Long Distance Travel

breakemall

I will be heading to Rome next month with two horses for an event and I am looking at the ferry options because we are going to make a road trip of it.

The land bridge to France via UK looks like the most probable with an overnight in Dover to give the horses a break followed by overnights in Lyon and Genoa.

The ferry direct to France also appeals, but 18 hours in a 511 seems too long to me?

Has anyone any experience of the continental ferry crossing with horses in a horse box rather than in a truck?

convert

I'm afraid I'm not the best person. To help you, as the furthest I've travelled with horse's is a 5 hour drive in Ireland!

However, when I was a kid heading to France on a family holiday, there were horses on the ferry. I don't know if it was a box or lorry, but they did overnight on the boat.

You could always ask the ferry companies if this is common and what they do on these cases.

breakemall

Thank you for the suggestion but I tried that route with mixed results, so I was trying to see if anyone had first hand experience to help me decide.

Anyway the first leg of the ferry trips is booked now (cannot book the Dover legs until a max of 14 days before the crossing) and it is the UK land-bridge option with stop overs in Dover, Lyon and Genoa along the way.

Now all I want is to get the documentation sorted (again another swamp as having consulted Horse Sport Ireland, The Dept of Ag, the ferry company and Calais Port I am more confused than ever and almost dizzy from all the passing the buck) and I think I will contact one of the transport companies for the definitive answer as I would imagine they will know?

Then all I need is a Coggins test for the horses this week, and fair weather for the trip...

isaos

Glad you opted for the ferry crossing, it's in fact probably less rough for the horses than travelling all the way to the shuttle, not to forget the huge amount of troubles due to the migrant situation in Calais: ou could be suck in the tunnel for hours, not talking about eventual incidents on the other side. Whatever you do avoid returning through the tunnel, there were a few instances where horse boxes were targeted. Keep safe anyway! and good luck re Red Tape!

breakemall

Thank you, a little good luck is always appreciated...

Someone trying to access the horse box crossed my mind, but if they pick the wrong cubicle they will be exiting quicker than they entered!!!

As for the red tape, fingers crossed it will all work out and I imagine it will be worse after Brexit?

isaos

breakemall wrote: »

Someone trying to access the horse box crossed my mind, but if they pick the wrong cubicle they will be exiting quicker than they entered!!!

As for the red tape, fingers crossed it will all work out and I imagine it will be worse after Brexit?

Brexit will probably make every thing worse!! Without wanting to scare you there have been instances of horse box attacked on the road to the shuttle, including this story - https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/top-riders-terror-calais-migrants-attack-horsebox-591837

breakemall

Scary alright, but not much choice other than to run the gauntlet? There will be 4 of us so I might get the wife to drive this leg and I will ride "shotgun"... I could do it literally as my UK permit and EFP are in date but the authorities might not look kindly on it LOL!

Brexit will hit us all in more ways than we think I fear, even a trip up north with the horses could now become an international red tape nightmare?

We were in Italy 4 years ago for an event and found it to be very horse friendly, and for our overnight near Genoa this time we found a farm B+B with stables and arena so at least the horses will get to stretch their legs. In Lyon we are staying at the Hippodrome so the girls might get a chance to breeze around the track with a little luck. Either way it will be a road trip to remember I hope.

isaos

Enjoy! and if you have any problem in France with your horses don't hesitate to let me know, I have a lot of equestrian friends up and down the country (I'm French )

Yes Brexit will be and is already starting to be a nightmare... a lot of people are complaining that they can no longer hop from NI to the Republic for a horse show, they have to register 10 days ahead and loads of paperwork...