Under existing EU trade and welfare legislation you may not transport unfit or unhealthy horses (even under the terms of the Tripartite Agreement) and all movements must comply with welfare in transport rules (which apply throughout the European Union), including:
- All horses must be fit for the intended journey and not showing signs of disease and are able to travel without being caused unnecessary pain or distress
- All transporters carrying horses as part of an economic activity must be authorised
- Drivers and attendants must hold certificates of competence
- Vehicles must be approved if the journey length is of 8 hours or more,
- Unregistered horses* have a 24 hour journey limit (from time of loading), after which a 24 hour rest of the wagon must be taken before the journey may continue,
- Unregistered horses* must be offered water and if necessary fed at least every 8 hours,
- Unregistered horses*, including those being transported to slaughter horses, must be accompanied by a valid Journey Log, stamped by the French veterinary authorities, which shows the intended route and estimated journey times. The original Journey Log must be kept at destination premises, with a copy kept by the transporter,
EU rules require all horses, whether being transported or not, to have a valid Horse Passport.
Within the United Kingdom, transporting a horse in a way that was detrimental to it’s welfare would be a breach of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which states that a person commits an offence if they are responsible for an animal and either permanently or temporarily causes the animal to suffer, or fails to ensure it’s need are met.
* an unregistered horse is a horse that is not on the stud book of a recognised breed society or does not hold a passport from an organisation that organises international competitions (e.g. FEI or the Showjumping Society of Ireland). Not all horses with passports are therefore registered horses.