Buying from Abroad
Most of the world’s dressage horses are produced in Europe, and most serious buyers outside Europe eventually buy there. Buying from abroad adds a layer to the ordinary purchase: paperwork and VAT, international payment, transport by air, quarantine, and the practical problem of evaluating and vetting a horse in another country. This section documents that layer.
What this section covers
- VAT and export — equine passports, export health certification, customs and VAT: the paperwork layer of taking a horse out of the EU.
- Ground transport in Europe — moving the horse from the seller’s yard to the airport or across borders within Europe.
- Importing to the United States — the USDA protocol, quarantine, CEM testing and the cost band for the world’s largest import market.
- Importing to the United Kingdom — the post-Brexit reality: health certification, customs and VAT on arrival.
- Other destinations worldwide — the Gulf states, Asia and Australia: how the long-haul export trade works.
Destination-specific guides for further countries, air-transport mechanics and quarantine are being added on the wiki’s normal schedule.
How an import fits the purchase
The import process begins before the purchase completes: the pre-purchase exam happens in the seller’s country, the sales contract should anticipate export (VAT zero-rating, risk during transport, jurisdiction), and quarantine requirements differ by the horse’s sex and destination. The full arithmetic — purchase price plus everything until the horse stands in its new stable — is calculated in the landed-cost article.
Corrections and proposals are welcome via the contribute page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to import a horse from Europe? As an indicative range, transatlantic import all-in (ground transport, export paperwork, flight, import processing and quarantine) commonly adds a five-figure sum to the purchase price — often in the $10,000–$30,000 region to North America depending on route, sex of the horse and quarantine requirements. The landed-cost article calculates it line by line.
How long does importing a horse take? From completed purchase to arrival, typically two to six weeks for common routes such as Europe to the United States, driven by paperwork, pre-export isolation and flight availability. Mares and stallions can take longer where CEM quarantine applies.
Can I buy a European horse without travelling to Europe? Yes — a substantial share of international purchases are made remotely from video and a trusted agent’s or trainer’s assessment, with the vetting commissioned locally. Remote buying shifts weight onto the seller’s reputation, the video evaluation and the pre-purchase exam.