Frequently Asked Questions

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR A TRIP?

First of all, you have to know what kind of horse you are looking for. You need to tell us what your criteria is so that we present horses that are suitable for you. If you come to France to try horses, make sure to bring warm clothes and a rain coat! You should also prepare for the purchase of a horse: are your funds readily available? What insurance will you use? Are your trainer/trainers available to see some videos?

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SHOP FOR A HORSE?

Any time of the year is good to try horses! But if you are particularly looking for a young talented horse (up to 7 years-old), we advise you not to come between mid-August and mid-September. During this period of the year, the owners whose horses have qualified for the national final in Fontainebleau (that usually takes place the first week of September) are less willing to present their horses to buyers or are asking for high prices.

HOW LONG DO I NEED TO GO TO EUROPE FOR TO FIND A HORSE?

We usually recommend a trip of 2-3 days, as we make a selection with you before you come. You will only get to see horses that are within your budget and meet your requirements.

SHOULD I INVOLVE MY TRAINER?

We advise you to involve your own trainer in the horse-buying process. You can share videos with him/her and discuss preferences or even bring him/her on the trip to help choose the appropriate horse.

DO I HAVE TO SIGN ANY CONTRACTS?

Once the horse has been vetted, if you decide to buy the horse, we will send you a purchase agreement that has already been signed by the seller. We ask you to sign it if you agree with all the terms and to send a copy to us (so that we can send it to the seller). You can then proceed to the wire transfer process when the contract has been signed.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A HORSE TO GET TO MY BARN FROM FRANCE?

This depends on several things, it usually takes about 2 to 4 weeks. Mares take longer than geldings because of the CEM test. One more week is needed for the CEM test for mares in France and they will have to stay in quarantine in the US for an additional 2-3 weeks.

HOW MUCH DOES THE TRANSPORTATION COST?

The price of transportation depends on different factors: whether the horse is a gelding, a mare or a stallion, how far is the horse located from Amsterdam and how far is the barn of the buyer from the arrival airport, what are the quarantine regulations of the country where the horse is imported, etc.… We try, if possible to gather a shipment of several sold horses at the same time in order to lower the price of transportation. We always provide buyers with a quotation if asked. The average price for a gelding that is shipped with at least two other horses from Normandy to New York JFK airport is about $7,000 to $8,000 USD (quarantine fee included). It costs approximately $2,000 USD more if it is a mare and approximately $5,000 USD extra for a stallion. Then you should add transportation costs from JFK airport, LAX, or Miami to your barn.

WHERE IS FRENCH HORSE EXPORTS LOCATED?

We are located in Normandy (Rouen), only one hour and a half from Paris. Normandy is the number one equine region in France. It hosted the World Equestrian Games in 2014. Most of horses that we offer for sale are owned by Normand stables. This enables us to gather horses in the same place to allow you try them out. Having most of the horses situated in the same area makes it also easier to organize a “Horse-Tour” in order for you to visit several stables and try horses without having to drive for too long. Nonetheless, we also search for horses all over France if we cannot find a large choice of horses in Normandy that fit our client’s requirements. Once the horse arrives at your barn, feel free to send us pictures and videos, we really like to give updates to the previous owners because most of them really care about how their horse is doing!