Travelling horses via ferry

[helenc]

As I've said in a previous thread of mine, I am going to be moving to Northern Ireland from England some time in the next few months.

I have no experience of travelling horses via ferry, chances are I will get a professional horse transporter in to do the actual move but I'd still like to know the process.

Has anybody travelled horses by ferry, what exactly is involved?

[BIrish]

Drive onto ferry.. park.. eat overpriced chips in cafe... drive off ferry :D

There is no fuss involved. Make sure you have the right paperwork though - check DEFRA site for the details.

[Soot]

What she said, xcept mine came from France & the seas were terrible, so poor sod had to wait 3 hours in Calais before they allowed livestock on.

But then it was drive on, cross channel, drive off ;).

[Wally]

We drive on ferry, top up water buckets open all the windows in the lory as it can get warm down below.

Go upstairs, eat over priced school food, go to bed, check them once or twice get up drive off ferry.

Our crossing is 14 hours, they won't take ponies/horses if the wind goes above a force 5, we decided to wing it in a force 6 and the Master said we did so at our own risk. Shetlands can take it, I thought they'd all be dead in a heap, they were perfectly alright, but a bigger, more flighty horses would not have done well on that crossing.

How long will the crossing be?

Surely NI from England she'll only need a passport. We only need a passport.

[gb050573]

I know ponies who travelled from Scotland to NI and am pretty sure like Wally said they only needed their passports.

Again, as Wally said, the weather will be our only limiting factor and they seem pretty strict about weather / sailing conditions and travelling horses. Advisable to check with them on the day before you leave to make sure at that time it won't be a wasted journey in a lorry to the departure point.

[Soot]

but a bigger, more flighty horses would not have done well on that crossing.


Yeah my boy colicked after his crossing. Was all a bit too much for his old bones ... But, bless him, he'd just been removed from all his mates & cosy stable, put in a 12 horse trucks (international show transport truck) all by himself (!!) and ferried off into unknown lands ... He was very dehydrated despite having free access to water during the crossing.

[BIrish]

Surely NI from England she'll only need a passport. We only need a passport.

Depends on Agri status at the time.. Is best to check with DEFRA before travelling as the UK & Irish governments work together (is cos is attached to Southern Ireland)

ETA - also wouldn't make the crossing in more than a force 5. Ferry companies are very understanding though when livestock involved.

[colettybetty]

Ours had to wait for hours before the sea (from France) was sufficently calm enough to let them on.

[AlexNI]

I moved to NI a couple of years ago (and then moved back to England last Sept.)

On the way over we hired a lorry and did it ourselves. I just got the reg no from the hire company and booked the ferry through the frieght section. As someone else said the horses got very hot on the way over. When i went down it was like a sauna even though all the windows were open. We went to Dublin and then drove up and only needed their passports.

On the way back I used a transport company and to be honest it was a lot less hassle and worry. And it was about half the cost (£250 per horse). The only thing is they are usually overnighted somewhere. Ours went from Belfast to Scotland and had an overnight stop and then came down the next day. This was what I didn't want on the way over but to be honest I think they were better for it. Again the company only asked for their passports and they looked after any other paperwork. Is used LOC transport based in Epsom, Surrey and they were very good, they do pick ups from all over the UK.

[helenc]

That's great, thanks everyone :)

I'll check with Defra to see exactly what I need.

I've got two choices really - about an 6-7 hour drive to scotland and then 4 hour crossing or a 3-4 hour drive to Liverpool and a 9 hour crossing.

I'll get some quotes from transporters and ask them what they think is best although if it's as easy as all that I might do it myself. They'd probably be happier in their own cosy little lorry anyway

[Wally]

I'd do Liverpool, if the sea is dead calm, it's no worse than them standing in a stable. It's not as diffiult as travelling in a lorry as there is no braking , accellerating and turns for them to balance for.

Our lot come out of a 14 hour ferry trip fresh as daisies.