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NY quarantine: Newburgh vs the ARK?

Not sure if this is the best forum for this question, but any recent experiences with one facility vs the other? Which would you use if you had the choice? I got identical quotes for both recently ($3,150 for a gelding). The last time I imported was 2000 and all I remember from the quarantine pick-up was the big-rig drivers laughing at my dad and me with our Brenderup and asking incredulously if a horse would actually fit in there. :rofl:

Mine went through Newburgh in late 2019 with no issues. I used a shipping company for the whole process and only chose the airport portion of the route.

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I imported about 16 months ago and shipper made arrangements at Newburgh. It was a dicey time, mid Covid, couldn’t get horses to Miami (my first choice). The ARK was being used for cargo shipments during that time as well.
From a human perspective, once horse lands at JFK it is another several hour trailer ride to Newburgh, (and more transport $ )which IMO is the best reason to use the ARK. That said, my horse was well cared for at Newburgh, including a minor colic event. But it doesn’t seem that you hear much about people quarantining there. Also, though it probably means nothing, ARK is a private facility, Newburgh is federally run.

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Your point about transport cost is interesting because the quote I got for Newburgh didn’t include any extra cost for transport to get there from JFK. Maybe quarantine at the ARK is slightly more expensive but transport to Newburgh evens things out so that’s why my two quotes ended up exactly the same?

My understanding is that if you want to pick the horse up yourself Newburgh is an easier drive and is cheaper due to tolls. For me, though the distance to Newburgh would be 60 miles farther, the time would be only 10-15 min longer. That’s not even factoring in traffic around NYC that can be avoided on the Newburgh route by going through PA.

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My shipper of choice prefers Newburgh, so that’s where ours go. I think they have an easier time getting staff there to groom/walk horses. Never had an issue. Its certainly easier from a traffic/congestion standpoint if you plan to pick up yourself.

Do you mind me asking what shipper that is? I’ve been trying to get some shipping quotes and most of them have no availability, which is weird because I wouldn’t think that’s an uncommon East Coast route.

Last year I used Dutta. I was quite happy with them.

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Dutta

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FWIW, the US-based shipper I switched to (after the original German-based shipper sent me a very flaky message that made me think they had lost my booking) recommends the ARK. He says although the truckers don’t like the ARK, he likes that the horses can just walk off the plane into a stall vs. having to be unloaded and loaded and shipped and unloaded again. Even though it’s only a 90-minute drive that apparently tends to add 4-5 hours to an already long day. He says many more horses wind up with temps at Newburgh than ARK. This is anecdotal so take it for what it’s worth, but my guy is going to the ARK.

T minus 12 days until he’s at my farm if all goes smoothly!!!

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So mine went to the Ark and did get a bit dehydrated on the trip and developed a small temp. Vet clinic was right down the street and attended to him quickly (like within an hour once the temp was called in). He was given antibiotics and kept an extra day. (There is a sport horse emergency clinic 7 miles away from Kennedy so I felt that if there was a disaster, he would be well attended to quickly.)

As far as trucking out of the ARK, my shipping quote was door to door, so we did not have to go pick him up; he was delivered.

I have had friends who have had their horses go to Newburg, but they had to go pick them up and from what I understand it’s an 1 hour window for pick ups. None of my friends have had a medical situation come up in Newburg, but wondering what their emergency vet situation is up there.

Good luck.

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