Why not indeed! With all of this research on horse transportation services, that very well may be easier.
I have accepted a position as a Sales Engineer with a company based out of Vancouver, WA. I will be working for them remotely in Huntsville, AL. This means Ruby will need to find a ride from our home in Virginia to our new home in Huntsville!
Here is what I have learned- You have two main options:
1. Commercial carrier: commercial horse transportation services should be licensed (in their business's state as well as the state you are traveling to) and insured. If you aren't sure if a carrier is licensed, go to the Department of Transportation and see if they have a DOT#. Insurance coverages range anywhere between the $thousands to the $millions depending on the type of policy. Your best bet here is just to ask! The only real downside I see from using a commercial carrier is that your horse will be on a trailer with a handful of strange horses. Your route will zig-zag to pick up and drop off other horses along the way. This can result in a one day trip turning into multiple days.
2. Individual carrier: individuals are usually not licensed or insured- this is why their prices can get so low; no insurance overhead. With individuals, you can usually find an A-to-B trip (meaning they will do longer trips in one sitting instead of making stops). Since they are not licensed, it can be really difficult to tell if the carrier is "legit." I highly recommend asking fellow riders to refer someone, or to do some heavy duty research- find reviews online if you can.
Here is my list so far:
| Name | Licensed | Insured |
| Equine Express | Yes | Yes |
| Jimmy Parlier Horse Transport | Yes | Yes |
| JDiamondD Equine Express | No | No |
| Sallee Horse Van Transport | x | x |
| David Garnet | No | No |
| Dejarnette Horse Transport | x | x |
| Creech Horse Transportation | x | $2,000 |
| Peace of Mind Horse Transport | Yes | Yes |
| Horse Jitney Horse Transport | DOT# 1721853 | $1,000,000 |
| C & E Horse Transportation | Yes | Yes |
| Brook Ledge | Yes | Yes |
| MJR Horse Transportation | DOT# 12485680 | Yes |
| Travis Grubb | No | No |
Most of these transporters will give you a free quote- the ones above range anywhere between $0.90 and $2.20 per loaded mile. Of the above, Brook Ledge and C & E Horse Transportation were unable to take us (they take horses up and down the eat coast, but do not go outside their routes). Unless you have a fancy horse going to Wellington/Ocala, don't bother with Brook Ledge- they were quite rude when I inquired. C & E was helpful, and recommended MJR.
01/08/2014 Update: I have decided to go with Peace of Mind Equine Care and Transport. Doug was very helfpul and understanding- for $590, he will take Ruby from VA to AL for me in one single trip. He is DOT licensed and carries a $750,000 insurance policy. Hoping for the best, and I will meet my pony at our new home on January 22nd!
