You can ask our solicitors for advice on transporting horses using the question box on the front of our website or the following article may answer your questions. Transporting horses should be undertaken in such a way that maintains the safety of animals during their journey. There are several pieces of legislation which relate to the transportation of horses including: The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 or, for cases dealt with in Wales, the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2006;

• The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999
• The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Regulations 1995
• The Animal Welfare Act 2006

The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order

Created in 2006, this legislation is applicable to anyone who is transporting horses or any other animal during the course of business. As a result this legislation applies to the movement of horses as part of a livery, stabling or professional riding business. The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order will deal with the following issues:

• Protection of animals during transportation – Anyone who is responsible for the transportation of animals has an obligation to keep the animals safe during transit.
• They must not do anything that would result in undue suffering or harm during the journey.
• Means of Transport and Policies – When animals are being transported, you must ensure that the vehicle used is suitable. This means that it should be suitably designed, constructed, operated and maintained to avoid suffering an injury to the horse during transportation. This will include the installation of non slip flooring, adequate lighting, facilities for loading and unloading the animals, sufficient area for the horse. 
• If a horse over the age of eight months is being transported, there is a requirement that the horse wears halters during the journey.
• If the horse is going to be transported a long distance and the journey will last for more than eight hours, the method of transport must be both inspected and approved.

Fitness – Animals must be in good health to be transported. You can only transport a horse which is fit for the entire journey. Nutrition – During the journey, regulations state that facilities should be put in place to ensure that the horse is suitably fed and has enough to drink. The journey should also include frequent rest periods. Handlers – The people in charge of the horse during the journey must be competent and/or trained in handling horses. Certificates of competence may be required. If a horse is transported a distance greater than 65km and the journey is up to eight hours, the individual who is transporting the horse must hold a certificate of competence which is valid for the round trip. Sickness – The regulations outlined at the beginning of this guide stipulate certain conditions that you must comply with in relation to treating sick horses and how they should be transported if this is necessary. Authorisation – When a horse is transported for a distance up to 65km, the horse must travel with an Animal Transport Certificate. If the horse is being transported over 65km and the journey time is less than eight hours, you will need to carry a valid transporter authorisation. Logs – If you take a horse on a journey which lasts more than eight hours, the horses being transported must be accompanied with a journey log. Navigation Systems – If horses are exported, the regulations include guidelines for navigation systems in relation to those who export horses. Exemptions – Under this legislation, certain registered horses are exempt from the regulations such as those registered with a recognised breed society or specific companies such as the British Horse Database are exempt.

The Goods Vehicles (Licensing Operators) Regulations 1995

In 1995, this legislation was introduced and there are provisions contained within it that relate to the transportation of horses. Most notably, if you wish to transport horses you must hold an operators licence to either drive a horse box or a lorry with a total mass of over 3.5 tonnes. These regulations apply if the horse box or lorry is used to transport horses during the course of business activities.

The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licenses) Regulations 1999

This piece of legislation states that in order to tow a horse box where the maximum authorised mass is more than 3.5 tonnes but less than 7.5 tonnes, a C1 driving licence is required. If you intend to tow a vehicle which exceeds 7.5 tonnes you will need to obtain a category c driving licence.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006

The final piece of legislation which can be applied to the transportation of horses is the Animal Welfare Act 2006. There are several provisions contained within this Act which relate to the welfare of horses when you transport them. Transporting horses should be approached with care and you should only attempt to transport horses in the correct vehicle and with the right expertise. If horses become frightened or their method of transportation is inadequate, the horse may become distressed which can present a safety issue for yourself and other motorists.