IF YOU transport animals you should make sure you know about the rules and procedures that affect you.

These rules are intended to improve the welfare of horses and ponies during transport and apply to anyone transporting live vertebrate animals in connection with an economic activity.

There are a number of specific points that anyone transporting horses and ponies need to take account of. These are summarised below.

The regulation sets out rules for those who transport animals in connection with an economic activity. In the UK, this is considered to be any transport of animals undertaken as part of a business or commercial activity, which aims at achieving financial gain, whether direct or indirect, for any person or company involved with the transport.

The regulation does not apply to: Transport of animals not in connection with an economic activity. Transport to or from veterinary practices or clinics under veterinary advice.

The regulation requires anyone transporting animals on any journey to ensure that: Journey times are kept to a minimum, the animals are fit to travel and those handling animals have been trained and are competent.

The vehicle and its loading and unloading facilities are designed, constructed and maintained to avoid injury and suffering and to ensure the safety of the animals.

Water, feed and opportunity to rest are made available to the animals as appropriate, and sufficient floor space and height is available in the transport.

For non-export journeys, documentation is provided which shows the following: origin and ownership of animals; place of departure and destination; date and time of departure and expected duration of journey (usually referred to as an Animal Transport Certificate).

There are additional requirements if you transport horses and ponies on ‘short’ journeys over 65km (approximately 40 miles) and up to eight hours.

Transporters must: hold a Type 1 transporter authorisation.

Ensure that drivers and attendants are in possession of a certificate of competence.

Demonstrate that they have appropriate staff and equipment to transport animals in a proper way, and to have no record of serious infringements of animal welfare legislation in the preceding three years.

Journey time is from first animal loaded to last animal unloaded.

Time spent on Roll-on/Roll-off (RO-RO) vessels counts towards the journey time.

Time spent by animals in stalls or pens on specialist livestock vessels does not count towards total journey time, provided certain conditions are met.

Time whilst on the aircraft during air transport does not count towards total journey time.

Horses and ponies older than eight months must wear halters during transport – unless they are unbroken animals.

If horses or ponies are transported on a multi-deck vehicle they must only be carried on the lowest deck, with no other animals above them. In this circumstance the compartment height must be at least 75cm higher than the height of the withers of the highest animal.

Exemptions if accompanied throughout by a dedicated attendant and the journey is to improve their health and welfare, permit:

Mares to be transported during the final 10% of their gestation period.

Mares to be transported within one week of giving birth.

Foals with an unhealed navel to be transported with their dam.

Horses and ponies must be handled and transported separately from other species*.

The following separations must also be applied:

Horses and ponies of significantly different sizes or ages*.

Adult breeding stallions from each other.

Sexually mature males from females.

Animals hostile to each other.

Tied animals from untied animals.

* This need not apply where animals have been raised in compatible groups, are accustomed to each

other and where separation would cause distress or where animals are accompanied by dependent young.

During long journeys, foals and young horses must be able to lie down.

The temperature within the vehicle must not fall below 0ºC during a journey of more than eight hours.

On vehicles used for journeys of over eight hours, partitions must be:

Fitted so that separate compartments may be formed.

Adjustable to suit the specific needs of the animals being transported.