can't do it) but then you will probably be responsible for some prearranged fee and their passage back to their home country. I didn't charge a fee as these were friends of ours and I knew one of the 3 horses (she was a morgan mare we had sold to them). My qualifications were that I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician and I also own a horse farm and have 35+ years in horse experience so I'm sure anyone with this type of basic background would qualify as a groom.
I know this isn't exactly what you were looking for, but I just wanted to pass my personal experience along to you.
Good luck and safe journey..
Sherry
Member:
Nathalie

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2004 - 8:56 am:

I moved back from US (to Holland) a little over a year ago and since it was so much cheaper to fly my horse from Canada instead of New York I went through Canada. (to Amsterdam) I used a company called Sea Air from there Carolyn Macgillivray did all the work for me and was a great help! carolyn@seaair.ca
If you want more info on my experience you are welcom to send me an e-mail as well nath@supermail.nl
Rgds. Nathalie
Member:
Christos

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 7, 2004 - 3:35 pm:

What is the approximate cost of an overseas transport? Just to get an idea...
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Thursday, Jan 8, 2004 - 6:43 am:

Hi Christos,
I am quickly learning that the cost is about 50% actual transport and 50% getting the horse through all the export/import requirements. For example, quotes I am seeing so far for basic transport are in the range of 2500 - 3000 USD (including groom), with another 2000 - 2500 for pre-export quarantine, tests, certifications, and post-import quarantine, tests and certifications.

The import/export requirements change from country to country so the associated costs will also change accordingly.

It is apparent that quarantine requirements change quite significantly based on the sex of the horse - geldings are by far the least complicated. STD testing requirements for mares and stallions require additional weeks (and sometimes months) of quarantine.

I will keep you posted with my findings...

Dr. O - do you know how close US import requirements for horses are to Canada's?

Cheryl
Member:
Christos

Posted on Thursday, Jan 8, 2004 - 9:29 am:

Thanks a lot, Cheryl.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jan 9, 2004 - 6:20 am:

I don't know the Canadian import requirements Cheryl, have you searched the net? I went and looked at the Canadian Health Web Site and though it says the information is on there I could not locate it.
DrO
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Friday, Jan 9, 2004 - 7:08 am:

Dr O - the import requirements are pretty buried aren't they?
If you go to https://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca/AIRS/airs-sari.asp
and use the HS Code 010190, (for a gelding) you are pretty much there.
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Sunday, Jan 11, 2004 - 4:41 am:

Cheryl

Try contacting the Irish Horse Board www.ihb.ie - they should be able to give you advice on this through their Inward Buyers Scheme (you do know you are entitled to get the cost of an economy flight back if you buy a horse at a performance sales in Ireland, do you?). They can be a little slow to reply sometimes but they should be able to help you get the information. They are part of our Department of Agriculture, who would deal with the paperwork etc. at the Irish end.

Also there are lots of horse transport ads in the Horse and Hound magazine classifieds which include companies operating from Ireland.

All the best

Imogen
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 20, 2004 - 12:18 pm:

Update on shipping news:
It turns out that there are some pretty signficant differences in import protocols between the US and Canada from Ireland with regards to horses(e.g., Canada requires a 30 day isolation prior to import, US does not).
Because of these differences it often is much cheaper (and faster) to import through the US then into Canada that to import directly to Canada. (This utterly fails the common sense test, but I am not going to argue!)

It also turns out there are some really good operators out there. I do want to comment on Sea Air (thanks for the recommendation, Nathalie!). Basically they suggested I go through the US using another carrier as it would be faster for the horse and cheaper for me. Not often businesses suggest you go with a competitor, so these guys sound like they are good for other routes: https://www.seaair.ca.

More to come...
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Sunday, Mar 14, 2004 - 5:18 pm:

Update time - I bought a 4 year old (picture to be posted soon!)and am working through the shipping details.

It occurs to me that this poor fellow is going to be coming from lush Irish fields to hot weather and lots of bugs(insects and bacteria/viruses) that he is not used to. He is also probably going to be quite exhausted once he arrives.

Dr. O, can you suggest steps that can be taken pre and post travel to ease his adjustment?

I guess it will also make sense to get WNV done well in advance of travel, right?

Cheers
Cheryl
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Mar 15, 2004 - 6:59 am:

Yes I think it makes sense to get all important vaccines done well before shipping.

The most important thing is to make sure the forage available throughout the shipping process does not change abruptly at any point and keep concentrate feeding at a minimum while traveling. Some have recommended oiling prior to shipping but I have not seen any proof this is beneficial.

There is little you can do about the environmental changes nor can I think of anything you can do to prepare him for it, just manage his comfort when he gets here.
DrO
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Monday, Mar 15, 2004 - 1:12 pm:

But as he's at least half Irish draft his naturally calm temperament should assist...

When's he due to ship, Cheryl? I have a friend who is a travel groom, mainly accompanying airfreight racehorses. He might have some useful thoughts for you but he wouldn't exactly be an Internet user so I'll have to give him a call.

Find out from the current yard whether he is on hay or haylage and from the transport company at what stage they switch. I imagine it's Irish forage on the plane, but it stays on the plane for plant and animal health reasons, at which point he gets switched to whatever your Canadian transport company uses.

All the best

Imogen
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Monday, Mar 15, 2004 - 4:24 pm:

Hi Dr. O and Imogen,
Many thanks for advice; as always, wonderful!

Good point re feed - I am pretty sure he is only on hay right now, but will check.

Imogen - he won't be shipping until at least May and possibly not until August. I will know more when he finishes his training (but advice is always welcome!).

Member:
Canderso

Posted on Friday, May 28, 2004 - 9:20 pm:

Hi all,
Well Gregory leaves Ireland June 22 and should arrive at my barn sometime on July 1 or 2. He is travelling Dublin-Amsterdam-New York- Ottawa.

He is currently on an extruded feed and pasture.

Imogen, if you can ask your travel groom friend for advice, I would greatly appreciate anything he might offer.

Thanks!

Cheryl
New Member:
Rhoni

Posted on Thursday, Sep 30, 2004 - 2:33 pm:

Cheryl,

How did your horse do on his trip? I'm very interested in knowing about your whole importing experience. I imported a mare and three weanlings from Germany in August and I'd like to get more horses but I need to find a less expensive way to get them here.
Looking forward to your comments,
Ronni
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Friday, Oct 1, 2004 - 8:01 am:

All went extremely well (as soon as I just closed my eyes and opened my wallet).

Through the process I realized that shipping a horse is pretty much like shipping anything: there is a well-established infrastructure that you just have to find the most reasonably priced way to tap into.

I am glad I didn't go with the least expensive option though - departure dates were delayed (Dublin airport was shut down with only 24 hours notice thanks to a visit from Bush), and routings were changed about 4 times due to changing flight schedules. The shipper took everything in stride, and just let me know of the changes. I am not sure I would have had the same from someone operating a leaner business.

Gregory arrived healthy and happy and hasn't looked back.

You can email me for specifics, if you are interested (I think my email address is in my profile).
Member:
canderso

Posted on Friday, Mar 16, 2007 - 4:27 pm:

Looks like I am going to be doing this again... This time with a mare.

The good news is that the basic costs have changed very little, the bad news is mares over 2 years of age need to have CEM testing. That adds 2500 - 3000 USD to the cost as mares have to be certified clear of CEM. YIKES!

Does anyone have good (or bad) stories about CEM testing facilities in New York State (or near the Rock Island facility)?

Thanks!
Cheryl
New Member:
cstoate

Posted on Monday, Jul 12, 2010 - 7:17 am:

This is a very useful thread. I am a Canadian living in France and returning home after one year. We have purchased a horse while here. It is a gelding. The stable here is arranging transport, quarantine etc. All of this is costing about 5000 euros.
There does not appear to be a requirement for isolation before departure. Does anyone know what duties I would be subject to on return to Canada?
Member:
canderso

Posted on Monday, Jul 12, 2010 - 8:36 am:

Hi Chris,
Wow, prices really don't change much do they?

Be careful though - there most certainly is a pre-export isolation requirement! When I brought my gelding in it was for 3 days, requiring worming, de-lousing and bloodtests (coggins, mostly).

I suspect that it is so minor compared to mares or stallions and pretty much has to be done for the zoosanitary export certificate anyway, that folks kind of ignore it. So whatever you do DO NOT say to CFIA that the horse wasn't quarantined prior to export, or he will (quite rightfully) be turned back!!!

As for taxes and duties - talk to the shipping agent at the Canadian end about this, as s/he will be most up to date on this.

Out of curiosity, what route will your horse take to get to Canada? Do you know?

As an aside, Dr O's advice on immunizations was excellent. Also be aware that Rabies and west nile may or may not have been done in France. Find out and make sure the horse is up to date ASAP, after he arrives in Canada.
New Member:
cstoate

Posted on Monday, Jul 12, 2010 - 12:30 pm:

My understanding is the shipper will pick up the horse in Paris, where conveniently our barn has some horses in a show from which a number are being transported to Toronto for I imagine the Royal Winter Fair. The shipper takes the horses to Amsterdam and they fly direct to Toronto from there. This is all happening at the end of August, so I should be able to get all the questions answered in time. We did know about the blood tests and had those done to ensure the horse could make the trip, sounds like perhaps they have to be done just prior to departure too. I am trying to confirm it is seaair...our barn in Canada immediately contacted (without any indications from me) Carolyn from the thread above, to find out how to quarantine etc. in Canada...small world! Thanks for your help.
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