Question.. How would you go about finding reputable transport for a horse? I have a friend who is looking, but having a hard time putting that much faith into a paid transporter. -Katelyn P.
It is good to be concerned when looking into horse hauling companies. Like anything there are good and not so good companies out there.
While I was in college, in Ohio, I needed to have my horse hauled back to Maine for the summer. I asked around (I was at an equine college) and made calls but no one had any real answers. The best I could find was an ad in the back of a magazine. I called a couple until I found one that was going that direction.
Scrapper, my horse, couldn’t get a ride until two weeks after I had already gone. I wasn’t worried though because he was at my college. A friend called and told me when he had been picked up. I was excited and began the countdown. It takes about 16 hours to drive from Ohio to Maine.
They told me it would be a little longer because they had other stops. One day went by. Then two (no cell phones back then). Finally on the third day a call. They would be there late that night.
When Scrapper arrived I saw the rig for the first time. It was a very large stock trailer that had slant load stalls inside. They unloaded several horses to get to Scrapper. I was shocked.
He looked like a greyhound. He was so drawn up I couldn’t believe it. I had raised him and had never seen him look like this. He was crusty from sweat that had dried all over his body. I was working at a barn and the lady there said I should be concerned because she doubted he had been watered.
In the stock/slant set up there were no drop down windows to water horses. The hauler was in and out and didn’t ask to water the horses he had unloaded to get Scrapper off. The lady I worked for was probably right.
Stacy Westfall hauled Commanders Nic from OK to OH and was contacted by word of mouth
I don’t say this to claim that there are no good companies. I am hoping that people will leave comments below telling of happy stories. That is my only personal experience with a horse hauler. Everything I have done after has been by word of mouth or done myself.
If we have a horse we want hauled we look for a big show that is happening near there and find another trainer who is coming or going. I have hauled horses for other trainers in the same situation (see side photo). I know this isn’t available for everyone, I am just saying this is how I handle it.
My short answer is word-of-mouth. First hand experience relayed to you by someone else. As I don’t have a lot of experience with hiring horse haulers, lets see what comments we can get here. Have you had a horse hauled? From where and to where? How much did it cost? Did the company do a good job? Would you recommend them?
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We just bought a horse from a woman down South and she set up the hipper. He texted me right away at the beginning of the week to get me to sign the contract and I haven’t heard from him since. It has been four or five days. He was mentioned above…
I would be worried too if I had Elliot transporting a horse. We used them once and it will never happen again. Kim is extremely rude, unprofessional, and a liar
At what point can you / do you ask for the deposit to be refunded back? What are the chances of actually getting it back? I
Just found this info on your transporter on another site – http://www.transportreviews.com/SimpleCompanyInfo/6617
I have no personal experience in this regard but a reasonable person would expect that if the transporter has not met the terms agreed upon for pickup/delivery that they would be obliged to refund you the deposit unless their contract specifically states otherwise. Hopefully your contract terms are clearly defined. Good luck.
I’m looking for a holler that their trailer is air conditioned for my 32-year-old quarter horse mayor and my 31-year-old mini donkey from Rochester New York to Northeast Texas don’t have a travel date as of yet. Wondering if you have any idea of what the cost would be to use this company I actually want to follow behind them just in case there is any type of medical emergency for either my horse or a donkey. I am not a super wealthy person but when it comes to my horses you would think I have as much money as Bill Gates.
Don’t use Outlaw Transport. You’ll get a bid and acceptance and a cancellation several days later after you arrange everything!! Thanks Randy Entler….
Don’t use Outlaw Transport out of Oregon. Booked a cross country trip from PA to CA, took my $1,400.00 deposit, cancelled trip and I never got deposit back. I took Randy to court and won a judgement…have yet to see my deposit. Terrible company. Have used Cox Transport out of Texas twice cross country and they were great, on time and my horses arrived healthy.
I worked several years for Billie Powell Horse Transport, based in north Georgia. They have a custom made rear-facing slant-load eight horse trailer with air-ride on both the axles and the hitch. The trailer is made so that the horses can get their heads down to expel dust and debris from their nostrils. Horses have great quality hay and water in front of them the entire trip. Horses never come off their trailer tucked up. They haul some of the highest quality horses in the world and their standards are world class.
I shipped 2 mules from Nashville TN to Orange county, CA 3 yrs ago with Nationwide horse transport. It was a tractor trailer with 2 drivers.while they were getting our mules ready they filled up all the other water buckets that had and watered each animal, filled up any empty hay nets and did a walk around to each animal. They took our mules to CO where they stayed for several days and were a big hit with the staff. Then went to their new owner in CA. These mules were bought sight unseen and the new owner was very happy. She still has both of them and loves riding.
This last year we bought a beautiful sweet john mule and had him delivered by A-1 horse transport , Marlina Dudash. She is fantastic. It was during the cold front we had in the south and Ice everywhere. She knew what she was doing and took great care of herself and our mule. It took a day longer due to the weather and he still looked great. Hope this helps someone!! Happy trails.
Thanks. Just got a bid from A1.
Marlina from A1 Horse Taxi (via UShip) hauled my Arabian mare from NY to MD back in the summer of 2013. She was wonderful and took great care of my girl. I would recommend her to anyone.
I moved my self and horse back up to Maine 4yrs ago. I actually called a reputable horse farm in Maine and asked for advice because I knew she shipped horses all over the country. So I went with her suggestion only to be let down because they weren’t traveling to Maine anytime soon and didn’t want to make an exception of one horse. I also didn’t want to leave Kentucky before him. I went to uship.com and blindly accepted a bid. Now it wasn’t ideal but two super awesome guys took my horse on an adventure and safety got him to Maine. I called them all hours I the night checking on him and lucky for me my horse is super laid back. Once he was delivered they told my mom I had gotten a good deal and they weren’t ever coming back to Maine. Haha. I was super lucky.
[…] How do I find a reputable (trustworthy) horse hauler to transport my horse? […]
I have used Shawn Jones Cutting Horses multiple times and the horses always arrive in excellent condition. His wife keeps me updated on the horses and their progress. They are almost always early and he is a horseman so there is never an issue of a company that hired a driver out of the newspaper. He isn’t always available though it depends on his schedule and shows,
Heads up friends! Joe Duncan (aka Larry Duncan) of J & J Transport, now National Equine Transport Is not only a compulsive liar and horrible transporter, he now has committed FRAUD. He stole over a grand from my bank account. Bank is working on the fraud changes and police report is being filed. Do not give this person your credit card info when you fill out his paperwork. Better yet, DO NOT HIRE HIM!!
He didn’t deliver custom tack we sent with a horse and after a year of emails promising he would mail it– he kept forgetting, wife was sick, excuse after excuse– even said he would ship it right after his wife’s chemo treatment.. this guy is full of lies. We got tired of excuses and gave up. He blocked us on fb and wouldn’t not reply to messages. I still have all the messages before though. Sadly, we were out a custom fit set of tack for the horse.
— it was Joe Duncan– J & J transport that kept the tack.
We have used Pine Valley Acres a few times,, they are great, and Pure Pleasure horse transport was good.
We unfortunately used Joe (Larry) Duncan earlier this year. We had no problems with the transport but 4 months later he made an unauthorized charge of $2500 to our account. We have turned him in for fraud and also filed a police report. All this will hopefully catch up to him soon. Have since used Cox Transport with good results.
I found someone via uship and they were great and not too expensive. They transported my horse from NC to TN.
I highly recommend Bill Blackman with A plus services for this haul 936-425-6007
I shipped a horse from the Eastern Shore of MD to Columbus GA (about 800+ miles). I didn’t know what to do so went online and researched haulers on USHIP.com. You can read reviews and when you post your horse and what/when/where details, shippers will bid and you can read their reviews and pick the shipper you want. Ours worked out good (my horse loved to load/go). They arrived right on time with texts ahead to let us know where they were. They gave an estimated time of arrival (which I was NOT going to be at the location he was being delivered to… he had to go 2 weeks ahead of me)… but they were about 5 hrs late because of making other stops along the way. I can’t remember the total time but it was close to 24 hours. My horse was unloaded and was put into a pasture at a friend’s farm. But the people who were waiting for him were mad that it took 5 hrs longer than expected. So be prepared for gliches like that… if they have room on their trailer, they will add stops along the way to maximize their profit! Understandable, but if your horse is stressed, or your end-of-the-line people are particular, be prepared for a not-so-perfect experience.
I haul my own after buying a bred mare in Waco, TX and hired a referred and reputable hauler that the owner of the mare recommended to haul her to me in Northern MT. 5 days later with NO contact with the hauler as I couldn’t get a call back, he left his truck to a youngster to haul the last 1200 miles and my mare had 18 yearlings stacked behind her which were dropped off in Bozeman, MT and when I unloaded her, the foal was laying on the floor behind her dead and it took 2 days on IV to hydrate her and get her through her colic. I paid $800 for that? NEVER AGAIN!
I just shipped my gelding from Michigan to Kentucky, where I go to school, back in October. I was extremely nervous for this, he’d never traveled more than an hour in a trailer. I asked around, and overwhelmingly the answer was C and W. They haul weekly from Michigan to Kentucky, very regularly going all the way to Florida. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to ship horses anywhere along I75, or most places in the Eastern US. Reasonable too, $350 total. They also contacted me multiple times while en route to let me know he was doing fine. Great company!
I have used C&W – from upper Michigan to Lexington KY – excellent service!
I’m needing a 18month old filly hauled from Georgia to Knoxville Tennessee who do you recommend that is trustworthy text me 423-231-6349 thank you pam
5 years ago I purchased a yearling in Montana and inquired with USHIP.com as I needed her transported to Southern Maine. After much concern and inquiry I decided to go with Wings Transport out of CA. Mitch was the driver and he was awesome! He picked up my filly and immediately contacted me and let me know he was on his way. Right from the beginning he said it would potentially take 7 days to reach Maine as he had many horses to pick up and drop off along the way. He had the entire trip planned and had several overnights at farms where he knew he could take the horses off the truck and let them stretch their legs. Mitch called me every day between 4-5pm and gave me an update on my new baby. When she arrived she was in awesome condition he said she drank water regularly at every stop and ate her hay along the way. I would highly recommend this company for a cross country trip for your equine.
I also like Wings. I had a great experience with them. Mike Spurling hauled two senior stallions of mine from CA to TX. When I say senior, I mean senior…sire was 36 and son was 27. He stayed over at our place and we put up his other passengers for the night. Horses were in great shape.
I’m thinking about using Wings Horse Transport to haul a 17.2 Hand 2 month pregnant TB Mare from CA to TX but I’m skeptical due to the Yelp reviews. Do you know if they board horses overnight during the trip and if they are safe/responsible people.
I’m with Jill Reynolds. Back in 1999, I hauled my little weanling filly from Alabama to Kentucky when I bought her using Brookledge. They took great care of her even though she was in with a bunch of American Saddlebreds being hauled back to KY from FL. They transport Thoroughbreds to and from race tracks and farms. They know how to handle horses and do a wonderful job.
I have used Bob Hubbard hauling also. Hauled my little morgan mare that didn’t trailer well from Eugene, Oregon to Fredericktown, Ohio. She arrived in excellent shape and wasn’t nervous. They were excellent about keeping in contact with me with updates and with the destination contact. Would definitely use them again!
Lots of good info here. I used to haul my own horses around the country for horseshows so I know what a big responsibility and a lot of work it is to care for these horses on the road. Referrals from friends or respected trainers is the best way to go if you can’t haul your own horses. Good questions to ask have been pretty much covered here. But I would also ask what precautions they take as far as determining horses they are hauling are healthy and do they regularly disinfect their trailer. Often haulers are happy to email photos of their rig so you can see the stall and trailer and tires and hitch to make sure they are in good condition. Of course, someone can send fake photos, so again, references are good. I also get a list of stops they are making; just in case I haven’t heard from them in a while, I can track where their route is. There is a FB group called Hitch Your Horse a Ride to help you find a ride for your horse. But again, ask all the questions because there is no approval process for these types of sites. For rescue situations, I can personally recommend Fleet of Angels; but again, these are volunteers and you must still ask lots of questions to make sure the hauler is qualified, knowledgeable and safe. Happy Hauling!
I bought a weanling from a breeder in western Kansas in Nov 2012. I live in southern Illinois. I was skeptical about hiring a transporter just didn’t know enough about them. So my husband and I headed west to get her ourselves. Got within 3hrs of our destination when the fuel pump and injectors went out of our diesel. Our 2 day trip lasted 5 days and my $400 filly cost $5300! I wish I had researched into haulers more thoroughly. I will if there is a next time! At least I knew she was taken care of properly since I was her care taker.
Just for interest and your Australian mates. I sent a two year old filly with Rudds Transport, from Darwin to Cairns. She had to go via Brisbane, making the trip a total of 3196 miles. $2200. Gemma the truck driver was absolutely wonderful, she text every night, sent pics etc. Gemma became concerned my filly hadn’t had a good drink for a couple of days. I was contacted straight away, and we discussed what would be best for the horse. So at no extra expense, they let my filly into a pasture with their pet mini (under close supervision), for a few days to make sure she was hydrated, before putting her back on the truck for the finale 1000 miles. Within three days of my filly reaching her final destination,
you wouldn’t even know she had made such a long stressful trip. Thanks to some good caring horse people (Rudds), my baby made it safe and sound.
I know a terrific hauler- her name is Rachel Devita-Anderson. She is out of Union grove WI look her up on facebook. She posts regularly when she is going on long distance hauls and where she is going and how much room she has. She is fantastic short or long hauls, wonderful horsewoman and awesome driver even in cold and inclement weather. Really nice and very caring.
Lynn howell and her sister Billie Powell are awesome. I have been on a few trips with them and am truly amazed at the care they take of the horses. One trip we went north 2 hours out of our way because it was going to be 20 degrees cooler and much better for the horses. The extra miles were not added onto any persons bill for this. Amazing people. Lynn number 770-331-6702 i Billies number 770-329-9677
Hi …In 2010 my family moved from Delisle Saskatchewan to Bridgewater Nova Scotia. The biggest part of the move was finding transport for our 4 horses..one of them 9 months pregnant. When I was at my wits end searcing for a hauler somehow by the grace of God ( ok a kijiji ad) we found a hauler from Nova Scotia…mere minutes from our final destination who was coming to Edmonton for pick up and had four spaces…one a box stall for our pregger mare..they also boarded our horses and birthed our foal at their farm until we were settled. They are owners of a beautiful horse facility called Down by theLake farms in Blockhouse Nova Scotia…Thanks Martin and Imogen Broadman. Sometimes things just workout….Thats my hauling storey.
Yes, yes, yes. Fairway Horse Transport. I found out about them totally word of mouth. They know how to handle horses, even the crazy ones. Mark Choper -the founder – is very experienced with horses and used to work with all sorts of TB and in a beautiful way. They recommend other reputable shipping companies if they can’t do your exact time. They cost me $200 to ship a horse back home (1 state) that didn’t work out. I was too upset to want to do it myself. I don’t have enough good things to say about them. They also bring rescue dogs up north to the Humane Society free of charge when they can as well. Awesome people
I have heard good things about http://www.brookledge.com/ Brook Ledge. They have a good reputation. They move a lot of horses.
I had my horse shipped from my home town in Pa to home now in FL about 3 years ago. The man (forget his name) had his own transport business and was heading my way so he told me he would be able to transport my horse too. The other horse owners backed out and mine one horse was the only one for the trip. He was kind enough to not charge any extra to drive from NY to FL for my horse. My horse was treated like a king. He had a the whole trailer to himself, lots of hay. The man even told me he had to buy bottled water for my horse because he was being picky and would not drink anything else. This man was very kind to my horse, who at times can be firecracker. I was very happy with him. The trip cost me $600.
I had a local (east coast) husband/wife team haul my horse from VA to GA. He was hauled with one other horse, who was going to be dropped off first in North GA. They were a great hauling team and had a large enclosed trailer where they only shipped 2 horses at a time, and each had a large compartment area with lots of shavings. My then 20 year old TB/Perch arrived quickly and happily. I was there to load him in VA then caught a flight down to GA to be there when he arrived. My share of the move was $700, and this was back in 2002. I loved the haulers, but I forgot who it was!
Stacy, I know a really reliable horse hauler who is a horseman first. His name is Andy Edwards and he owns the Anaheim Hills Saddle/Cattle Club in Southern California. He has been in the business forever and knows all the good ones in the country. You can reach him at 714-397-2830.
Tack Tavern Transport was a good company to deal with. Not only did they do a good job of taking care of the horse on the trip, but also they did a good job of communicating with people at both ends of the trip which is important. There are a lot of sites on Facebook that give feedback on companies. That would be a good place to check.
I highly recommend Crossroads Equine Transport out of Indianapolis. Tony is a true horseman who strives to provide the very best care for every horse he hauls. Another thing to point out is that reliable and safe transportation companies are not always the cheapest option, but in the long run you know that your horse is being well cared for and will be taking the most direct route as opposed to being hauled all over hell’s creation prior to arriving at his final destination.
I had my sons horse shipped back home to Pa from Ga. When looking for a transporter we looked at things like type of rig and how long they had been in buisness. If someone has been shipping for 20 years they have got to be doing something right. What might seem like a no brainer to you might not to some shippers , so ask if the horses will be fed and watered along the way, and will they make stops to rest the horse. Cost 2 yrs ago from Ga to Pa was $800 Trip took 22 hours. Longer then it took me to bring horse down but they did have other stops to make. They also carrried back saddles and totes for a very small fee. Something else to think about.
I used USHIP.com and they are the best. Always put a lot of effort into checking every few hrs.
I have also used Cox Equine Transport from Kentucky to Gainesville, TX and they were very good and horse was calm and quiet upon arrival.
USHIP is a website where many haulers list their services. Kind of like eBay. It’s not a single hauler.
We have sold a two year old stallion that he is going from Northern, Indiana to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. This will be our first experience shipping; however, the new owner is very pleased with this company and said that they have delivered several horses for her that all looked very well when she received them. She said they stop regularly to let the horses rest and is very confident with their care. Elliott Equine Transportation, http://elliottequine.com/ will be assisting us with this move. Best Wishes!
Jan, How did the trip for the stallion turn out, I might be using them next week and I am very affraid?
Jamie, I hope your experience with Elliott Equine (if you used them) was better than ours. We would NEVER recommend them after our stressful and costly experience using them to trailer our young filly from the US to Alberta. Our cost was almost doubled due to breach of terms of contract – no compensation or even apology by Elliott of course. If you look at the Goldbook site and check the reviews there you will see comments from some very unhappy customers for a variety of issues. Thankfully our horse was in good physical condition but the haul was shorter, other horses and their owners were not so lucky. The seller showed the patience of a Saint for what she had to go through to work with Elliott’s extremely poor communication and lack of due notice. We had used Foothills Ranch based out of Manitoba for a horse we brought out from the Maritimes and were extremely impressed with the professionalism, the communication, the rig, the handling and care taken. Our guy stepped off the trailer like he had just gone around the block and you could see he was extremely comfortable with the Foothills people. We would have used Foothills for the more recent haul but the timing was off for their next trip to the US.
It would be excellent if someone started a site with reviews, etc for North American equine hauling as the traffic to and from certainly warrants it but it needs to be maintained and promoted. It also would put pressure on those that are less than reputable to cleanup or get out. Bad reviews tend to be buried and of course only the good reviews show up on the transporter’s website. The big challenge also would be to get this site communicated out to all interested parties as the premiere “go to” place which should include the transporters themselves so they are aware of their shortcomings. It might save a horse or two as well!
Please, for the sake of humans and horses, AVOID Elliott Equine. Our experience was a nightmare, unreliable, unprofessional, extremely rude.
Wow. Now I am scared. I contracted with them, Elliot Equine, in July for a Sept./Oct. haul. It is now 12 hours shy of November and they have yet to pick up my filly. Told the breeder they would be there no later then today. No word/no show.
How did you trip with Elliott Equine turn out – I am thinking of using them for a trip from Ontario to Florida, so I’d appreciate any insight, comments you might have. Thanks
My experience with Elliott Equine was terrible. I was moving my horse from Denver, CO to Helena, MT. It took 5 days for my horse to arrive, and the trip is 12 hours by car. They kept pushing back the delivery date because they had other stops to make. They never told me they were changing the arrival day, until I would call and ask why she wasn’t there yet. The communication was terrible, but when I did talk to them, they kept telling me that she was doing great. They delivered her at 10:30 at night, when it was pitch dark outside. When I examined her the next day, she had a bid gash in her leg, which they had tried to cover up with a bunch of salve. I would never use them again.
Sweet merciful Jesus. Don’t use Elliott Transport. I had a client transport her horse from Canada to SE of Denver. The horse was supposed to be shipped Sept 1. We got a last minute response from Elliott (a text, no phone calls) to drop everything and be prepared to receive the horse Sept 15. They said they would be here in the 9:00 PM range. Nope. SHE DROPPED THE HORSE OFF WITH A STRANGER 1.5 HOURS AWAY UP IN FORT COLLINS! We didn’t find out until the morning of Sept. 16. I had to drop everything that was scheduled for the day to go and pick up the horse (SE of Denver to Fort Collins). The moron who accepted the horse (and I do mean moron) acted like it was no big deal. No imposition or risk for her, especially with VS. The owner said the horse had dropped weight as well. As far as I’m concerned, this woman belongs in a federal prison. She’s running drugs or stolen horses or something not legitimate. Turn and run from Elliott Transport.
I have looked into several companies – Elliott being one. I found that their US DOT number has been deactivated. I am not sure what that means but if someone knows could they shed some light? I know they are still doing business – I have seen a review since I noticed this. I also suggest looking at the FMCSA website when selecting a hauler – Elliott has a few violations for excessive drive time as well as a driver who had a suspended license? Please, research ANY hauler you use. Not just this one.
When I was in college, I had to move my horse twice, from California to Iowa and back again. The first time I used All Pro Horse Transport. They were terrible! They kept moving my gelding’s pickup date further and further back, and finally showed up on the same day that I was supposed to fly out. Then it took them a week and a half to get to Iowa. When they finally got there, my horse looked much like yours, Stacy. Drawn up, rough-coated…it was heartbreaking! They also put me through a lot of grief over the payment, even resorting to extortion to get beyond the agreed upon amount. And I took a lot of flak from the boarding stable for the way my horse looked.
(Deep Breath)
After all that I was extremely wary of movers, but nonetheless, my horse had to get back home. This time, I used Nationwide Horse Transportation. The difference was day and night! I put the poor operators through numerous phone calls checking in on my boy, and they were always polite, kind, and accurate in their information. My horse made it back to California in three days and looked healthy and happy! I would use them again in a heartbeat!
So I guess I’ve experienced the best and worst of the horse transportation world. Here’s hoping everyone else only experiences the best!
I shipped my horse from Chicago to NC in 2008 and used a shipper from uship.com. It’s like an eBay for shipments, you list your what where and when and shippers bid on it. You can check out their reviews and feedback. The lowest bidder had perfect feedback so I went with them. They took great care of him, had great communication throughout his journey and he arrived on time and happy!
Who was the shipper you used? Ive already given Elliott Equine a deposit so I guess Im stuck with them for better or worse!
When I moved to college I had my gelding transported from San Diego up to northern Idaho. The company I used was wings horse transport. The horses were definitely watered and fed properly, but my gelding did drop about 10 lbs on the three day trip. He’s was abused before I got him and he was not used to being trailered so the weight loss was not totally unexpected. The man who transported him was nice but very loud which made my gelding nervous and with out a doubt contributed to the stressful trip. He was hauled in a 6 horse slant load which was full when he arrived. I had been under the impression he’d be in a box stall on the trip up (I was already in Idaho when he left San Diego). I know there is a transport company out of Texas that has box stalls and air ride trailers, if your horse was used to travelling they may be an option. I will only have friends or trainers transport my horses (until I can afford to buy a big enough truck to haul a trailer) from now on though.
I used them as well to haul my boy from Washington to southern California. It took almost a week for him to arrive, and he’d lost 75-100lbs,and looked awful. He wasn’t used to that long of a trailer trip so i expected a little weight loss to but not that much. I don’t think he even got out of the trailer to stretch. He was the first one loaded and 2nd to last one off.
Cox Equine Transport….also Nation Wide Equine Transportation…..both are very good!!
I had my mare transported from northern VT to central PA for $550 using this company: http://ddpranch.com/ddptransport.html. They are family owned and run and are WONDRFUL. They handle horses very well, not rushing horses onto the trailer and they make stops every few hours to check on the horses. They stop at private barns overnight so that the horses can rest and they sleep very near the horses to ensure everybody is ok through the night. Also, they call or text you with updates and will answer your call at any time to answer questions. My mare is often high-anxiety but she was calm and happy when she walked off the trailer. Great experience and very affordable. They do cross country trips all the time. I would highly recommend them.
Just thought I would leave a message about JJ transport out of Texas.
I just bought a futurity horse in October and hired JJ transport. It was my first time using him and was VERY HAPPY with the communication and his rig that he hauls. My 2yr old took a few days to get home from OK TO CA but he took excellent care. He feeds hydration hay every night and really cares about his clients. Look on facebook under
Joe Duncan/ JJ transport if your interested.
We had a horse shipped from TX to MD by J&J Transport in February, No problems with the transport but now, 4 months later, I have a fraudulent $2500+ charge to my credit card from him. DO NOT USE J&J TRANSPORT!
Interesting. His wife is a police officer. He made two trips back east for me to pick up my ASB and bring to Texas. I have nothing but good things to say about our transaction but then again I did pay by check.
Yup, they did the same thing to me. Except he never showed up to pick up my horse. A couple months later I had fraudulent charges from him on my credit card that I had given him for a deposit to haul my horse. Thank God he never hauled the horse and after I disputed the charges I got my money back and my bank went after him. COme to find out there were many he did this too.
Legally, anyone hauling horses for hire is required to be DOT licensed.
If the professional transportation company is DOT licensed, you can go to http://www.safersys.org and by entering their DOT number you can check their safety record and any record of violations, confirm whether they are actually legal to transport horses, and insurance information. You have contact information there as well, and lots of other information. They cannot hide.
Licensed transportation companies are subject to equipment safety inspections and drivers are subject to random drug testing. Drivers also have to pass regular medical exams and carry a valid medical card, among other things.
Yes, it’s always good to check for references and referrals. Do you know who is behind the wheel? There are lots of horror stories out there. Find out what others’ experience has been with a company you are considering.
Ask lots of questions and make sure you are comfortable with the company you are hiring and entrusting your horse(s) to. What type of trailer? What size stall will your horse travel in? Stall, stall and a half, box stall? How often do they stop to feed and water? And check the horses in general? How many drivers? How many years of experience with horses? Will they haul straight through, or will your horse lay over somewhere during the trip? How often can you expect updates? Can you contact the drivers while en route? Just a few questions you may wish to ask.
For those transporting their own horses long distance, there are “horse hotel” networks, where you can unload and let your horse(s) rest, relax, and “let down” during the journey. If you don’t have living quarters, this option could allow you to spend the night in a nearby hotel of your own, get a good night’s sleep, and you won’t have to leave your horse on the trailer. Again, check references/referrals for other’s experiences with the options you have while traveling.
Another thing to think about – non-legal transporters, if pulled over for any reason, they could be pulled from service and held for that alone – potentially with your horse on board.
Horse Rescue organizations often use haulers and so they often have a great idea who hauls, who is reliable etc.in your area. So, if you know a good horse rescue organization you can try them!
C&E Horse Transportation out of Chicago. They are my best friends from college, horse people, with outstanding credentials and safety records. With Craig and Christina running this family business, you can expect nothing less than the best! They haul nationwide including multiple Florida trips each week through the winter.
I would love their number.
I used glider horse transport the owner’s name is dusty glider. To ship a horse from California to Rhode Island it was an awful experience And I strongly suggest nobody use him. It took him 8 days to bring my horse to me during that time there was no communication. He would not answer my calls nor respond to my emails. The few times he did answer was when I called off a friends phone and he wouldn’t tell me where he was only that every thing was fine and he refused to give me a date that he’d be dropping her off he’s just say in a few days or next week. On day 8 I finally got ahold of him and told him I was reporting the horse stolen if I didn’t have her the next so in the middle of the night he met up with another trailer and gave them my horse and they dropped her off the following day. It cost me $1400 and a lot of stress. And the guy that actually dropped her off told me that Dusty had been hauling my horse to and from auction barns all week with Auction horses. And to top things off the lady I bought her from shipped her with not up to date on vaccine. I found this out after I received her so my thought was if Dusty was ok with shipping a horse not up to date on shots which is illegal then what else does he over look when he picks up horses.
Omg, we just hired him this week! We bought a horse from down South and she said she had a great shipper. He texted me for my email to sign a contract at the beginning of the week and hasn’t replied back since. I keep asking when he is bringing the horse. The woman we are buying him from said he is shipping Sunday. We were hoping to get him tomorrow. Guess that probably won’t happen. I don’t mind waiting as long as he is safe. 🙁
I used Danny Gilder and was awful, they asked to get paid by paypal before the mare was even at the destination. And then sent me pics at 4 am of the mares legs all cut up bad. Called me and said she was a downer in the trailer. This mare was in heavy foal as well. She needed a vet, asap. They just dumped her off and while dropping her off at the stables a mini that was on board escaped and ran to the stables neighbors place and caused all the yearlings to run thru a wire fence, apparently they spent 4 hrs trying to catch the mini that was running amuck. Anyway I was in Canada and the mare was dropped off in MT. I called the vet and he picked the mare and she spent 5 days in vet care. When I questioned Danny about it all he said was I’ll give you a deal the next time. Bad lesson to learn.
I also used Dusty Gilder. He was recommended by the people I purchased my horse from. My horse was shipped from Missouri to California. 1800 miles. When the driver showed up at 9:30 PM I asked if he wanted to stay the night. He had five other horses in the trailer and said no he was headed to Northern Ca. to deliver the rest. He said they only stopped when they, the people, stopped to eat. I got the impression that those horses were never unloaded. My horse also had shipping fever. He was really sick for a month. $200 in vet bills. I texted Dusty to tell him that the horse weren’t unloaded and the vet charges and he said he would talk to the driver. Do not use this company! By the way, Dusty runs the business and hires out the drivers.
I work a lot of sales all over the country and I have had the privilege to ride on many horse vans in the trailer with the horses, there are a couple very good companies out there who provide attendants in the trailer to hay and water, also they are there to make sure the horses stay calm and do not injure themselves. Stacy I am sorry you had that experience, most everyone I know in the industry does what they do for the love of this great animal. Some of the better companies are Sallee transport, J.R. Hutton, Brookledge, and Doyle. To the point of proper transport, even if you can drive it in a certain time most often they have other pick ups and deliveries so be sure and jug your horse also if they are young or spooky you might also think about a shot of ACE before the trip to calm them down. I hope this helps.
I just used Equine Express. They were recommended. They hauled my gelding from Wisconsin to CA. He arrived last week. He was in a box stall in a big tractor-trailer rig. He was fed, hydrated and very comfortable en route. He looked great upon arrival. They called me multiple times during the trip. I had their cell and could call (and did) to check on their journey. They picked him up when they said they would and delivered him within 2 hours of their projected drop off. I would use them again.
How much did that cost? I have about the same length of trip and I need a quote!:)
Is this C Bar C Equine Express out of Texas?
What was the price on this shipment? I’m looking to ship from wi to ca
I’ve used Equine Express before and it went super well! I shipped him from Rochester NY to CharleTon SC for $1500 I think. I’m trying to get my horse hauled again and reached out to them. They are trying to make it work but i dont know if they’ll be able to get him to Cocoa FL. The quote this time was $1600-which in my opinion is pretty reasonable! Like I said I would DEFINITELY recommend (& I’m a very particular person lol).
Hi,
I had a 4 yo Canadian Stallion hauled from Quebec to Saskatchewan Canada in Sept/09. It cost me $800. I used FootHills Ranch from Manitoba. I researched their farm. Long time QH breeders with horse experience, beautiful horses and a newer facility, price on their weanlings showed good bloodlines and they delivered their horses. They kept in touch with me on the road via email and text and let me know that they were stopping at their farm in Manitoba for a day to rest, maintain the truck and rest the horses. My stallion arrived in wonderful form and good health. 2 years later I purchased 2 Canadian mares from Peterborough, Ontario and used FootHills Ranch again. The transport for 2 mares was 2200,00 taxes in. My mares arrived on a 9 horse angle load trailer and were in great condition for the length of the trip. 4 days and 1800 miles. I was very pleased and confident with the experience of FootHills Ranch and highly recommend them.
I used Bob Hubbard. He was amazing. I had my horse hauled from a tiny town in Southern California to Colorado. They were on time and my horse came out healthy. She was old and I worried about the long trip. She loaded into their trailers no problem (she wasn’t a good loader, not was she good in the trailer) she ate and drank at every stop. I was very pleased and the price was reasonable. Around 800 bucks for the whole trip.
do you have th ename for Bob Hubbard I will be moving my horse from Southern California to Montana very soon.
thank you,
Jaime
I am trying to find a ride from Santa Cruz to Dillon, MT in mid August. If that timeframe aligns with yours, maybe we could ride together? I have a couple of recommendations and quotes, but would love someone else’s opinion – this is nerve-wracking!
Do you have this man number
I will be watching this thread because I will be moving from VA to WY at the end of this year. Not to hijack the thread but how hard is it to haul a horse yourself cross-country, without trailer living quarters? My trailer is a 10′ stock trailer.
I self hauled from WA to MO 15 years ago. I only had a 2 horse trailer! There weren’t cell phones then either. I researched how long I would be driving each day and then found places to board overnight in that town. He stayed at a sale barn, a fairgrounds and a private stables. I tried to let him out once a day to stretch and walk around. The costs for an overnight stabling were really pretty minimal. It let him rest and lie down if he wanted.
I hauled one horse from Utah to Indiana this June. I will never do it again. Horrifying! I have to get my horses to GA soon. One from Indiana and one from Utah. I hope this thread helps!
I wouldn’t do that long a haul myself, simply because your horse will do better in an air ride van. A regular horse trailer that can be hauled with a pick up truck does not have the shock absorption that the big rigs have, and your horse will be a lot more comfortable. Do lots of research and hire a professional. You won’t save that much by doing it yourself.
We ship our horses to and from Kentucky/ Florida every spring and winter. We use Brookledge Shipping and they are amazing. Quality rigs, great drivers. Horses are monitored and the trips seem to be made as stress free as possible. We administer gastroguard for a few days before they travel and a day after. The shipping charges are not cheap but very fair for the service you are receiving. Cost is reduced if we are traveling where they have rigs previously scheduled. The peace of mind is priceless!
How much will you charge from west liberty ky to billings mt