Many American equestrians dream of a purchasing a beautiful horse, with incredible bloodlines, and gates to die for. Although it is possible to find high quality competition horses in the US with breeding programs that keep getting better and better, many equestrians look much further to find their dream horse and choose to embark in purchasing and importing from offshore. While many horse buyers find importing a horse scary and full of risk, according to the US government in 2019 over 40,000 horses were imported into America which include many competition horses. So actually how hard is it for horses to be imported to America? Here is the step by step process and what to expect:

Exporting horses to the U.S. from Europe

Blood Work of Pre Purchase Vet Exam

When shopping internationally, your pre-purchase exam must include some essential blood work for export. Imported horses must test negative to official tests for the following in order to be released from quarantine: Dourine (a contagious bacterial disease that is transmitted almost exclusively through mating as it has a poor survival rate outside of its host. It is more common for the stallion to pass it to the mare, but it is also transferrable from the mare to the stallion). Glanders (an infectious disease that is caused by a bacterium. Horses get glanders by close contact with other infected horses, especially through shared water and feed troughs, oral as well as by nuzzling direct contact). Equine Piroplasmosis (a tick-borne protozoal disease that affects horses). Equine infectious anemia (EIA can be transmitted through blood, milk, and body secretions. Transmission is primarily through biting flies, such as the horse-fly).

As of January 25, 2021, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), updated Equine Testing as follows: Under the updated VS Guidance 13407.2, horses with non-negative test results for dourine, glanders and equine piroplasmosis may extend quarantine up to twenty-eight (28) days to be retested accordingly. Extended stays are subject to the quarantine facilities’ space availability and all fees incurred will be at the expense of the importer of record. Any horse with confirmed non-negative test results after twenty-eight (28) days will be refused entry. Horses refused entry must be either exported out of the United States within ten (10) days of refusal notification or humanely euthanized.

Using a Reputable Transportation Company

Once you have purchased a horse in Europe, it is highly recommended that you use a reputable transportation company to handle all the logistics involved. Hiring a reputable full-service equine transportation company that handles everything from stable to stable is key to ensuring a good importing experience for the horse and the owner.

Generally the seller will buy all the travel equipment for the horse on the owner’s behalf, including travel boots, halter, etc. Also, it’s the seller’s job to make sure that all the necessary documentation, including the bill of sale and the horse’s passport, are in order and are released to the transportation company prior to the date of travel.

However, it’s your responsibility to arrange insurance for the horse (many of the high end transportation companies provide insurance options to their clients). Extra flight insurance is recommended, just in case the worst should happen while your horse is in transit.

As soon as a seller and a buyer have agreed on the sale of a horse, the seller should hire a transportation company who will then organize the full shipment, including all of the administrative details, testing, quarantine, road and air transport, customs and veterinary issues in the exporting country, the transit countries [if any] and the country of final destination. Although transportation companies are dependent on the routes offered by the airlines, good companies will always try to avoid unnecessary travel.

Quarantine Prior to Shipping

In some countries e.g., Spain, stallions and mares over two years old are required to spend a month in quarantine prior to shipping.

During the post-shipping quarantine period, you or someone you choose will be permitted to visit your horse, and, depending on the facilities at the quarantine center, that person will be able to ride them too.

European Ground Transportation

Just like a horse bought in the states has to make it to your barn, your new horse needs transportation to a facility before export. Your horse will be collected from its home stable two to four days before the scheduled flight. This allows for the government vet to make health and export papers prior to departure.

The Flight

A horse must fly out of a USDA approved airport. Big hubs include AMS (Netherlands), LGG (Belgium), FRA (Germany), and LUX (Luxembourg). The horses are accompanied by an attendant (flying groom) who makes sure that each horse is doing well and is comfortable. The number of attendants on board will depend on the total number of horses being shipped. Between one and 99 horses is possible, depending upon the type of shipment and the size of the aircraft. Usually we have one person per two or three horses, and two or three horses travel in air stalls classified as economy or business class. They are usually tied and standing the entire time and are given plenty of hay and water throughout the journey. Because of the monotonous sound during the flight, most of them sleep. The flight itself is much more comfortable for the horse. For example, there are no roundabouts to cope with, no traffic jams, or endless stopping and starting at junctions. Once the airplane has taken off, it’s pretty much smooth sailing all the way.

A lot of people want their horses tranquilized for their own peace of mind, which usually is not necessary. An experienced horse person traveling with the animals is the most important aspect of the flights. Essentially, the scenario of air transport is much the same as for moving horses by road. Unless the horse is particularly feisty and stressed or is known to be a poor traveler, tranquilizing him is usually unnecessary.

Arriving in the US

The majority of horses imported to the US arrive in New York, Florida, or LA. On arrival at the destination airport, the horse must clear international customs before being allowed to enter the country.

That should go smoothly, as long as the necessary documents have been arranged by the transportation company, including:

Health certificate
Passport
Purchase invoice

The customs procedure usually goes quickly, although the process can take longer if additional items are accompanying the horse, such as riding equipment.

In the U.S., three days of import quarantine for are required prior to the horse’s onward transportation to his new home or to CEM (Contagious Equine Metritis) quarantine - explained below. During that time, the horse will be blood-tested again for dourine, glanders, equine piroplasmosis, and equine infectious anemia.

You should be aware that, if any horse in the same batch of imports displays anything abnormal or concerning in its blood results or appears unhealthy in any way, the whole flight of horses will be held in quarantine until the issues are resolved. You will have to pay for your horse’s extra quarantine time, even if your horse wasn’t the one causing the problem!

CEM Quarantine

If the horse is a mare or stallion two years or older, he or she must be relocated to a special second quarantine and testing farm called a CEM quarantine center. Geldings do not have and CEM requirements. Contagious Equine Metritis is a highly contagious venereal disease passable from stallion to mare or mare to stallion during mating or teasing. Even stallion to stallion infection can occur via the semen collection process. The mare or stallion is tested for CEM while in Europe just before the trip to the U.S. Any horse testing positive cannot be admitted to the U.S. Because of the elusive nature of the organism, further testing for CEM is mandated by the USDA once the horse arrives in the U.S. Mares undergo further culturing and stallions have to live breed two test mares. Mares spend 15 days in CEM Quarantine, while stallions stay for 33. During CEM Quarantine, mares are cultured and tested for CEM several times. Stallions are also cultured and tested.

Issues with importing stallions

When the stallion first arrives the veterinarian collects an initial culture specimen, and waits seven days for the CEM results. Culture alone is not the sole method of testing to determine if CEM is present. If the culture result is negative, the stallion is moved on to breeding two test mares via live cover. The stallion then waits while being cleaned and treated for the next five days. The two test mares will both be cultured on days three, six and nine, and then blood tested on days 15 and 20. Once all the results of these tests are negative the stallion can be released.

In Europe, many stallions are never gelded even when not being used for breeding. So there’s a fair amount of older stallions that come through the quarantine that have never had the breeding experience, either with live cover or with artificial insemination. The same is most likely true for the younger stallions. Things can get very exciting for these non-breeding stallions, and they take special care in their handling methods to minimize this new excitement. Besides regular exercise, handlers make certain the stallions are test-bred in a different location then the farm so they don’t think it’s breeding time every time they exit the stall.

Because the CEM stallion testing is so invasive of having stallions live cover, this can be very problematic for non breeding stallions. The virgin stallion that you rode in Europe will be coming back home to you with a sex drive, and might not be the same tamed stallion that you last saw. Although this is not always the case, it is important to keep in mind if you are importing a stallion that their behavior might change due to being forced to breed for the first time and the extensive quarantine period.

Arriving at home

After being released quarantine, the horse can go to it’s new home. Many horses that are imported from Europe adjust very well, but it’s best to keep things simple at first with a newly imported horses. The horse will need time to adjust to a new diet and an entirely new routine and way of life.

How can long-distance travel affect the horse

Whether they are transported by road or by air for a travel time of more than 12 hours, it’s estimated that around six percent of horses suffer some kind of transport-related illness.

Many horses arrive tired and drop weight quickly during their journey. Usually, once he’s rested, fed, and has enjoyed some freedom in a round pen or small paddock, the horse will recover quickly. However, during this time, it’s sensible not to ride the horse, as that could exacerbate any stress he’s suffered during his journey.

Be sure to monitor your new horse very carefully for the first few days that he’s with you in his new home. Take his temperature daily, and keep a close eye on his intake of water and feed. If you have any concerns, isolate the horse from others in your barn, and contact your vet right away.

Cost of importing a horse from Europe to America

As a ballpark figure of importing a horse from Europe to the U.S., you’re looking at the cost of between $7,000 and $10,000, although it’s worth noting that the cost comes down if several horses are traveling together. The cost of the import depends on the sex of the horse, and what county they are coming from. Importing a single horse to Los Angeles from Spain would cost roughly $9,000. Exporting geldings costs a lot less than mares and stallions as you are not having to pay for the CEM quarantine which is $3,400 for mares and $9,700 for stallions on top of the inicial importing fee. These are are rough numbers, and it’s important to remember that up-charges and issues can come up that will add to the expense, including extra insurance, extended quarantine if there is an infected horse traveling with your horse, and other care needed during the travel.