Foal auctions are one of the best times of the year! These auctions are filled with adorable faces, spunky antics, and give buyers the excitement of scouting out the next athletic superstar! But how do you get them from point A to point B? Are there different considerations that must be acknowledged when transporting foals? Horseflight is here to share their expertise based on 20 plus years of shipping foals and horses.
Q: Are there health requirements when shipping foals?
A: We recommend that all horses go through pre-import blood testing. This helps to eliminate issues with the horses arriving in the US and being refused entry due to positive test results (although this is not fool proof and there have been cases where a horse will test negative abroad and then positive upon arrival).
Q: What type of quarantine process do foals go through in the US?
A: The USDA has a standard three-day quarantine for all horses, no matter what the age. During this time, blood is analyzed at the USDA lab in Aimes, Iowa. Blood is being tested for diseases such as Piroplasmosis, Glanders, Equine Infection Anemia, and Dourine. If all goes to plan and blood tests return negative during that time, foals may travel on to their final destination upon release. Each port of entry has a different quarantine facility and makes the decision as to whether the foals may share a stall throughout their stay in quarantine based on size of the foals and temperament.
Q: What is the youngest age of horse you will transport?
A: Although we can and have shipped foals who have not yet been weaned with their mother’s, it is not something we endorse as foals do not yet have their balance under control and the shipping process can be stressful for babies who do not yet have experience even travelling in a trailer.
Q: How should foals be prepped for travel?
A: Foals should be halter broke and understand how to walk in and out of a trailer. It would be even better if they are taken on a few short trailer rides in an effort to get them comfortable balancing on a moving vehicle and acclimate to the different noises associated with travel.
Q: Can foals travel together in a jet stall?
A: Absolutely, and we recommend it. Foals do better during transport when they are able to have a travel buddy. It can be a stressful process for foals as they are already under stress from recently been weaned, but now also are going through brand new experiences. When two or more foals travel together, they have each other for comfort and companionship. When we have foals traveling together, we will have them loose in the jet stall so that they can find their own balance, lay down if needed, and buddy up with their friend. Two foals can travel in half of a jet stall, or up to four foals can travel in a full jet stall with the partitioned removed completely.
Q: Upon arrival, are there any special instructions to maintain the health of the foal?
A: Closely monitor their food and water intake, assess their demeanor, and take their temperature three times a day for a week following release. Give them lots of love and treats!
Have additional questions or would like a quote? Visit horseflight.com or e-mail team@horseflight.com.
