Horses
International Horse Transport from the USA to Asia-Pacific
Racing, breeding and competition horses moved door to door — barn in the United States to barn in Asia-Pacific.
Flying Horse Services began as a horse shipping company and horses remain the core of the business. Over more than forty years the company has moved racing stock, breeding stallions and broodmares, sport horses and returning racehorses between the United States and the world.
Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia are the destinations we work most. We ship from whichever US gateway suits the horse — Los Angeles and Dallas most often — and fly a groom with every international consignment.
An international horse move is roughly ten percent flying and ninety percent preparation. The flight is the part everyone pictures; the isolation scheduling, the test panel, the health certificate endorsement and the air-stable loading are the parts that decide whether the horse arrives sound, calm and on the day you needed it.
What we handle
- Thoroughbred racehorses and returning racehorses
- Breeding stallions and broodmares
- Show jumpers, dressage and eventing horses
- Polo ponies and endurance horses
- Yearlings and sales purchases
- Ponies and miniature horses
How we do it
Equipment, people and permits.
The parts of an animal export that go wrong are almost never the flight. They are the crate, the paperwork and whoever is holding the lead rope at 3am.
Air stables
Horses fly on the main deck in air stables configured to the shipment — single, pair or triple stalls depending on the animal, the airline and what you are willing to spend. Configuration is a welfare decision as much as a cost one, and we will tell you when the cheap option is the wrong one.
Professional flying grooms
Experienced horsemen travel with the animals on every international shipment. They keep the horses hydrated, keep forage available throughout the flight, monitor for signs of stress and handle the offload and loading into trailers at the destination.
Airline crew briefing
Every airline handling team is briefed on air-stable handling before loading. Horses read handling — a quiet, competent loading is the difference between a horse that travels well and one that does not.
Ground transport at both ends
Company vans and trailers move horses from the origin barn to pre-export isolation, from isolation to the airport, and from the destination airport onward. One company, one chain of custody.
Destinations
Where we move horses
Each destination has its own protocol, timeline and market. These are the lanes where demand for this category is strongest.
FAQ
Horses: common questions
How much does it cost to fly a horse internationally?
A single horse typically runs $13,000 to $25,000, covering air freight, pre-export isolation, blood tests, USDA inspection and fees, and a groom travelling with the horse — ground transport to quarantine is billed separately, and real shipments have landed closer to $16,000–$17,000 all-in once that's added. Horses shipped as a group cost materially less per head than one travelling alone. These are real ranges from completed shipments, not a rate card, so send us the details and we will put a written figure to your specific move.
How long is a horse in quarantine before it flies?
The pre-export isolation period is set by the destination country's import protocol, not by us, and varies from a few days to several weeks depending on the country and the species. We tell you the actual figure for your destination at the feasibility stage.
Is flying stressful for horses?
Less than most owners expect, when it is done properly. Horses generally travel well in air stables — the stressful parts are loading and unloading, which is exactly why we brief handling crews and send grooms with the animals rather than trusting the process to whoever is on shift.
Can you collect the horse from my barn?
Yes. We arrange pickup from the origin barn, transport to a USDA-approved pre-export isolation facility, and onward to the airport in our own vans and trailers. At the destination our grooms handle the offload and assist with loading into trailers.
Do you handle sales purchases?
Yes, including purchasing assistance at major Thoroughbred sales. If you have bought a horse and need it moved, or you need someone at the sale on your behalf, both are within what we do.
Also
Other things we move
Breeding Livestock
Cattle, swine, sheep, goats and poultry genetics moved as single consignments or as a recurring program.
Exotic & Zoo Animals
Zoo collections, wildlife parks and private exotic consignments — including CITES-listed species — moved with the permitting handled.
Ready to move horses?
Tell us the species, the number of animals, the origin, the destination and your target date. We come back with a written feasibility review at no charge.