Nation-Wide Horse Transport (CO)?

[Risk-Averse_Rider]

Anyone here have experience with Nation-Wide? I used them in 1999 to bring two horses down from Michigan to Arizona and it was quite fine. Yelp reviews seem to be overrun with extremely negative reviews, most of which appear to be related to the same incident and many of which are just from people saying this company is horrible with no back up for the opinion.

I have to get three horses from Arizona to Colorado and my inclination would be to use Nation-Wide again, but I’m a little leery based on the bad reviews.

[Bluey]

All I know is that the two times I called trying to see if they would haul a horse for us they didn’t seem to know what they were doing, where they were going or when, very disorganized.
Now that was several years ago, they may be better now.
One of the horses was right by their headquarters and needed a simple 10 hour ride South, a route they surely were going regularly.

I ended using Equine Express and have used them now for several years and they have done a very professional, well done job, horses arriving fresh and rested even after very long trips and on time and on schedule.

[JLR1]

Equine Express is who I have experience with and they were wonderful. If they don’t have a route I know Mike Brock regularly hauls horses for people in our neck of the woods…he’s in Rio Verde. Several dressage trainers and their clients have used him to ship horses to USDF Nationals with good reviews.

[Simkie]

There’s just too much noise about how terrible Nationwide has become…at some point, you have to believe that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. No way would I haul with them.

So many other good options out there. Call Equine Express and Bob Hubbard to start

[findeight]

NW uses subcontractors and their personal, sometimes sketchy rigs and aren’t too careful about vetting their CDLs and insurance, not company employed drivers with company owned, maintained and operated rigs.

That leads to a wide variety of experiences.

[Risk-Averse_Rider1]

@JLR1

Equine Express is who I have experience with and they were wonderful. If they don’t have a route I know Mike Brock regularly hauls horses for people in our neck of the woods…he’s in Rio Verde. Several dressage trainers and their clients have used him to ship horses to USDF Nationals with good reviews.

Do you mean the Equine Express from Texas, or TNT Equine Express from Phoenix?

[Risk-Averse_Rider1]

I guess my question is moot - Equine Express from Texas doesn’t appear to “do” AZ to CO.

http://www.equineexpress.com/route-schedule

I could get them to San Diego from here…

[Wonders12]

A trainer I know said it’s unusual that a horse arrives with them in good condition. That was enough for me to stay away even though their location would have been perfect for my trip (WI to CA).

I used Kaiser Equine Transportation out of TX and LOVED them after another shipper recommended them. They were the only company willing to give me dates and a general route and their price was 1/2 what everyone else quoted. My horse had never trailered more than 1 hour and arrived early looking fantastic. They gave her ulcer guard and grain throughout the trip and left a bale of their hay with me in CA. I cannot recommend them enough, and since they’re a smaller company, I felt like I got much better service and wasn’t just a number. (The bigger companies treated me like an inconvenience since I was on a strange route and not paying for a box stall.)

[Wonders12]

@Risk-Averse Rider 2

I guess my question is moot - Equine Express from Texas doesn’t appear to “do” AZ to CO.

http://www.equineexpress.com/route-schedule

I could get them to San Diego from here…

I didn’t end up shipping with them, but I would call them. Their TX to WA route probably goes through CO. I would bet your horse would get picked up on the way from S.CA to TX, have a layover in TX, and then get dropped off on the way from TX to WA. My guess is few haulers will actually go straight from AZ to CO as silly as that sounds.

[mjhco]

Try Joel Rifkin and Run Amok Transportation

[Risk-Averse_Rider1]

@Wonders12

I didn’t end up shipping with them, but I would call them. Their TX to WA route probably goes through CO. I would bet your horse would get picked up on the way from S.CA to TX, have a layover in TX, and then get dropped off on the way from TX to WA. My guess is few haulers will actually go straight from AZ to CO as silly as that sounds.

I did call them, and you’re correct - they would get picked up on the way back from CA, taken to TX for a layover, then taken to CO. The only good thing I see about that is I could beat them to Colorado

I have a couple recommendations for locally-based haulers that I’m checking into, and I will look into @Wonders12’s and @mjhco’s suggestions.

[RMJacobs]

I recently used Brook Ledge to move my elderly retiree from Colorado to South Carolina, and was very happy with their care and efficiency. My horse was only in transit for a day and a half.

Rebecca

[Risk-Averse_Rider1]

@RMJacobs

I recently used Brook Ledge to move my elderly retiree from Colorado to South Carolina, and was very happy with their care and efficiency. My horse was only in transit for a day and a half.

Rebecca

A friend recently used Brook Ledge to get a mare she had just bought from Florida to Arizona. She was pleased. I’ve submitted a quote request. Thanks.

[JLR1]

@Risk-Averse Rider 2

Do you mean the Equine Express from Texas, or TNT Equine Express from Phoenix?

Equine Express from TX.

[mmeqcenter]

Another vote for Brook Ledge. Ohio to Florida in 2 days, amazing customer service, and my two horses arrived happy and healthy.

And I agree with “where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire” in regards to NW.

[Risk-Averse_Rider]

Well, I got my quote back from Brook Ledge: $1100 each, and that’s “carrier convenience” service. That’s twice / more than twice the 2 quotes I got last year from other carriers.

[RMJacobs]

There is no doubt, Brook Ledge is expensive. Given the age of my horse, I wanted someone who had an excellent track record and would move him quickly. I chose Brook Ledge because a friend I respect who used to be a hauler said she thought they would be best for my old guy.

They said it would be three days at the most, and instead it was a day and a half. They said they would soak timothy pellets for him since he doesn’t have any opposing teeth. They did, and when he wouldn’t eat them anyway, they went to a lot of effort to tempt him. For me, it was well worth the money.

I was on pins and needles after he was picked up, since I needed to be on the South Carolina end to receive him and therefore didn’t meet the drivers or see the trailer, although my trusted BO in Colorado did and gave me a full, enthusiastic report. Getting the phone call that he would be delivered early and was doing fine was such a relief, and he came marching off the trailer looking like he’d been on vacation. The drivers spent a few minutes with me at delivery to let me know how well my horse had traveled, and gave me details on the feeding efforts they’d made.

If price is an issue, I have heard that Equine Express does a fine job as well. Their quote for me was a bit less than Brook Ledge’s.

Best of luck with whatever hauler you choose.

Rebecca

[Risk-Averse_Rider]

I just got 2 quotes from local haulers: $1700 vs $2800 - $3600, depending on the route taken.

smh

[Simkie]

I’ve TRIED to use Brookledge a few times. They can never tell me–even a BALLPARK–of when they might be able to pick up my horses. It’s “when we get a load along that route, we’ll let you know.” I don’t know how on earth that works for anyone!

RAR, did you talk to Bob Hubbard?

[dani0303]

When I moved 5 years ago from SC to CO I had an awful time trying to find a hauler to get my horse on this route.

I eventually settled on Equine Express and had everything booked. The night before he was supposed to leave they called me and told me their TX-CO van had been cancelled and he’d spend 3-5 days at their TX facility until another one could be booked.

I called Nationwide in a panic and they honored EE’s quote, picked him up the next day, and delivered him in great shape in 3 days. Unfortunately it sounds like my great experience with them is the exception rather than the rule.