Our two weeks transporting horses into Europe

Richard Beever, Managing Director of Belvoir International Horse Transport Ltd

"Here Richard provides us with a birds eye view and recalls one of the many experiances that drivers and grooms carry out on a " two weeks journey delivering horses into Europe"

Loading, passports and paperwork all ready to collect and deliver.

The horses were loaded without to much trouble and another eventful two weeks begins for Belvoir Horse Transport, most horses such as show jumpers, racehorses and eventers are used to riding in horse transporters, however sometimes it is not that easy and we leave ourselves plenty of time for all events that may happen, such as a forgotten passport, the wrong documents, a horse that may be unwell and some times a late border or ferry crossing when our European friends are not so helpful!

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Good food, wine, accommodation and help from our European friends.

Most of the time our European friends are more than helpful and horses are close to their hearts, this is a fact and when we have found that when needed help in Europe, most people are very helpful towards you. Nothing is to big for them not to help you, if you are lost and looking for directions, food, accommodation, ferry times, traffic divertions, there is usually someone on hand to help you on your way, be it by way of sign language or broken English they seem to be able to get you going in the right direction.

  • Horse transportation   hot line  44 (0) 77 100 160 19.      Head Office  44 (0) 1476 870177.

Destination France, Belguim and Spain.

Leaving Woolsthorpe by Belvoir our destination this week is France, crossing the channel at Dover was the only option for crossing the Channel as livestock are not allowed on the Eurostar train.Then our destination is to drop off the eight horses south of Calais in France, and then head up into Belgium to collect two horses north of Brugge that are going down to Spain! Calling in at Bordeaux in France to pick up four more horses all destined for Spain. Some days later we are basking in the sunshine in Malaga awaiting instruction to take four horses back to Bari in Italy. Its a hard life this horse transporting! At least we see the different cultures and taste some fantastic foods and what of the horses you might ask? Well our drivers and grooms are all trained and have the experiance to make sure that the horses receive the maximum attention on such long journeys. No late nights or sunbathing for them just care and attention!

Rest days for drivers and horses.

Whilst our drivers are away for long periods and some days it sounds a daunting task, or a long journey lies ahead, not only do the drivers need a legal rest but so do the horses. We have over the years found good stabling and places to stay over night in France, Belguim, Holland, Germany, Spain and Italy in fact all over Europe horses are well catered for. We make sure that on our rest days when we are off the horses are safe and have a good rest to. We allways refer to the journeys in Europe as being easy, compared to taking a horse via road and air transport to Libya that has been one of our more interesting destinations to date!

And so on to Bari in Italy.

The days roll by and suddenly we are heading down on to the east coast of Italy taking two of the horses to a destination on the map south of Bari near Villa Sabina, our destination is not quite as one would think and our satellite navigations leads us off the main road and in to a quite small town / village, it is about 7.30 in the evening and the whole town comes out to look at this very large silver monster that has landed in the market square! And more to the point finds itself at a dead end!

A helping hand from the Italian police.

We check the horses are ok and water them to the fascination of the small children and on lookers and then from out of no where arrive the wonderful Italian police, much to the delight of the people, this looks like a large fine and some points, heading my way! However after short debate and making us understand we are not the first large vehicle to land here! They perform a mirical via the local knowledge to guide us up a side street, behind the square past someones garden who looked shocked to say the least and are having a dinner party! I guess that will keep them entertained for a while talking about us into the small hours. Any way we are carefully guided back into the square to the cheers of the people and back to the main road and on to our destination!  Let no one tell you other wise, in our eyes the Carabinieri are the best policemen in Europe!

Next stop Switzerland and back to Bari !

On we go next trip Bari up the road and three horses to Switzerland, we have to plan our journeys to make sure we have time for breaks and days off so its never a dull moment. Now begins the interesting bit from Switzerland you got it back to Bari! No we did not get lost this time, we made it in time for a late Italian lunch and a place to sleep that was cool after a very hot day. Breakfast was a true Italian start to the day sunshine, fresh fruit ect and the next load of horses ready by ten o clock and our Italian friends did a great job for us providing a packed lunch for the journey home!

And so to England via France.

Our next destination is home, four horses one for Bordeaux in France and three horses for England and we get the feeling that we are on our way home at last! We take a steady drive up through Italy and France and have a very nice stay over for the horses near Bordeaux. The horses are quite content to have a run round the paddock and have a good feed and water. For us it is a fantastic French meal, the gralic, the herbs, the smells of the french kitchen and the taste of my steak a real feast of a meal.Yes and fruits de mar to follow.

The end of another horse transport job.

As we said just another eventful two weeks for Belvoir Horse Transport drivers. Rest assured we have never lost any horses or not reached our destinations to date.The horses seem to just adjust to the journeys as if they to are on holiday and what of us? Well we are happy if the horses are happy and life then is just one big holiday.

Start your trip with us, contact me or my sales staff, we are waiting to here from you.

"Kind Regards Richard"

So if we can be of help please feel free to contact us today for a good quote.

By email  or Mobile 44 (0) 7710 016019 or Telephone 44 (0) 1476 870177