Warmblood importation in 8 steps:
All of the information below is provided to you to let you know the process. This process can be done in cooperation together or we can take care of it completely for you.
1. Finding your dream horse
We absolutely understand and encourage buyers to take their time and “sleep on it” or see other horses before they make a decision to buy a particular horse. We certainly do not encourage a precipitous decision from a buyer. Obviously this is a very large investment both financially and emotionally and taking your time making that decision is absolutely prudent and warranted.
2. Purchase after visit or from a video
We always hope you will be able to come over and visit us. Meeting each other in person provides more information than any website in the world. However, we do understand if you cannot come over. In that case: speaking with someone who has experience in buying a horse from us could be a more objective means to obtain information. You must know that we will gladly pick you up at the airport ( Amsterdam Airport) personally and we can take care of hotel reservations if necessary. If you would like to rent a car yourself we can provide you all the information you need to get here.
Hotels located near Benny de Ruiter Stables
Hotel Herikerberg Markelo
Only 5 minutes by car from the barn. This hotel offers a bit more luxury compared to the hotel AC Holten.
Hotel AC Holten
Only 8 minutes by car from the barn
Currency exchange rates calculator at: www.x-rates.com
3. Vet check Pre purchase exam
Benny de Ruiter Stables has a standard procedure for vetting the horses before they are ever purchased. We actually buy these horses ourselves, knowing that indeed they will have to pass yet another vetting in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world (you must know that 99% of our clients come from abroad) when they are purchased from us. That means we are very careful! We also have every horse undergo a very strict clinical exam including all flexions, trotting on hard ground etc. We have our vets in the Netherlands perform the clinical exam the same way it is done in the United States. We send our (digital) x-rays to veterinarians all over the world and our success rate is very high!
4. Blood tests (not required for importing into European countries)
The horses must be tested on certain diseases. Usually this happens by sending blood- and/or CEM samples to an approved laboratory for examination.
Gelding: Dourine, Glanders, Equine Infectious Anemia (= Coggins test), Equine Piroplasmosis (C-Elisa test and ‘Complement Fixation Test’ for Babesia Equi and Babesia Caballi). The results for these blood tests will take 5 working days.
Mare: same as gelding + CEM tests (tests will take 2 weeks)
Stallion: same as gelding + CEM tests (tests will take 4 weeks)
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A physical medical examination by an official veterinary/inspector just before departure of the horse is also compulsory. This is to confirm that the animal is fit and healthy enough for the journey.
5. Insurance
We strongly recommend you to insure your horse from the moment you purchased it. Of course we can take care of this on your request. For those clients in US or Canada we use an American Insurance company.
6. Planning a date for transportation
After we have the (negative) results of the blood and CEM tests we can look for a date that is convenient for you. Usually we can book a ticket in 1 or 2 weeks. KLM, Martinair and Polar Air Cargo fly to the following destinations: New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Mexico and Dubai. The horses are treated as first class passengers with specific needs. Each horse shipment is accompanied by professional grooms, who monitor the well being of the horses and will ensure stress free transport.
7. Arrival
Horses for the United States of America must go for 3 days in quarantine on arrival and will then be tested on earlier mentioned diseases. When these tests give a negative results, the horses will be released from quarantine. Geldings can then travel to the final destination. Mares and stallions are to be transported to a CEM-quarantine facility. For the other destinations a quarantine or isolation period may be required before departure of the horses (like Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, South Africa…).
8. Road transportation to new home
Our goal is happy clients. Happy clients come from good business, but better yet, that perfect match with a horse. One of the best ways we know to attain that goal is to work very hard to find the quality, soundness and temperament that you are looking for in a horse.