Shipping Horses by Air from Mexico: Papers, Stalls, Route
Short answer. When a horse travels abroad by air, it goes in stalls or containers designed for equines, on a calendar built backward from the arrival date: lab tests, valid certificates, flight booking and, depending on the destination, quarantine. The health requirements are set by the authority of the destination country and, on the Mexican side, by SENASICA (Mexico's animal health authority). They are confirmed before quoting and can change with health alerts. At Kold Gold we coordinate the plan and the flight, but we do not promise permits or dates: we move cargo that the authority has already cleared.
This guide is for orientation and is not legal advice. Information consulted on October 11, 2026; always confirm the current version with the authority.
How is this guide different from the live animals one?
We already publish a general guide to international live animal shipping, which covers dogs, IATA crates and the SENASICA framework. You can also see the service page, live animal transport. This piece is only about horses: what changes when the animal is large, travels in a stall, may share a flight with other equines and often enters quarantine. If your question is about a dog or a cat, the general guide is the right one.
What changes with a horse compared with any other live cargo?
Almost everything, starting with the physical logistics:
- Special equipment. Stalls (individual compartments) or containers designed for equines are used, handled with ramp equipment, not as baggage.
- Attendant. Some airlines ask for a groom or person in charge of the animal to travel. This is confirmed in writing with the airline.
- Limited capacity. Not every airline or aircraft accepts horses on every route. That narrows your date options and, when several animals travel, forces a comparison between a scheduled flight and a cargo charter (see air freight).
- Climate. In hot weather, cooler departure times are preferred.
According to IATA, its Live Animals Regulations (LAR) are the global standard for transporting live animals on commercial airlines. The conditions for equines on a specific route are confirmed with the airline you choose.
Who decides which papers you need?
There is no universal list. The requirements depend on:
- The destination country, which defines tests, time limits and quarantine.
- SENASICA, the authority in Mexico, which issues the zoosanitary certificate for export when the destination country requires it.
- The purpose of the trip: temporary competition, sale, breeding or a change of residence.
- Health alerts in force, which can change the calendar from one month to the next.
That is why we verify requirements and eligibility before quoting. A quote without that review is useless: if the destination asks for a test that takes weeks, the calendar and the cost change.
Example: horses from Mexico to the United States
The United States is a frequent destination and the authority is USDA APHIS. On its page on importing horses from Mexico (consulted October 11, 2026), APHIS describes, among other points:
- A health certificate endorsed by an official veterinarian of the Mexican government, and 60 days of prior residence in Mexico.
- Negative tests for diseases such as dourine, glanders, equine infectious anemia and piroplasmosis.
- Protocols for New World screwworm: examination and treatments within very short windows before shipment, and additional documents.
- Quarantine at an APHIS-approved facility (the page indicates a minimum of 7 days) and an import permit issued by APHIS when quarantine is done at that kind of facility.
- Advance notice to the port of entry and booking of quarantine space several days ahead.
Those are the requirements published today. They are not a promise that a specific horse will meet them, or of how long the process will take. The status of crossings from Mexico has changed because of the screwworm, and APHIS warns there may be port-specific requirements. That is why we check the current source before fixing a date and again as the flight approaches.
For Europe, Asia or South America the scheme is different: each country has its own protocol of tests, prior isolation and quarantine on arrival. We do not summarize it here on purpose, because a general summary would be misleading.
What we have moved
We have transported live horses, with care en route, and this appears in our track record. We do not publish dates, routes or quantities for those moves. What we can describe is the method we follow: plan backward from the arrival date so that tests, certificates, bookings and pickup line up; choose flights and times with the animal in mind; and follow the trip with tracking through to delivery at destination, whether that is the airport, the quarantine station or the stable.
Planning calendar: from the arrival date backward
| Stage | What is reviewed | Who defines it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Requirements | Destination requirements sheet, purpose of the trip, current alerts | Destination country authority and SENASICA |
| 2. Veterinarian | Clinical exam, permitted vaccines, lab tests and their validity | Authorized veterinarian and a lab recognized by the destination |
| 3. Quarantine | If it applies, where, how many days and with what booking | Destination authority |
| 4. Flight | An airline that accepts equines on that route, stall, attendant, schedule | Airline and Kold Gold |
| 5. Documents | Certificates, air waybill, export and import documents | The licensed customs broker handling your clearance, with the veterinarian |
| 6. Pickup and delivery | Transfer from the stable to the airport and from arrival to the final destination | Kold Gold, with the stable or the owner |
The item in the table that is most underestimated is number 2: some exams, treatments and certificates have short windows before shipment, and a lab test can take time. If the flight moves, documents may have to be repeated. Leave margin.
Scheduled flight or charter?
- Scheduled flight. It usually suits one or two horses when there is a route with an airline that accepts them and reasonable dates. It depends on the space available on each flight.
- Charter. It can suit when several animals travel, when the calendar is very rigid (a competition with a fixed date), or when no suitable scheduled option exists. It is a decision about cost, flexibility and risk that we review with you.
In both cases, ask for the airline's acceptance of equines on the exact route and date in writing.
Shipment documents
Besides the health certificates, an air shipment carries its own documents. Confirm with the licensed customs broker handling your clearance which customs entry or regime applies according to the purpose of the trip and what the destination requires. If the horse is going to a competition with its own rules (for example, those of a sports federation), ask the organizer for its identification and passport requirements; they add to those of the authority.
Insurance and tracking
A valuable horse is insured separately, and coverage is not automatic: cargo insurance is available, but check what each policy covers, its exclusions and how to claim, and confirm with your insurer whether it accepts live animals. Our tracking operates 24/7 during the trip, and reception at destination is coordinated before the flight.
Questions we get
How much does it cost to send a horse by air? It depends on the route, the airline, the number of animals, quarantine and the date. We do not give generic figures; with origin, destination, date and purpose we come back with a quote after reviewing the requirements.
How long does it take? It takes as long as the tests, certificates, quarantine and flight availability take. The flight is only one part; tests, certificates and quarantine have time limits set by authorities and labs.
Can it travel by land? Some land crossings into the United States have changed status because of the screwworm. This is checked with APHIS and the specific port before choosing that route.
Who obtains the permits? The health procedures are carried out by the owner or exporter with the corresponding veterinarians and authorities; we coordinate the calendar and the flight, and we move the cargo once it is authorized.
How to get started
For a useful quote we need: number of horses, age and breed, country and city of origin and destination, desired date, purpose of the trip, and whether they already have tests or certificates. With that we confirm the requirements first and then talk about price and dates.
Get a quote with our freight quoting tool or write to us on WhatsApp at +1 (619) 359-6567, call +52 55 8897 4255, or email direccion@kold.gold. Our agents speak many languages and coordinate with veterinarians, airlines and authorities at origin and destination.
Sources
- USDA APHIS, importing horses from Mexico (consulted October 11, 2026): https://www.aphis.usda.gov/live-animal-import/import-horses-mexico
- IATA, Live Animals Regulations (consulted October 11, 2026): https://www.iata.org/en/programs/cargo/live-animals/
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