USA → Belgium
Export Horses from the USA to Belgium
Sport-horse breeding and a market built around Liège — the airport most transatlantic horse traffic into Europe already routes through.
- Arrives
- LGG
- Departs
- LAX / DFW
- Flight time
- ~8–9 hours
- Plan ahead
- 45–75 days
Liège
Or whichever US gateway suits the animals
Liège isn't just Belgium's own gateway — it's the main horse air-freight hub for Europe, and a meaningful share of the horses we and other operators fly into France, the Netherlands and beyond already transit through it. A shipment landing in Belgium is often landing at the same airport as a shipment bound elsewhere in the EU.
Belgium's own market runs on Belgian Warmblood sport-horse breeding alongside Thoroughbred interests, and moves under the same EU process as our other EU destinations.
Regulatory
What a Belgium export requires
These are the constraints that shape the timeline. The binding requirements are whatever Belgium has in force on your day of export — we confirm the current position as the first step of every quote.
EQUI-X health certificate
Horses travel on the EU's EQUI-X certificate, issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA APHIS — the same document and process we use for our other EU destinations.
Origin premises must be registered
The establishment where the horse originates has to be registered with USDA APHIS before the certificate can be issued.
30 days of documented veterinary supervision
The horse needs to have been under the supervision of an official veterinarian at a registered establishment for the 30 days before export — documented oversight where the horse already is, not a stay at a separate isolation facility.
Liège as a routing hub
Because so much of Europe's horse air freight already moves through Liège, it's often the most direct routing even when Belgium isn't the final destination — worth asking about if you're weighing which EU country to fly into.
Official source
USDA APHIS publishes the International Regulations for Animal Exports (IRegs) — the U.S. government’s understanding of Belgium's current import requirements.
By species
What we handle into Belgium
Horses
Racing, breeding and competition horses moved door to door — barn in the United States to barn in Asia-Pacific, the Gulf or Europe.
Cattle
Brahman and other tropical and temperate breeds, bulls and group consignments — priced and protocoled by breed and destination.
Sheep & Goats
Boer and Nubian goats, breeding rams and ewes — regulated together under USDA's scrapie program, and often shipped together.
Swine, Poultry & Camelids
Swine, poultry, camelids and mixed livestock genetics — moved as single consignments or as a recurring program.
Exotic & Zoo Animals
Zoo collections, wildlife parks and private exotic consignments — including CITES-listed species — moved with the permitting handled.
FAQ
Exporting to Belgium: common questions
Can you export a horse to Belgium?
Yes — Belgian Warmblood and Thoroughbred interests both move under the same EU process we use for our other European destinations.
How much does it cost to ship a horse to Belgium?
Ask us for a written figure against your specific horse. This is a newer lane for us than our Asia-Pacific destinations, so we don't yet have enough completed shipments to publish a general range.
Why does Belgium matter for horse shipping beyond its own market?
Liège is the main horse air-freight hub for Europe — a lot of horse traffic bound for France, the Netherlands and elsewhere in the EU already routes through it, not just horses staying in Belgium.
Is there a quarantine facility stay required before export?
No — the EU requirement is 30 days of documented veterinary supervision at the horse's own registered premises, not a stay at a dedicated isolation facility the way our Asia-Pacific destinations require.
Does someone travel with the horse?
Yes. A professional groom flies with every horse on every international shipment we handle, keeping it hydrated and with forage available, and manages the offload on arrival.
Other lanes
More destinations we run
France
Export Horses from the USA to France
Netherlands
Export Horses from the USA to the Netherlands
Ireland
Export Horses from the USA to Ireland
Moving animals to Belgium?
Send us the species, the number of animals, the origin and your target date. We confirm whether the protocol is currently open and come back with a written quote at no charge. If we can’t do the shipment, we’ll email you and say why.