Hi all,
I have some students interested in heading down to Ocala next winter to show. I’m trying to crunch numbers to give their parent’s pricing estimates and am looking for recent prices people have paid either in gas to trailer themselves down, or paid to a commercial shipper. We would be coming from VT, FYI. Thanks in advance!
That is a long time to be shipping a horse in a small trailer. Ethically, I would strongly advise them to commercially ship to make it easier on the horses.
I’m sure people will have some more recent quotes, but it cost me about $2500 to ship 1 horse around 1000 miles in May. So I’m estimate closer to $3000 for your distance. Maybe you’d get a discount for filling a truck with a shipper? Probably best to call Brook Ledge and Creech and some of the larger shippers to see what they’d quote currently. Gas has leveled out a bit, but there’s no saying what the prices will look like a year from now, so it’s hard to gauge and you might stress that the number could fluctuate by a few hundred depending on gas market.
From that distance, you’re going to probably need to have a layover, so I’d layer in a day or 2 at a layover facility, as well. I can’t remember cost, but $75-100/day is probably a safe bet
I recently shipped commercial from CT to Wellington for around $1500 one way. It’s not the exact route your going, but should be comparable. The northeast to Florida is a popular route and the prices aren’t as extreme as similar distance to an unpopular destination.
I paid 1800-1900 to ship in a box stall from PA to FL last year, and 550 to ship from Ocala to Wellington in a regular stall (this shorter trip was a real stressor for my horse, not sure if it was the number of transfers or what, but he did not show up looking great - and the company was not very communicative, which stressed me).
To go that distance, I would definitely go with a commercial shipper, just make sure you ask some questions about how to contact someone on the road, and if they’ll let you know if there’s an issue.
I would also say about $1500 one way with a commercial shipper, maybe a little more, some of the bigger barns get a discounted rate if they are frequent fliers with big companies. I would also advise against shipping in a small trailer, though we used to do that in the olden days for lack of other options and money.
That seems very, very high. Agreed with the others that around $1,500 in a commercial rig is about right.
Maybe, but I’ve heard as much as $3500-4000 going south… so I think it depends on timeline and if there’s a full truck. It cost me $2250 from FL to Ohio in April/May… so that’s what I’m basing my estimate on.
That’s a different, less popular route. There are a TON of big barns in New England, and those rigs are always full during season. You pay more if you have to deviate from the FL to Northeast route.
Nothing to add…except be glad you aren’t trying to ship a single piece of very large construction (just shy of requiring oversize permits) equipment from middle of nowhere Wisconsin to southern New England. The going rate for that is $4.50 a mile and $5.50 if oversize. So if a horse trip comes in at around $2 a mile, you are probably doing well.
Ehhh… it’s Ohio and not grossly far from WEC Wilmington and people were driving to Tryon and Kentucky at that time, so it was not completely off the grid and plenty of rigs going that way So yes, it’s not a typical route, but I also know that the big rigs have definitely upped their rates in the past year or 2 and I have plenty of friends from the northeast with sticker shock coming from PA and NJ to FL, so I don’t honestly think I’m far off.
Considering how much the price of fuel has jumped in the last couple of years, it’s no surprise if the shippers have had to up their rates to cover their costs.
From central and northern MA, just off I-95, to FL (or back, one way) I’ve paid between 1850 and 2400 for a box stall in the past 2 years. If you can get close to filling a truck, I’d imagine it’s probably going to be on the higher side or a bit above to get from VT to Ocala. I’d personally not ship that far in a regular trailer (straight stall without air ride), unless stopping at night to get them off the truck and let them rest, although I do know people from NH who drive straight through and the horses do ok.
That’s about $1.25 a mile if you’re looking at the southernmost point of VT. That seems extremely low given the current prices of diesel fuel right now. I would think it would be closer to $2.10-2.25 min/mile.
It’s 1200 miles give or take from Bennington to Ocala.
Oh good, I’m not crazy.
I got quoted $1500 to ship my horse from Buffalo to New Bolton (355 miles) for a medical issue and I was like “WTF, he’s going to New Bolton, not FLORIDA.”
(He’s also fine now.)
I have one going down to GA on trial (I’m in NJ) on Friday for a rate that breaks down to $1.30/mile, with a layover. Reputable commercial shipper.
This was a couple years ago now but I paid $1900 to ship my gelding from Ocala to Rochester, NY - box stall the whole way. I think the straight stall quote was about $1500 IIRC. I would expect prices to be considerably higher now given the surge in fuel prices.
It’s also high season, so you may be filling a rig. I haven’t seen rates that low in awhile… but good for you!
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