USA → Ireland
Export Horses from the USA to Ireland
Thoroughbreds and sport horses into the world's leading bloodstock market — breeding stock, broodmares and horses in training.
- Arrives
- SNN
- Departs
- LAX / DFW
- Flight time
- ~8–9 hours
- Plan ahead
- 45–75 days
Shannon
Or whichever US gateway suits the animals
Ireland is the world's leading Thoroughbred bloodstock market — Coolmore, the Irish National Stud and the Goffs sales all draw serious American-bred stock, and a broodmare or yearling crossing to Ireland is a normal, regular shipment for us, not a novelty.
The requirements sit under the European Union's animal health framework rather than a bespoke Irish protocol, so the paperwork is the same EU process we run for any EU destination — the difference between one shipment and another is mostly the airport and the buyer.
Regulatory
What an Ireland export requires
These are the constraints that shape the timeline. The binding requirements are whatever Ireland 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. It's a different document from the certificates we use for our Asia-Pacific and Gulf lanes, built around the EU's own animal health framework.
Origin premises must be registered
The establishment where the horse originates has to be registered with USDA APHIS before the certificate can be issued — we confirm this is in place before scheduling anything.
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. This is a lighter requirement than the isolation-facility stay our Asia-Pacific lanes require — no dedicated pre-export quarantine facility, just documented oversight where the horse already is.
Owner declaration and USDA endorsement
A signed declaration from the owner or operator attaches to the health certificate, and USDA has to ink-sign and emboss the certificate before the horse travels. We handle the VEHCS submission end to end.
Official source
USDA APHIS publishes the International Regulations for Animal Exports (IRegs) — the U.S. government’s understanding of Ireland's current import requirements.
By species
What we handle into Ireland
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 Ireland: common questions
Can you export a Thoroughbred to Ireland?
Yes — Ireland is one of the most established bloodstock markets we work with. Breeding stock, broodmares, horses in training and sport horses all move under the same EU process.
How much does it cost to ship a horse to Ireland?
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 — we'll give you a firm number once we've priced your route.
What certificate does a horse travel on to Ireland?
The EU's EQUI-X certificate, issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA APHIS through VEHCS. It's a different document from what we use on our Asia-Pacific and Gulf lanes.
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. That generally makes the pre-export timeline shorter.
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
United Kingdom
Export Horses from the USA to the United Kingdom
France
Export Horses from the USA to France
Netherlands
Export Horses from the USA to the Netherlands
Moving animals to Ireland?
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.