West Country Horse Transport (WCHT) Ltd Terms and Conditions

Customers are requested to note that all bookings are taken on the understanding that the following conditions will apply in full in all circumstances. A confirmed booking is an agreement that the customer will abide by the companies Terms & Conditions at all times.

  1. All horses/ponies must be accompanied by their Passports during travel. This is a legal requirement under the Horse Passports (England) Regulation 2004. WCHT regrets that we cannot transport your horse/pony if it does not have its passport with it, and a fee to cover costs already incurred will be charged.
  2. Under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 (WATO) WCHT is unable to transport any animal unless it is fit for travel. It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that their horse or pony is fit for travel. If your horse or pony is incapable of, or unfit for travel in our opinion, we reserve the right to refuse to transport it and a call-out fee will be charged to cover any costs WCHT have already incurred.
  3. WCHT has Care, Custody and Control insurance that covers any horse or pony that we transport for death/accidental injury up to £15,000 per horse and for Third Party Liability. This insurance only covers the loading/unloading and when being transported from pick-up point to nominated destination. It is the Owner’s responsibility to ensure that your horse/pony is properly insured to participate in any activities you intend to take part in before and after you arrive at your destination (including Public Liability for damage to persons/property caused by your horse).
  4. The Owner is responsible for preparing and loading the horse for travel, and it is entirely the owner’s decision to dress the horse as they wish. We will transport the horse as he/she is given to us. During transit we advise that your horse wears either, a sweat rug and surcingle, or a fleece cooler rug. We also advise that your horse wears either, travel boots or travel bandages, and a tail bandage/ guard. We can provide a head collar and lead rope free of charge upon request.
  5. You, the Owner, are responsible for your horse at all times and you are liable for any excessive damage beyond normal wear and tear caused by your horse/pony during transport. You are also responsible for any items that you wish to be carried in the horsebox with your horse. You are encouraged to inspect the vehicle horse compartment for damage before loading and again when unloaded at the destination location. Please note that before transportation, in accordance with WCHT Standard Operating Procedures, that the driver will have inspected the horse compartment for serviceability including checking for sharp edges or other defects that may harm the horse/pony.
  6. The horsebox has sufficient storage to carry any additional tack or rugs with your horse, but the insurance for these items is the owner’s responsibility and we will not be held liable for any loss or damage to these items.
  7. Passengers can be carried and the Owner is encouraged to travel with their horse/pony. The horsebox has 4 seats fitted with seat belts for passengers which are all forward facing. All passengers carried should be aware they do entirely at their own risk.
  8. Your driver will take every precaution to ensure your horse has a smooth and stress free ride. If you are not travelling with your horse the WCHT driver must have a contact number should anything occur during transport i.e. traffic delays, so that communication is always maintained to avoid worry on your part.
  9. When the initial booking is made, a time/place and destination shall be agreed. You are also requested to inform WCHT, or the driver, if you require the horsebox to wait for a return trip, as additional fees will apply in this eventuality.
  10. WCHT cannot be held responsible for traffic conditions and any subsequent delays. WCHT will not accept responsibility for loss of entry fees or any other expenses incurred in the event of delays due to traffic conditions.
  11. Your driver reserves the right to refuse to transport your horse should your horse become unsettled / distressed or show signs of illness, unless the horse is being transported to the vets for the condition, before or upon loading. In these circumstances you will still be charged the agreed price for transport of the horse/pony.
  12. WCHT reserve the right to refuse to continue to transport the horse/pony once loaded or during the journey, if we believe that it cannot be transported safely without risk to the horse/pony, the horsebox, or our staff, and the agreed price will still be chargeable. Should it be necessary to unload the horse at an alternative location, the owner will be fully responsible to pay all stabling and veterinary fees, and all costs must be settled in full before the horse will be released to the owner. It will then be the owner’s responsibility to organise the further movement of the horse.
  13. If the loading of your horse/pony is not be possible due to him/her not co-operating, then the agreed price will still be chargeable.
  14. If your horse takes longer than 30 minutes to load then additional charges will be added to the final total at £10 per hour pro rata. Should this be the outcome your WCHT driver will make it known to you.
  15. If your horse/pony is known to be difficult to load please inform us in advance of the journey, as we may need to arrive slightly earlier to avoid delays.
  16. All veterinary costs or additional stabling, in excess of that included during the journey, must be covered by the Owner. Should your horse require urgent veterinary attention in our opinion, and the Owner is not contactable, we reserve the right to contact the veterinary surgeon on your behalf, however the Owner will still remain under all circumstances entirely responsible for all veterinary or emergency charges incurred.
  17. All journeys are to be paid for in full on or before the day of transportation. Payment can be made using the following methods and timelines: a. Cash to be paid on or before date of transport. b. Paypal payments need to be paid on or before date of transport. c. Cheque – these must be received at least 7 days before travel so the cheque can be cleared in time. d. Bank transfer – to be paid at least 2 working days before transport date and proof of the transfer should be sent to us.
  18. Owners are asked to confirm transport 24 hours before travel. For any contract cancelled within 24 hours of departure the customer will be liable for 100% of the price agreed.
  19. By accepting a quotation from West Country HorseTransport Ltd and confirming a booking the customer agrees to the Terms and Conditions outlined above.
  20. Please note – We are unable to confirm bookings unless customers provide all the required details of the journey and we will not be able to undertake a route until a booking is confirmed.