Pre and Post Shipment Agistment

There are a huge number of horses moved from one establishment to another and it is big business. The movement may only be around the corner if, for example, a neighbour has purchased a pet horse for his or her child but in other instances the movement will be across the other side of the world. This is usually for racehorses that have been entered into a specific race or occasionally for breeding purposes.

In many cases of moving a horse, horse agistment is required either before shipment or after shipment and sometimes both before and after. Horse agistment may be required before shipment if a horse has had to travel any great distance before getting to the main shipment point, say an airport or dock. When horses are going to be shipped either by aeroplane or ship they should be in good condition, well rested and kept calm before the actual shipment. For a horse to be confined in a crate for an extended period of time can be very traumatic and distressing for the horse. Therefore, if the horse has had to travel in a horse transporter for any distance to get to the shipping point it will already be slightly stressed and in these circumstances agistment should be arranged to give the horse a day or so of fresh air and a calm atmosphere. There are horse agistment providers in the vicinity of most airports and shipping docks and all efforts should be made to locate one as near as possible to the airport or shipping port that will be used.

Horse agistment providers who are in these locations frequently accept short-term arrangements for horses. Their business will be geared to receiving customers for only short periods. From as little as one or two days to say two weeks. As well as supplying services to pre-condition the horse for prolonged travel. Your horse will benefit greatly from being allowed to rest before an extended journey.

Even if a journey is by rail or road transport and lasts longer than 24 hours, a break of between 12 and 24 hours should be made. Short-term agistment would then be necessary.

Post shipment agistment is sometimes required if a horse has an on-going journey to make after completing air or ship travel. In those circumstances it would be possible to utilise the same short-term horse agistment provider that would be used before shipment. However, on other occasions, post shipment agistment needs to address the quarantine rules and regulations and for this purpose a more specialist agistment provider may be necessary. Obviously, when a horse is in quarantine it must be isolated and a specialist agistment provider will have the facilities to do this. Daily checks for disease and infestation of parasites etc., will be something that the specialist quarantine agistment provider will do automatically.

Pre and post shipment agistment is an important point for consideration in the transportation of horses whether by road, rail, air or sea.

About the Author:

Westbury Park provides quality, reliable horse agistment to the racing and breeding industry.