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17/01/2008, 16:26 plastered again Joined on 22/12/2007 herefordshire/ 24 Posts 7 horsey advice needed please! Hi, We are moving to the Dordogne at the end of March/beginning of April and need some advice regarding moving our 2 horses.  We were planning on driving them over ourselves but as it normally takes us 17 hours in the car we would need to find somewhere to stable them overnight to give them a break. Has anyone any experience of yards in Caen or Calais that offer an overnight livery? Thanks Anj    Report

17/01/2008, 17:19 cooperlola Joined on 05/05/2006 72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans Posts 6,408 Re: horsey advice needed please! Have a look HERE.  There are some livery yards and gites with accommodation etc.  I'm not in the area so can't make any recommendations I am afraid. I'm sure you've done all this but do beware, you do need import and vet's certificates.  DEFRA insisted to me that all mine needed were normal passports, but I used an experienced transport firm (in Shifnal, as it happens so not a million miles from you) and luckily she was able to prise the correct paperwork from them.  If I had taken their word for it, my ponies might still be in the UK! Healthcare Issues Site    Report

17/01/2008, 18:51 plastered again Joined on 22/12/2007 herefordshire/ 24 Posts 7 Re: horsey advice needed please! Hi, Thanks for that, i will have a look. Yes, i've spoken to Defra and got all the export forms etc that i need. Out of interest, who did you use to move yours- i'm still open to the idea of getting a transporter to move them and save me the hassle, it probably doesn't cost much more when you take into account ferry charges, fuel, livery etc- i can then fly over and meet them there! Anj    Report

17/01/2008, 19:11 cooperlola Joined on 05/05/2006 72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans Posts 6,408 Re: horsey advice needed please! Veronica Shilton   http://www.horsetransport.uk.net/ She was not cheap but my goodness, was she worth it!  The girls arrived dry and happy and she could not have been more helpful.  I had the whole lorry to myself and stashed all their gear in it also - so it was a part removals lorry too. Healthcare Issues Site    Report

17/01/2008, 20:13 Jacqui Too Joined on 23/08/2004 Shropshire / Dordogne 24 Posts 670 Re: horsey advice needed please!  plastered again wrote: Out of interest, who did you use to move yours- i'm still open to the idea of getting a transporter to move them and save me the hassle, it probably doesn't cost much more when you take into account ferry charges, fuel, livery etc- i can then fly over and meet them there! Anj Hi I got a estimate from Yew Tree Horse Transport last year to take two horses from Shropshire to Dordogne and I was amazed how much it was. They quoted me £2,800 but they do all the paper work and it may be worth it if you are exporting them to France for good . But I will be taking mine back! If you have your own transport and your horses are used to traveling long distances as mine are , I would do it yourself I have friends who several years ago traveled a team of mounted games ponies in two lorries to the south of France for the world championships they did it themselves and they only had one overnight stop somewhere in central France. There are rules that apply to professional transporter that don't apply to private people and therefore it is possible to take horses to France without the need for stabling. I have not done this yet as our house is not yet habitable and we are not spending long periods there yet but it is possible that when we do stay for more that 3 months it will be impractical to leave them with a house sitter for that length of time. This is how I would do it: drive down to Southampton aprox 5 1/2 hours rest feed and water, take an overnight ferry 7 hours, this time on the ferry should not be as stressful for them as traveling on a road so therefore they should be resting, when in France find the first 'Green ' aire and unload them to stretch their legs and if your lucky have a nibble ( I know of a wonderful one on route from St Malo) then it would take a least another 8 hours and possibly one more stop for water. I would only do this this with horses that are used to traveling, mine are used to long hours on the lorry some times we leave at 3.00am to get to a show at 6.00am 1 hour for my rider/ driver to get some kip and 1 hour to get ready for the ring at 8.00am and before now we have not got home till 11.00 pm so I know they can cope. Please let us know what you decide I would love to hear how you got on.   Jackie At least with a spell-checker I can appear somewhat educated!    Report

17/01/2008, 21:25 lynda777 Joined on 22/11/2007 Tarn et Garonne Posts 28 Re: horsey advice needed please! Try Philip Hirst of http://www.skyehorsetransport.com.  He's experienced and good with the horses.  He's also not as expensive as some of the other more well known companies.  He brought my 6 all the way from Ireland (via the UK).  That was 3 days, 2 ferries and 2 overnight stops.  They all arrived in good shape - mentally and physically - including a yearling that had never travelled before and a neurotic Arab.    I travelled with them too so I can recommend him.  It certainly made the journey less stressful to hand the responsibility over to a professional. Lynda    Report

18/01/2008, 10:50 cooperlola Joined on 05/05/2006 72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans Posts 6,408 Re: horsey advice needed please! It is a matter of confidence, imo, in yourself and your animals.  If you and they are used to long journeys then diy would be far cheaper.  OK, it cost me 3 times as much as the ponies cost in the first place, but I was well satisfied and I know I would have been anxious if I had done it myself.  Mainly because we only normally travel for an hour or two at most - so I and they are not used to it - least of all towing with an RHD Landy in France which I had not done much of at the time. I did consider doing it myself and thought about the tunnel as it's so quick.  Has anybody tried that? Healthcare Issues Site    Report

18/01/2008, 11:43 lynda777 Joined on 22/11/2007 Tarn et Garonne Posts 28 Re: horsey advice needed please! Just a further comment for "plastered again" (love the name!).  I don't know whether you have a trailer or a lorry but that may also influence your decision.  Long journeys by trailer are much, much more stressful on the horse's legs as they feel so much more of the bumps from the road.  A lorry (usually) has much better suspension and gives the horses a more stable, smooth ride.  Also, of course, trailering is much slower....... Lynda    Report

18/01/2008, 11:46 Jacqui Too Joined on 23/08/2004 Shropshire / Dordogne 24 Posts 670 Re: horsey advice needed please!  cooperlola wrote: I did consider doing it myself and thought about the tunnel as it's so quick.  Has anybody tried that? We have traveled through the tunnel last year from Shropshire to Dordogne (no horses but with a large caravan) and although the actual tunnel experience was very easy and quick, but it took longer to get to Folkstone and so much longer to get from Calais to Dordogne that we would not do it again and for that reason I think that the horses would get less time on the roads which is what I think is tyring and stressful, at least on the ferry they would be able to snooze for up to 6 hours (hopefully on a calm crossing) If I  lived where you do I would have considered it too. Jackie At least with a spell-checker I can appear somewhat educated!    Report

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