5 Best Horse Transport Companies [2022 Review]

The Best Horse Transport Companies

• Best for Small Shipments: ​uShip
• Best Overall: Equine Express
• Most Personalized Service: Elite Horse Transport
• Most Experienced Staff: Brook Ledge Horse Transportation
• Best Customer Communication: Bob Hubbard Horse Transportation

Here, we’ve included a preliminary list of the top horse transportation experts in the industry. You’ll find links for getting quotes, basic strengths, and overall service models for each provider. Read on to learn more about each provider and find out how they can help with your horse shipping needs.

uShip

uShip is an online marketplace that facilitates a number of shipping needs by connecting shippers and clients. No matter what your moving or shipping needs may be, this platform is a great resource, allowing you to have the most options possible for any domestic or international horse transportation needs.

Their Services

Specialty services will vary, depending on the carrier who is eventually tasked with your shipment. In short, uShip partners can likely help you with various domestic and international horse transportation needs. You’ll have to contact each partner individually during pricing negotiations for any further service information.

uShip’s Cost

uShip is unique because it allows for two-sided input into the pricing of varying moves. You will have the option of posting your job and description of it, with or without a price attached. If posted without a pricing figure, different carriers will have the opportunity to bid for your job. Domestic equine shipping rates can range between $1 and $3 per mile, while international air service can start at $2,000.

uShip’s Service Area

uShip operates throughout all 50 states via more than 41,000 partner companies. Their partners also handle international freight and shipping for numerous goods, including horses.

Why We Like uShip

uShip offers the most overall options for clients of varying needs. With this broker, you’ll have the opportunity to field offers from numerous USDA-certified providers, who can all arrange for safe travel.

Equine Express

Equine Express comes equipped with more than 30 years of experience in the field. A 98% customer satisfaction rate speaks for itself. This provider brings the best overall equine transportation equipment and vehicles to each job. Whether you’re a farm owner or managing a racing team, the air ride vans and chartered shipping options Equine Express offers provide an ideal option for all of your horse transportation needs.

Their Services

The qualified professionals at Equine Express offer a number of options for domestic and international horse transportation. These include:

• Door-to-door service
• Private charter shipping
• Track-to-track moves
• Special shipments with defined delivery dates

Equine Express’s Cost

Given the variety of shipping accommodations this shipping company offers, cost varies greatly. Beyond a minimum base rate which many carriers charge, you could pay up to $3 per mile, depending on which shipping options you choose.

Their Service Area

Based in Texas, this major operator services equine transportation needs to all of the lower 48 states. With Equine Express, you’ll be afforded the option to charter private transportation or group your horse in with those of other clients on the same carrier. Either way, you’ll be afforded luxury service until your cargo reaches its destination.

Why We Like Equine Express

Equine Express’s customer service and care is evident in their 98% satisfaction rating. They provide top-level accommodations for all customers, along with prompt customer care at all points throughout the relocation. Their designer services ensure comfortable transportation, no matter where your horses may be going.

Elite Horse Transport

Elite Horse Transport is a large equine transportation firm based in the heart of horse racing country – Kentucky. They offer both local and long-distance service throughout North America and beyond and are consistently ranked among the best in their field. All horses entrusted to their care are kept under constant surveillance and afforded frequent check-ins for their well-being. With their experienced horse handlers, you’re ensured a safe trip.

Their Services

Elite offers a number of domestic and international equine transport services. They directly serve such needs from New York, Kentucky, and Virginia, to all points in the US. Along with that, their international accommodations for horse shipment place them among industry leaders. Some of the features of shipping with Elite include:

• Air ride vans
• Professionally trained staff
• GPS tracking for all shipments
• Closed-circuit video surveillance of all trailers
• Wellness checks before boarding and upon arrival

Elite Horse Transport Cost

You’ll need to contact Elite for a quote to pin down your exact costs. As is the case with horse transport services throughout the industry, costs can approach the $3 per mile marker for domestic relocation, with far steeper rates for international moves. 

Elite’s Service Area

Elite serves all 48 contiguous states and Canada directly. Beyond that, they’re able to facilitate horse shipment to any country whose customs regulations will allow such importation.

Why We Like Elite Horse Transport

Elite Horse Transport provides the most experienced work crews available. Their professional handlers are adept at providing speedy and safe transportation for horses of varying needs and conditions. 

Brook Ledge Horse Transportation

Brook Ledge Horse Transportation is a company with a proven track record for transporting championship horses, including Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify, along with a number of other Triple Crown hopefuls. In this regard, their locations in Pennsylvania and Kentucky make a fair amount of sense. Brook Ledge horse transportation drivers average 13 years of experience as drivers or horse handling professionals. No matter your horse’s pedigree or need, they’re in good hands with Brook Ledge.

Their Services

Brook Ledge provides domestic transit on varying schedules, including weekly and biweekly trips to numerous US states. They also provide international transportation services via airplane. In flight, all horses are attended to personally to ensure that they remain calm and safe.

Brook Ledge Cost

As a premium service provider, you can expect Brook Ledge’s costs to be on the high end of industry averages. The above-mentioned rates of $3 per mile, per horse for domestic travel, and $3,000 and up for international freight are good starting points. However, you should expect to pay more for the convenience and quality of service you’ll receive.

Their Service Area

Their locations in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Illinois, and Florida routinely plan shipments to all 48 contiguous states and beyond. For international shipping, this provider can transport your horse to any country that will allow importation.

Why We Like Brook Ledge Horse Transportation

Brook Ledge sets the standard for luxury transportation for horses. Having cared for the safe transit of championship-level horses before, they’re adept at catering to even the most obscure specialty service needs.

Bob Hubbard Horse Transportation

Bob Hubbard Horse Transportation has a 40-year history of providing only the best in horse shipping services. They now own and operate a fleet of 30 trucks from their hubs in California, Florida, Washington, and Kentucky – the nation’s main horse racing hubs. Their drivers are all experienced horse handlers who are able to provide leading care at a moment’s notice during each trip. A number of leading breeders and owners exclusively trust this provider with their horse transportation needs, and it’s easy to see why. Their commitment to safety is second-to-none, with vehicles maintained above USDOT standards and well-trained and experienced staff.

Their Services

Bob Hubbard provides air ride van service for all horses entrusted to their care. Each shipment is eligible for specialized door-to-door attention and private accommodations during journeys of any length. 

Hubbard’s Cost

Getting a quote for service is fairly easy from this horse transport service. Pricing quotes will be determined by a few different factors, including stall size, number of horses to be transported, and overall distance to be traveled. This is in alignment with standard industry practices. Ideally, you should get your quote for these services around a month ahead of time.

Their Service Area

Bob Hubbard’s terminals in California, Florida, Washington, and Kentucky handle domestic shipment to all 48 contiguous states for work orders of all sizes. As a general rule, you should contact them further in advance for larger shipments.

Why We Like Bob Hubbard Horse Transportation

Bob Hubbard provides one of the safest overall options for your horse while maintaining constant contact with your GPS-tracked air ride van at all times. You’ll always be able to contact a company representative who can inform you of the exact status and location of your move.

Get a Quote

Moves, or major shipping requests of all kinds are best planned out well in advance. A vital part of the planning process is getting quotes from different companies. Doing this will help you to evaluate each provider you consider fully. The shippers above are some of the best horse transport companies in the US and the world. Each makes it easy to get a no-obligation quote prior to booking. You should take full advantage of this to book within your budget.

Buyer’s Guide

Here are a few major factors to consider when hiring a horse transportation service:

• USDA Accreditation: Simply put, any reputable horse transport service will be USDA-accredited. This body ensures that the safety and care standards for any horses in a carrier’s charge are met.
• FMCSA Compliance: Commercial carriers the size of horse transportation services are federally regulated. The size of their trucks and the frequent interstate travel require that they each carry active USDOT and MC numbers. You should request proof of this prior to booking.
• Qualified Drivers: All drivers for such companies must have CDL licenses and have extensive experience working with horses. Be sure to ask about driver experience levels when vetting different providers.
• Customer Reviews: Customer reviews are an invaluable tool when reviewing your options within any service-based industry. Look up reviews from multiple sources for each company you encounter, including Google, Yelp, and Better Business Bureau.

Questions to Ask

Asking the following questions will help you evaluate any carrier you come into contact with more thoroughly. The answers to these questions should give you some insight into how your horse, or horses, will be treated in each provider’s care.

How large is my horse’s stall in transit?

Most horse carriers will offer multiple options, ranging from “single-stall” to totally private accommodations. You’ll likely have the option to choose precise stalls at an added cost.

How often will you make wellness check-ins?

This is typically folded in with regularly scheduled stops at layover facilities, but you should still ask. Your horse transport professional should be able to give you an in-depth answer about general provisions made for veterinary care – both routine and emergency – for all horses during a trip.

What are the general conditions in your trailers in transit?

Once again, you should be made fully aware of the accommodations to be provided for horses during any travel. Details, such as trailer ventilation and temperature and access to food and water, should be among the chief considerations made for all animals in transit.

Our Rating Methodology

At Pro Mover Reviews, we are committed to providing our readers with comprehensive and unbiased information on each provider that we review. Our methodology is a step-by-step process that ensures we maintain your trust through transparency and data that is backed up through routine check-ins. Our staff has spent hundreds of hours reviewing dozens of local, long-distance, and international moving companies to bring you our recommendation for the best moving companies in the US. We then narrowed down our findings based on criteria that we find to be the most helpful for you to choose the best moving company for your needs.

Our Rating Categories:

• Company Transparency
• Pricing + Cost
• Services Offered
• Overall Reputation

While there are many sites out there that compare movers, we believe our rigorous standards give us more insights into company performance and better data to share with our community.  For each moving company we check for:

• Confirmed Licensing with the DOT
• Updated & Verified Business Registration
• Real & Recent Consumer Reviews
• Industry Ratings and BBB Complaints
• Accuracy of Online Quotes
• Services Provided & Total Service Area
• Pricing & Services vs. Competitors

From here we created a comprehensive, 100 point, rating scale based on the following factors:

• Moving services (25): Companies that offer more flexibility in their services are rated higher.
• Coverage of services (5): The more items a moving company can handle, the higher the score.
• Pricing (25): We compare this to the industry average when rating pricing.
• Trustworthiness (25): We comb through hundreds of reviews and check on BBB ratings to determine the trustworthiness of a company.
• State availability (5): Finding a moving company in your state can be a challenge depending on where you are located. The more states covered, the higher the score.
• Customer service (10): Is this moving company responsive? Do they respond quickly to issues that are brought to their attention? Are they helpful in answering questions? All of these factors are considered when rating customer service.
• Additional benefits (5): Moving companies can sometimes offer special promotions or deals when contracting them for a move. The companies with the most benefit scored higher.

Of the dozens of different moving companies that we’ve reviewed, we’ve broken down the best interstate and long-distance movers in Indiana. To keep our ratings and data current, we have a full-time researcher who collects (and regularly updates) more than 100 specific data points from each company to help us compare them on key factors such as coverage, cost, service, and dependability. This list is ever-changing, as companies will update policies and procedures, and we will change our information accordingly.