# Transporting my horse to Alaska by...air? Or boat? Or through Canada?



## doubleopi (Dec 27, 2011)

So, this year (Summer) I want to bring my Tinkerbell to Alaska. Obviously I am doing my own research and considering my options. I am considering buying a truck and trailer in Oregon and driving her up myself, getting my brother and sister-in-law drive her up, driving to the ferry in Bellingham and riding the ferry, hiring a shipper to drive through Canada and flying (Most likely on Alaska Air). I know people ship their horses to and from AK all the time and would like to hear people's experiences and preferences.

It seems like flying may be easier on her, though stressful, it's over quickly. I have yet to call the air line to find out what they would charge but will be doing that.
Having a shipper drive her up may be nice since she would likely be traveling with other horses and they seem to take their time and are very experienced and have connections along the route.
Driving her up myself could be fun, but very likely stressful for both of us. Even if I get my brother and SIL to do it or come along. It would be nice to have a truck and trailer delivered from the lower 48 though! And I have driven the Alcan.
Going on the ferry would eliminate passport and Canada concerns, however, that can be up to a week on the boat with not a lot of opportunities to get off and stretch her legs.

Like I said, I'm just wondering if any members have experience shipping to/from AK and would like to weigh in. Or any shipping long distance, especially by plane or boat or professional shipper.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I personally have not shipped long distances, however, I have friends who regularly ship from the NW to Florida. They do drive themselves, and what they do is have stops planned for every night, unload the horses and they have stalls for the night. Then they load up in the AM and keep going. Usually takes 5 days I think to get to Florida, but that is taking it quite slow and well paced.
There are also lots of reputable commercial haulers that can do it.

IMO the cost of shipping on a plane, for such a short distance, is just not worth it, and the boat will take too long.
Good luck!


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## doubleopi (Dec 27, 2011)

Thank you Anebel


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

From the experiences I have had I would say have a professional take her, especially if her journey isn't time critical, you maybe able to get a shared haul and that would save some money.

Plane I think would be very expensive, so depends on your purse strings. I suffer from seasickness, so wouldn't wish that on a horse, LOL I don't know if they do get sea sick, but it is a long time to be cooped up in a stall or a crate. The only time we took horses on a ferry one got injured, so I'm not a big fan.

A well respected haulier will look after your horse, deal with all the border hassles, and will have contacts on the route where they can lay over. It is far less stressful, and often not that much more expensive than having to do the haul yourself. I know when we have looked at it before it paid to pay someone, and I have had 3 long hauls done, all the horses travelled well and arrived safely.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

A professional hauler would probably be your best choice IMO.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## doubleopi (Dec 27, 2011)

Everybody makes very good points about the professional hauler, though no matter what, she has to be on a boat for at least 12 hours because I live on Kodiak island.
Again, thank you for your opinion and experiences!


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Never ever on a plane. I refuse to put any animal on a plane. If there is any indication of a fire (including faulty sensors) oxygen is immediately sucked out of the cargo department and well that suffocates the animal immediately. Basically any cargo airplane will do this since the cargo is in a separate area then the crew. This happens more with passenger planes that carry cargo on the bottom. 

Unless you had no choice and there was no way to cross land, I wouldn't do it.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Never ever on a plane. I refuse to put any animal on a plane. If there is any indication of a fire (including faulty sensors) oxygen is immediately sucked out of the cargo department and well that suffocates the animal immediately. Basically any cargo airplane will do this since the cargo is in a separate area then the crew. This happens more with passenger planes that carry cargo on the bottom.
> 
> Unless you had no choice and there was no way to cross land, I wouldn't do it.


You do know there are people with the horses as well, right? They don't travel unsupervised... And any airline that's going to "suck oxygen" out of an area with people in it is in for a huge lawsuit. The country's most expensive and important horses are flown around quite a lot and there would be an equally large lawsuit for killing them.
I call BS. What are your sources?


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

~*~anebel~*~ said:


> You do know there are people with the horses as well, right? They don't travel unsupervised... And any airline that's going to "suck oxygen" out of an area with people in it is in for a huge lawsuit. The country's most expensive and important horses are flown around quite a lot and there would be an equally large lawsuit for killing them.
> I call BS. What are your sources?


Haha not if the people are in with them. They are many ways to transport animals on a plane. I suppose it depends what you are willing to pay that will matter where they are on the plane and how they are tended too. I was referring to the animals that are in cargo hold only, not where people are.


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## BCtazzie (Jun 7, 2011)

I have flown with horse a few times. I didn't pay for the ticket so can't comment on price range. Never on a passenger flight, only cargo flights. Yes things can go wrong in the air but, they can go wrong traveling by land too. 

On land if you horse goes berserk for some reason (trying to kick through the trailer) there is few more options on what can be done. pull over in a safe spot etc...unless it's a MVA then that's a whole new range of problems.

They get a little nervous at take off and landing but relax for the rest of the flight. The shipping company should have a flight groom, we had us (the horse's grooms) plus two flight grooms. Being able to calm a horse when needed is key. I know of one horse that had been flown before no issues and then lost it on another flight, they tried to settle him in air, didn't work. On the lay over was still worked up ( you can not get off on a lay-over) and then sadly euthanized after he smashed the crate into pieces. that was an 18 hour flight. His other flights were short 3 hour ones.

In general, if they travel well by land then air isn't a huge issue. Price on the other hand maybe double or triple what you'd pay someone to haul by land. If you decide by air I would never ship a horse without a flight groom, to me that's a deal breaker.

I would also rule the ferry trip out.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Haha not if the people are in with them. They are many ways to transport animals on a plane. I suppose it depends what you are willing to pay that will matter where they are on the plane and how they are tended too.* I was referring to the animals that are in cargo hold only, not where people are.*


Again, I call BS, *What are your sources??

*Horses are ALWAYS supervised by humans in air transport.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

The pilots that fly with these animals in the cargo hold. The simple fact is they will not risk a fire on a plane with humans if they can put it out. What does a fire need? Oxygen. So without filling the cargo hold with water what is the easiest way to put out a fire? Take out the oxygen it needs to live. They will not state that as a possibility if you sign up to put fluffy in the cargo hold below the passengers. And the fact remains that sometimes they have faulty fire alarms and there is no fire. But they cannot send someone down there to check.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> The pilots that fly with these animals in the cargo hold. The simple fact is they will not risk a fire on a plane with humans if they can put it out. What does a fire need? Oxygen. So without filling the cargo hold with water what is the easiest way to put out a fire? Take out the oxygen it needs to live. They will not state that as a possibility if you sign up to put fluffy in the cargo hold below the passengers. And the fact remains that sometimes they have faulty fire alarms and there is no fire. But they cannot send someone down there to check.


What airlines?? Also what airline would allow horses to travel unsupervised?? Can you provide documentation of this "protocol"?? 

I can say the president himself told me I'm the worlds greatest dressage rider, but until I produce documentation it's called "hearsay" which is around the same level as mindless gossip. Please don't spread crap lies on the internet until you are prepared to back it up with documentation. Not one person I know who has flown a horse in transport has had their attention brought to such a BS protocol.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Hahaha. I believe I said in my op that horses might be different than smaller animals. I'm talking smaller animals. You don't have to believe me if you don't want to 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Hahaha. I believe I said in my op that horses might be different than smaller animals. I'm talking smaller animals. You don't have to believe me if you don't want to
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Firstly, considering that this is a thread/forum about horses/transporting horses, what airlines do with small animals is absolutely irrelevant.

Secondly, please do not state false crap about airlines "sucking air" away from horses, and animal in general. PETA wigs out when a stallion is kept away from other horses. I imagine if airlines actually did "suck oxygen" away from animals there would have already have been a huge uproar, especially with the recent Boeing issues (Q&A: Dreamliner woes explained - CNN.com). I have seen no mention of fatalities, human or animal.

Produce documentation that pet/animal owners must sign that their animal may be killed on a pilots whim and I will believe you. Until then I'll assume you pulled the whole story from where the sun don't shine.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

No worries. I haven't made it up but that's ok if you think so. Really doesn't bother me any. Maybe when I have time I will find the document my dad signed when he shipped a dog and send it to you but I'm busy and that's low on my priorities.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SnowCowgirl (Jun 3, 2010)

I've shipped long distances quite often (I live up beside Alaska actually, and regularly we haul to BC or Alberta - up to 24 hour hauls).

If you stop often to allow them to rest (they can even stay in the trailer! We try not to unload, as often we're hauling 8 or more horses some of who don't load very well), it's not an issue. Bed deep, offer water (though ours dont eat or drink much while hauling). 

I am possibly hauling my mare from here to Manitoba this summer (so like 40 hours or something) and for that one, I'm probably bringing portable corral panels that I can set up alongside my trailer for overnight stops. 

Your choice on whether to use coolers/travel boots/etc. We never do.

If it were me and I had the option of buying a truck and trailer, that's what I would do. I've known some excellent horse haulers, but also heard not so good things about others... and I'd rather not trust my horse to anyone.

I'd also stay away from ferries if you need to be on for more than a day at a time. Besides the stress of being on a boat, I can just see the mess that a horse in a trailer on a ferry could cause :S even WITH cleaning the trailer. Plus, ferries are expensive if you take a vehicle on (from what I remember anyway!).

I'd never consider flying a horse purely for the shipping cost.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Three of my horses travelled from the UK to the US. They did the journey by horsebox to the docks, ferry to Amsterdam, plane from Amsterdam to New York then to quarantine by trailer and finally to their new home by trailer again. They coped fine with all of it
The Commercial airlines are adapted to carry the horses that travel in purpose built crates - in the case of ours each crate held 3 horses in separate compartments. 
The wonderful groom stayed with them for the entire air trip, they are constantly checked and have to be under supervision the entire time - they do not get treated like dogs etc. They are too big and if they begin to panic or have some problem things can go terribly wrong really fast
I will tell you I was a complete emotional wreck when they came to collect them but the man did such an amazing job of reassuring and calming me I knew they were in good hands.
Long trips with animals are best left in the hands of experts who are used to it all and the faster you can get the horse from A to B the better it is for the horse as standing in one position for a long time has a mental and physical strain - understandably finances do come into it.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> No worries. I haven't made it up but that's ok if you think so. Really doesn't bother me any. Maybe when I have time I will find the document my dad signed when he shipped a dog and send it to you but I'm busy and that's low on my priorities.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


But apparently not too busy to spread false information 

Cheers!


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

~*~anebel~*~ said:


> But apparently not too busy to spread false information
> 
> Cheers!


Only according to you. You also haven't proved me wrong yet 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SnowCowgirl (Jun 3, 2010)

jaydee, if I may ask, how much did it cost to ship one horse by air?


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

poppy1356 said:


> Only according to you. You also haven't proved me wrong yet
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


You're right. However. Lack of being able to provide evidence of animals being killed by pilots (by news articles, PETA freaking out about it, etc..) would lead a normal person to reason that it is not a widely (or at all) accepted practice. As well other posters have confirmed that horses do, in fact, always travel supervised by humans. Therefore the oxygen would not be "sucked out" of the cargo hold because of humans being present.
Which IMO is proof enough.

To state such an absurd thing as animals being killed by suffocation on the whim of a pilot, without proof, is hearsay.


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## fivecardstudpts (Jul 5, 2009)

I personally always hire someone to transport my horses, after doing plenty of research. So far I've had good luck. I also don't have a trucker trailer. On a side note, how's life in Alaska? Always wanted to live there? Was never sure if I could afford to bring my horses though.
Jessica


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## doubleopi (Dec 27, 2011)

Thank you again for the stories and opinions! I still haven't made up my mind yet, but will continue to research my options.

fivecardstudpts- Alaska is awesome. I live on one of the islands so we tend to not get as the severest weather that the interior gets. The whole place is gorgeous. Amazing wildlife that is everywhere. The big downside is the cost of everything, food, fuel, transport, shipping... But it's still one of the few places I will choose to live! (Big bonus: no ticks, very few fleas, no poisonous snakes or spiders!)


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## BCtazzie (Jun 7, 2011)

poppy1356 said:


> The pilots that fly with these animals in the cargo hold. The simple fact is they will not risk a fire on a plane with humans if they can put it out. What does a fire need? Oxygen. So without filling the cargo hold with water what is the easiest way to put out a fire? Take out the oxygen it needs to live. They will not state that as a possibility if you sign up to put fluffy in the cargo hold below the passengers. And the fact remains that sometimes they have faulty fire alarms and there is no fire. But they cannot send someone down there to check.


As someone who HAS flown with horses on CARGO flights, I CAN tell you that you source does need to be checked. if there is a fire water isn't going to be a good idea as it will more then likely be electrical. think about it. It's not like we're busting out space heaters in there. it is very cold, wearing a down jacket (if your like me) cold. 

I also flew with fruit and veggies, flowers, cars and other a sorted crap. It's not just one plane packed with horses, unless it is some thing pretty major ( olympics, WEG, Major racing event) and then it's like a charter flight for horses but, it's still cold!


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

Good Luck in Alaska 
and good luck with getting your horse there as well
Alaska is a very nice place very cold 
keep warm


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

SnowCowgirl said:


> jaydee, if I may ask, how much did it cost to ship one horse by air?


 You are going to colour me certifiable here :lol: but it cost us the equivalant of about $25K at todays exchange rate - though this was everything from the moment they left our UK yard to the moment they arrived on our US yard, they also organised all the paperwork
In my (weak) defence we were a company relocation and did get a pretty generous 'disturbance' compensation
The whole moving thing threw up so much emotional trauma for me that bringing our animals did alleviate a lot of that in terms of what I was having to give up. Common sense tells me that financially it was a bad decision but when we think about returning to europe I know in my heart that we would do it all again!!!
We also brought 3 dogs with us on our flight - they survived just fine in cargo. I have no idea about the whole oxygen getting sucked out thing - but cant help but think if there was that state of emergency animals would have to be the last concern and the lives of everyone on the flight would be a high risk anyway.
I dont recall signing anything that granted permission to 'kill' horses or dogs though in certain situations where they were presenting a risk to other life or were in dreadful pain then euthanasia would be the right thing to do


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## SnowCowgirl (Jun 3, 2010)

jaydee said:


> You are going to colour me certifiable here :lol: but it cost us the equivalant of about $25K at todays exchange rate - though this was everything from the moment they left our UK yard to the moment they arrived on our US yard, they also organised all the paperwork
> In my (weak) defence we were a company relocation and did get a pretty generous 'disturbance' compensation
> The whole moving thing threw up so much emotional trauma for me that bringing our animals did alleviate a lot of that in terms of what I was having to give up. Common sense tells me that financially it was a bad decision but when we think about returning to europe I know in my heart that we would do it all again!!!


"Financially sensible" is a non-existent term when you love your animals. I recently spent $5500 to fix a badly broken leg on a dog. Everyone told me to put her down. It's been two years, and I'm INCREDIBLY happy I made the decision to keep her

Very interesting and thank you for replying


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## equitate (Dec 14, 2012)

A student of mine was going to move to Alaska with two horses, she found it was easier by air (and actually fed ex....LOL).


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## MarigoldMoose (Nov 4, 2014)

Can I ask how this turned out? I am looking at relocating to Alaska from Iowa and need to get my horse there. He was shipped over from Poland so has flown before and did fine. 
As for cargo concerns, he was shipped on a special plane when he came over, absolutely no issues with pressure changes or oxygen levels. I also do Spanish Greyhound rescue and we bring 100s of dogs a year to the US. Not one has had issues in cargo. Customs, yes. Cargo, no.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

As someone who has flown horses, dogs and cats in the cargo hold of planes, poppy is full of false info. Also I have friends who work for airlines and asked them if there is truth to this, they said no (one being a pilot btw) sooo... poppy please stop spreading false info.

I have had shipped horses long distances, longest being 8 days. I had arranged for a bpx stall for him with the shipper. They had a camera in their trailer. Wonderful company to ship with. They said he laid down during the trip. He ate and drank well. He arrived like he had never even been on a week long journy. As long as you go with a reputable company trailering is the way to go.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

~*~anebel~*~ said:


> Secondly, please do not state false crap about airlines "sucking air" away from horses, and animal in general


There's some amount of truth to it, but it's being presented badly. 

It also depends on if the aircraft is considered a passenger or cargo aircraft - cargo aircraft don't need to legally have fire suppression systems in the cargo hold, so (in the case of UPS cargo planes, for example) the fire in the hold procedure is indeed to depressurize the cabin (not explosively, which can kill instantly, but in a metered fashion which is entirely survivable) and climb to an altitude where the oxygen levels won't sustain the flames. They also won't sustain life in the case of anyone not wearing an oxygen mask at that point, so you (or animals) will pass out. That's not to say you'll never regain consciousness and man or animals will die if oxygen is reinstated promptly enough.

Passenger aircraft use fire suppression systems instead...which don't involve "dumping" the air, but may certainly displace it..typically with Halon. And animals don't surive that although humans would don their oxygen masks immediately. Good luck getting an oxygen mask on a cat, a dog, or a horse for that matter though.

Newer aircraft are working on "compartmentalizing" fire risks now, so instead of flooding the entire hold with Halon or whatnot, only a single cargo container may be treated.

All in all, the reason you don't hear about constant animal deaths in cargo holds is for one simple reason -*if there was a reason any one of the above scenarios occurred, chances are there was a fire onboard the aircraft and much more serious things happened.* And that aside, fires in cargo holds are incredibly rare anyways, so it's not like animals are dying in cargo holds every day or three - it's _HIGHLY_ unlikely to ever be an issue.


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## MarigoldMoose (Nov 4, 2014)

Thanks! I am leaning toward hauler. He came from Michigan to Iowa in one with our other horse (since sold) and they did very well. Strangely Anchorage, Alaska is warmer than where we live now in the winter


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I watched a show Alaska frontier where they had a private plane and hauled some horses to an island in AL. They had a piece of plywood between the big horse and the pilot. The horse was drugged. The landing strip was short and when they had to land and stop quick the horse went partially through the plywood. Felt sorry for those horses. Come winter they turn them loose to fend for themselves and the people leave the island. They did find the remains and halter of one when they came back. Surprised they turned loose with halter also.


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