All UK studbooks will be recognised by the EU after the end of the Brexit transition period, it has been confirmed.
The announcement means horses with studbook passports will be considered “registered”, and so can travel to EU states without an extra UK Government-issued ID document. Had the EU not recognised British studbooks, only sport horses with an FEI wrap on their passports, and those registered with the Hurlingham Polo Association, would have been seen as registered from 1 January.
Horses with studbook passports will also be able to travel via border control posts specifically approved for registered equines.
Any registered horse travelling to the EU, for up to 90 days, must have been living in the UK, or country with the same health status, for 40 days beforehand. It must have had a blood test for equine infectious anaemia within 90 days of departure, and stallions who do not meet vaccination requirements must also have a blood test for equine viral artertitis within 21 days of departure.
Horses will have to have export health certificates, signed by an official vet, and extra supporting documents.
Unregistered horses without a studbook passport, classed as ungulates, will need Government-issued supplementary travel ID from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Great Britain) or Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Northern Ireland), in addition to their passports. This ID will be supplied by an official vet, along with an export health certificate, when the horse is checked before travel. There are also rules on residency and disease testing that differ to those for registered horses.
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Extra export and transport documents must be completed for registered and unregistered horses, and those transporting them.
A British Equestrian spokesman said: “It is advisable to engage an approved shipper to help with the process, at least for the first few journeys, even if you are experienced in travelling horses.”
Travelling horses between the UK and EU will be more complicated from January. More information is available on the BEF website, but the federation has strongly advised against moving horses to the EU during the first few weeks of 2021, owing to the risk of long delays.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
