Moving horses overseas?
Here at VGHT we do things differently. It's our mission to provide a viable alternative to the large, shared loads with multiple collections and deliveries which add to the journey times that equines are being transported, with increased risk of disease, stress, exhaustion and insufficient resources to give individual care.
We understand that shared loads provide a readily available, economical transport option but we believe it is an investment in your horse’s health, welfare, and long-term attitude to travel to give him/her the best possible experience on their international journey.
We strive to ensure that every equine entrusted to our care, regardless of age or distance travelled arrives in a calm, confident state having grown from the experience and in at least as good condition as when we collected him/her.
We take time to observe each horse at overnight stops taking any action within our power to ensure they are settled quickly. We aim for as much quiet time as possible to maximise eating, drinking and rest whilst maintaining a watchful eye on any that may not be coping so well.
Our service is personally tailored around you and your horses. Nothing is too much trouble when it comes to your horses’ requirements and we are very aware that every horse has its own needs and wants.
We will keep you informed every step of the way, from which route we are taking to which stables we stop at overnight. Our drivers will update you every evening with how your horse is doing.
We can help you through every step of the process, providing an end-to-end service if required, including arranging Export Health Certificates and Customs Clearance documentation. We are always at the end of the phone to help in any way possible.
What VGHT does differently
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We plan for no more than 10 hours driving per day
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We liaise with overnight stables if we have horses with specific needs e.g. company or quiet space, top grill, stallion box
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All horses are fed a maintenance dose of probiotics and electrolytes each day, topped up if required to encourage drinking and aid gastric function
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Horses have 24 hour access to ad-lib good quality forage. Whenever possible, this will be soaked hay or haylage when in transit to reduce dust spores and aid hydration
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We feed a soaked fibre feed before and after each day’s travel to aid hydration and gut function and to help horses settle at each stop. We also have a plentiful supply of apples and carrots on board to help diffuse stressful situations, distract them during waiting times and to give something succulent where horses have come direct from a full-time grass diet.
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When it is safe to do so, all horses will be hand walked before and/or after each day’s travel
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We will check weather forecast and liaise with owners/carers in advance to find out about clothing needs – if rugs are required and won’t be provided, we ensure we have a clean rug of appropriate size and weight on board
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Where possible, horses travel with full time access to water.
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We will always try to feed horses on the ground at overnight stops. We will also feed on the floor if possible in the truck. If not, we will encourage them to put their heads down whilst the truck is stationery to help prevent travel sickness
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We will always strongly recommend and encourage crossing to and from the UK by Eurotunnel. We believe the benefits far outweigh the extra costs but we’re happy to cross by ferry if budget constraints dictate.
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We will not go off-site at overnight stops. We are usually able to park right outside the stables, will do a night check before bed and be back in the barn at or before dawn
