(Newswire.net — January 28, 2020) — If you often take your horse on journeys, you could deem your horse trailer to be of significant value. However, attempts to transport a horse abroad can be fraught with red tape that doesn’t apply when you’re simply taking your horse trailer a few miles down the road.
Fortunately, to use a horse-related pun, once you have learnt to “jump the hurdles” of this legislation, you could find it delightfully straightforward to do it again and again for further trips.
Would you need to register your trailer before taking it abroad?
You might have suspected so if you have read about the UN 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. This dictates that, to be legally used in particular countries, horse trailers meeting specific criteria are first registered accordingly, as the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency explains.
What countries exactly? The full list is published on the GOV.UK website, but largely focuses on European countries, including such hotspots as France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Therefore, if you intend to take either a commercial trailer over 750kg in gross weight or a non-commercial trailer with a gross weight of more than 3,500kg to any of the applicable countries, you need to take note. However, if you live in the UK, there’s also the Brexit factor to consider.
You might need a green card to get the green light
If you are UK-based and want to use your own vehicle with your own horse trailer overseas after Brexit, keep in mind that European Union countries will require you to show a “green card”, as Birmingham Live explains. This green document will prove that you are insured to drive the vehicle.
You will also need a second green card – one covering the trailer itself. Some countries might require you to have the trailer insured separately to the vehicle that will tow it.
The potentially complicated subject of horse trailer insurance
Insuring the trailer can also bode well for your peace of mind. If you’re staying within UK borders, this cover won’t be mandatory. However, in the UK or abroad, it can account for damage either inflicted to the trailer or accidentally caused by it.
There’s a wealth of online guidance about horse trailer insurance. Reassuringly, most providers of this insurance will extend it to cover European travel. However, you should still remember to let the insurer know when and where you’re going with that trailer.
You should also, before heading off to a particular country, research any legal requirements relevant to it. You might be required to, for example, carry high-vis jackets and breathalyzers onboard as you use the trailer in that territory. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes!
Here’s to a stress-free trip abroad
It’s worth thoroughly researching the different rules and regulations to make sure you’re not falling short when taking your horse trailer to another country. That way, you can help to keep yourself at ease, hopefully paving the way for a great time for both you and your horse.