How to Ship a Horse: Choosing a Horse Transport Company

To ship a horse, choose a horse transport company that holds a USDOT number, carries insurance that covers horses in transit and gives you its stop plan in writing. Then have your veterinarian issue the health papers your destination state requires and prepare your horse before pickup. This guide shows how to vet a hauler, what listed prices look like on Barnmap, and a step-by-step plan.

1. Compare quotes
2. Verify the hauler
3. Get papers
4. Prepare
5. Ship
6. Monitor

What is horse transport and who provides it?

Horse transport means moving a horse by road in a trailer or van, usually with a hired driver. Some owners hire a company for long-distance moves, while others use a barn or trainer that hauls as an extra service. Barnmap lists 249 establishments in 36 states, from companies that quote a DOT or MC number in their listing to riding centers and barns that offer hauling.

Browse every listing on our horse transport directory, or go straight to one of the states with the most listings: Texas (33), Florida (28), California (20), New York (20), Pennsylvania (19), Virginia (17), Michigan (13), Kentucky (11), Colorado (9), Indiana (8) or New Jersey (8). The other 25 states have 7 or fewer listings each.

What is a horse transport called?

The business is usually called a horse hauler or horse shipper, and the service is horse hauling or horse shipping. The vehicle is a horse trailer, or a larger horse van or truck. Searches for horse transportation services and horse hauling services describe the same kind of business.

How do you choose a horse transport company?

Compare at least three companies on the same four points: registration, insurance, the trip plan and the paperwork. Ask for every answer in writing.

Does the company have a USDOT number?

University of Maryland Extension explains that a hauler moving horses between states needs a USDOT number from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) when its vehicle or combination is rated at 10,001 pounds or more. The same publication says a business is commercial as soon as it accepts money for hauling, even if it makes no profit. The number is free, and it must be displayed on the vehicle.

Ask for the number and the company’s legal name, then check them against the truck and the paperwork. Hauling inside one state follows that state’s rules; Maryland, for example, issues its own state DOT number. On Barnmap, only some of the 249 listings quote a DOT or MC number on their own website, so do not wait for a business to volunteer it.

What insurance should a horse transport company carry?

Ask for a certificate of insurance and read it. Find out whether the policy covers horses in the trailer, what the limits are and what happens if a horse is hurt or needs a veterinarian on the road. Also ask your own insurance agent whether your horse’s policy applies during transport.

What is the best horse transport company?

No single company is best for every trip, and Barnmap does not rank haulers. The right fit depends on your route, the number of horses and your horse’s needs. For recommendations, see Barnmap Picks, then hold each company to the questions below.

• Registration: What are your USDOT number and legal company name?
• Insurance: Can I see a certificate of insurance, and does it cover horses in transit?
• Vehicle: What type of trailer or van is it, and how many horses ride together?
• Stalls: Will my horse have a box stall or a standing stall, and will it be tied?
• Stops: How often do you stop, and when do you offer water and hay?
• Layovers: Where will the horse spend the night on a long trip, and who pays for it?
• Contact: Can I reach the driver during the trip?
• Emergencies: What happens if my horse needs a veterinarian on the road?
• Terms: What does the quote include, and what are the deposit and cancellation terms?
• References: Can you give me references from recent customers?

How much does it cost to transport a horse?

Barnmap lists a price only when a business publishes it on its own website: 66 of the 249 establishments do, about 27%. Fifty quote a rate per mile, 20 a price per trip and three a price per horse, and some quote more than one. These are prices published by establishments and listed on Barnmap as of October 2026, not quotes for your trip. Prices change, so confirm the current rate with the business.

The median listed rate is $1.62 per mile, from $0.30 to $4.00, and the middle half of per-mile rates runs from $1.25 to $2.00. Flat prices have a median of $90 per trip, from $25 to $450. Several of these establishments are barns, riding centers and trainers that haul as one of their services, so the figures say little about a cross-country trip. The table below shows some of the lowest listed prices for each unit across the states; it is not a ranking of haulers.

What is the average cost to transport a horse?

Barnmap does not publish an average, because a quote depends on the trip you are asking about. Among the establishments that publish a rate, the median is $1.62 per mile or $90 per trip. When you compare quotes, check what each one covers: distance, number of horses, type of stall, overnight stabling and fuel. Our guide to horse transport cost goes deeper on what to expect.

What papers does a horse need to cross state lines?

Most states require horses moving across state lines to be individually identified and to carry a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI), according to USDA APHIS. University of Maryland Extension adds that a negative Coggins test, a blood test for equine infectious anemia, is required for each horse throughout the United States, and that transporters must meet all in-state and out-of-state health requirements.

For the destination’s current rules, US Equestrian advises contacting the state veterinarian’s office, and APHIS points owners to their state animal health official. Our Coggins test guide explains the test in detail. Ask the hauler whether it checks your papers at pickup and what happens if one is missing.

How often should a hauler stop on a long trip?

Published guidance varies, so use it to judge a company’s plan rather than as a fixed rule. University of Maryland Extension suggests rest about every 3 to 4 hours, and UC Davis animal welfare extension specialist Carolyn Stull lists water every 6 to 8 hours where possible. Both note that some horses will not drink while the trailer moves.

Ask each company how its plan compares, and whether the horse can lower its head during the trip.

How do you prepare your horse for shipping?

Start with your veterinarian. UC Davis advises that horses with respiratory disease avoid transport except in an emergency, with a veterinary consultation first. Then work through this list in the weeks before pickup.

• Ask your veterinarian whether your horse is healthy enough to travel, and book the CVI and Coggins test.
• Ask which vaccinations your destination or event requires; Maryland Extension notes that requirements vary.
• Practice loading and unloading calmly before the trip.
• If the hauler allows shipping boots or wraps, get your horse used to them first.
• Pack hay for the whole trip, buckets from home and the horse’s regular feeding schedule.
• Write an emergency card: your phone number, the horse’s name and registration, your veterinarian and vaccination records.
• Tell the driver about habits that matter, such as nervous loading or trouble with herd mates.

How do you ship a horse step by step?

Follow these steps, ideally starting several weeks before the date you need the horse moved.

1. Set the trip details

   Fix the pickup and delivery addresses, your dates and the number of horses.

2. Collect written quotes

   Ask at least three companies for the same trip and compare what each quote covers.

3. Verify the hauler

   Check the USDOT number, the certificate of insurance and references, and get the stop plan in writing.

4. Book your veterinarian

   Arrange the CVI and Coggins test so both are valid on travel day for the destination state.

5. Prepare and pack

   Practice loading, pack hay and buckets, and write the emergency card.

6. Hand over the horse

   Give the driver the papers, confirm the driver’s phone number and agree on how you will get updates.

7. Receive and monitor

   Unload onto secure footing, offer water and hay, and watch your horse closely for the next few days.

Ready to compare haulers? Start with the horse transport directory, check Barnmap Picks for recommendations, or browse more Barnmap guides.

This guide is general information for horse owners, not veterinary or legal advice. Prices come from what establishments publish on their own websites, as listed on Barnmap on the date shown. How we check