Ever had your horse transported?

[NovelNerd]

Odd question I know to randomly bring up. I'm debating having a horse brought in from Canada though, and I'm at a loss for finding a transporter. I keep finding some and then being told they did poor work. If someone has a good personal experience  all ears! P

[kaoskat]

I have no horse to transport but I can give this a bump.

[melodys_angel]

I..Wouldn't know where to start.  If you are bringing something through customs though id probably give them a call and see what you are up against.

[NovelNerd]

Already know what has to be handled there. Just looking for a transporter.

[Katika]

I used a friend to transport my first gelding form college to my hometown, a small/private person to haul him from MO to TX, and then all of my other hauling has been done with Equine Express.  We had that gelding go from TX to FL, my mare from ID to FL and then again from FL back to MO.  I consider our service with them very good, but if you don't stay on their main routes, they apparently subcontract out to private haulers (but they don't seem to advertise that part very well).  I've heard some shady stories about the company temporarily losing contact with these subcontractors so people don't know where their horses are, but the only time I've, personally, had any problems with them is once when there was a weather delay, so they had to change their predicted drop off time, and then once again when they wouldn't change the primary contact number from the barn I was boarding at to my cell (which was fine in my case, because I was spending the night at the barn   The barn owner, on the other hand, was getting calls every hour from about 11pm until 4am with updates...).  I'm a little leery now that I know that my horses don't stay on the air ride rigs, BUT they have also never done anything wrong by me.  I've heard great things about Brookledge hauling, but have no first hand experience with them.

Would it be a clean horse or is it coming from a rescue/feedlot type situation?  That also affects the hauling situation quite a bit.

[NovelNerd]

I was actually just looking at equine express, but do they even go to Canada?

No, no rescue horses, weanling(s) coming from a breeder. They should be in good health. I'm just a bit concerned since I've never used a transport company before I'm not even sure who to trust. I've made a list of about five but seriously how will I know till they haul my horse? The breeders have given me suggested people to call but not getting much of anywhere.

[mlp4me]

If you feel it's going to be too much of a risk for the horse will you consider a breeder in the US?

[NovelNerd]

I've been contacting breeders for a while inside and outside the U.S.
I like this particular breeder and horses the best. Even if I buy inside the U.S. The closest breeder is eight to ten hours. I'll still be using a transporter because I've never hauled a horse that long before and it's cheaper gas wise to pay someone to haul than use my vehicle.

[mlp4me]

Kinda sounded like you had your heart set on a pony outside of the US. I can't imagine the cost to have an animal trekked over boarders.
I wish you luck Maddie. I want to see pics if you do find a foal.

[Calico_Star]

I used Nation Wide Horse Transport to have my mini hauled from Iowa to California, and was happy with their work. I'm not sure if they go to Canada though? When I contacted the same company to bring my second horse from Idaho to California, they couldn't do it because Idaho wasn't on their route.  I know sometimes you can have one company bring them across the border and then meet up with a different company to haul them the rest of the way, but that sounds like a headache. I'm sure you've looked into this already, but are there any upcoming shows in the area? If your breeder is attending a show, maybe they could drop off the horse with another attendee who'd be making the journey back to the US? I almost ended up doing that with my second horse (except we were talking state lines, not country!) but ended up finding a private transporter instead.

Good luck! I know finding a transporter was by far the most frustrating and time-consuming part of both of my out-of-state horse purchases! Every time I thought I'd found one, they either didn't get back to me, my states weren't along their route, or I'd read some awful reviews that would scare me off! Both of my minis are nice little stinkers though, so I don't regret the added cost and hassle of buying long-distance

[joce]

There is a website where you put in your route and people bid. They have ratings and you can pick who does the transport. Can not recall the name? You ship or equine transport or something? I'll have to look around.

 When my appy was a weanling he came from KY and had to be shipped obviously as we are in northern ohio but as it turns out his breeders own a shipping company so that worked out! Actually met them when they came to pick up a mustang I boarded here in ohio they transported out to Wyoming or Colorado ( can't even remember now!) and another set of horses that were from TN I think going to canada maybe.

Google shipping company name and the transporter name. I have heard horrible things over the years. But generally all goes well. Horses and other livestock get moved every day. If it were me again I might just make a vacation week of it and go myself. But I also have the big diesel truck and trailer now.