Highly recommended (& I will recommend to everyone, particularly getting a youngster safely delivered). Ilona was brilliant. Let me load Indy (2 yr old that had never travelled) by myself until he was safely up the ramp, then quietly helped get his bum round. No stress, no clicking, or interference. Indy was on in a couple of minutes and Ilona drove away so carefully. Ilona was happy to take hay and water that he was used to too. I got updates throughout the journey from France to UK. Ilona Lang merci!! - Sarah Williams, Haras de La Rose, France
I was very impressed with the standard and preparation of the transport and Hampshire Horse Transports understanding and patience of loading a youngster for the first time. - Diana Scott, Brendon Hill Stud
Said a sad goodbye to this lovely mare today . Molly has gone home to Shropshire to retire. She’s been fabulous and not so fabulous in equal measure ! We’re so lucky to have had her in our lives . The end of an era for Olivia and me but we’ve had a wonderful time together with horses.
Want to thank Ilona Lang at Horse Transport Hampshire for a wonderful service and taking her safely to her new / old home. - Marie Antrobus Curtis
Couldn't recommend highly enough. Last minute booking and it was made quick and easy. I was regularly updated throughout his journey and the best care was taken of my boy! Thank you so much! - Lily Appleton
Ilona came highly recommended and totally lived up to it. Responsive, efficient, quiet and competent, and reiterated by some very knowledgeable people too. A brilliant first journey for a yearling. Thank you Ilona! - Rebecca Dobson
Fantastic service from start to finish.
This was for a yearling who had never travelled before and Ilona was knowledgeable and sensitive to his needs. I was kept updated on his long journey, which was great because I am a worrier.
Thank you for delivering Mr Darcy to me safely - Emma Svrevhic
My mare had only been in a box twice. Lovely safe secure box and she travelled well. Kept updated and photos sent. Highly recommend. - Charlotte Hardy
Great service, very friendly and professional and kept me updated. Would highly reccomend. - Charlotte Kelly
Ilona was great! She quietly let me get on with loading Jasmine and drove steadily so that my horse arrived calmly and unloaded well. This set us up for a great clinic!
The lorry was spotless and roomy and the partition sturdy.
Many thanks team! - Vicky Scott
Excellent service - Would definately use again. - Harriet Hammond
Excellent service provided,
Had to get a horse to hospital late on a Saturday night
Highly reccomend Ilona and her lorry
Thank you Horse Transport Hampshire - Mandy Prowting
Ilona is fantastic. Arrived bang on time, helped me put my bits and bobs on the lorry!! My boy is fairly okay at loading once enticed with feed ( he is only a baby at 4 years old ) and she let me do my thing without getting too involved which I love! He is a sensitive boy. I knew if I needed help I could just direct her and she would be there. He travelled well and wasn’t at all stressy being unloaded at the other end! The lorry was immaculate - exactly how I expected after all this EHV marlarky! Ilona is friendly, knowledgable, fairly priced and was able to sort my Transport with only a few days notice. I would 100% recommend her for a stress free ride! Thank you from both Corky and I ! - Maddy Holder
Superb experience when using Horse Transport Hampshire. Mare and very young small foal were delivered in immaculate condition after a long journey. I was kept informed very regularly and even sent photos of the journey. Would highly reccomend. Many thanks Ilona ! - Anna Cayzar
Excellent service when transporting my 2 Haflingers to the national breed show - I would highly recommend and will be using again, thank you! - Petra Ingram
Thank you for the outing today and your help was really good to be able to take both my horse's thanks again See you soon. - Sarah Cook
Fantastic service and I was kept updated every step of the way, thank you - Sophie Donaldson
Thank you to Ilona who transported my Mare from Hampshire to her new home in Kent last month. Was very accommodating to our dates and made everything so easy! Lovely lorry and our mare travelled so well, can’t recommend enough. Thank you! - Claire Fundrey
We recently purchased a three-year-old and needed a way to get her home safely to Wiltshire. I felt totally confident sending Ilona at Horse Transport Hampshire to go and pick her up. I knew that Ilonas' experience and ultra-safe truck would get her home safely - and all in time for Christmas. - Kelly McCarthy-Maine
Can highly recommend Horse Transport Hampshire. Knowledgeable horse owner/rider and experienced transporter. - Mandy Blonde James
Ilona was lovely and professional. She moved a little pony for me, who despite being nervous travelled well. Would definitely recommend. - Jade Cox
Really recommend. Moved two of my ponys today and one decided to get their foot stuck in the haynet and be a bit of a pain traveling but Ilona was very calm and helpful! And best of all very fairly priced and very professional! Thanks again. - Jodie Wilkinson
Why have I never done this before! Daughter loads him at one end I receive him at the other, totally stress free and Ilona is wonderful, thank you so much. - Jemma Smith
Great communication, made my yard move easy! Highly recommend. - Helen Riley
Ilona took me and my green horse to our first BE event today and she was so excellent and patient even when he was quite “quirky” in the box. She was also really helpful as a groom during the event. 100% recommend her. - Tabby Cook
Excellent, friendly, caring and careful service! Thank you so much for bringing Tia to her new home this morning Ilona and at short notice! - Sam Cope
Fantastic service moving my ponies today, really took care of them while on the road. Would always use again. - Claire Snooke
Lovely lady... excellent service and great value for £. Prompt and reliable ! In safe hands x - Theresa Mulberry
Precious cargo this week indeed! Thank you for your thoughtfulness in giving Flo a comfortable, safe and stress free journey . - Kelly McCarthy-Maine
Hampshire European Horse Transport was established in 2018.
Ilona is the main driver. Ilona previously spent 20 years working in the equine industry, riding and caring for horses in different settings. This ranged from racehorses in training, to sports horses competing internationally, breeding stock at thoroughbred and sport horse studs, to adored family ponies.
So much thought goes into managing their comfort and wellbeing, which is dependent on their temperament and management; these have been very useful skills to carry forwards to today.
Ilona also worked as a driver for established international racehorse transporters, transporting Thoroughbred mares and foals from abroad, driving racehorses to race meetings, and loading up and delivering large numbers of high value yearlings at the Thoroughbred yearling sales (including the sales toppers being sold at between £1 million to £3.5 million).
Alongside this, 4 years were spent working for South Central Ambulance Service. Wherever possible, a spare day was dedicated to the non-emergency services, to carefully transport seriously ill or disabled patients between hospitals and hospices. In the ambulance service, you receive regular driving training and examinations, to ensure that every driver thoroughly understands a range of smooth driving techniques. This is so that each patient can be driven smoothly, with their health and comfort in mind.
When driving horses, the horse cannot speak to tell the driver that they are driving badly, but these patients were the best driving trainers for smooth driving that you could possibly get. Many of them were so ill and so fragile, that any sudden braking, bump or corner taken too fast, would result in a patient screaming and crying in pain. We learnt very quickly how to drive appropriately, so that they were kept as comfortable as possible during transit.
To this day, all our horses are driven in exactly the same way, which is why they arrive at the end of their long distance trips in good condition, looking fresh and well.
Ilona is also the Transport Manager for the company, having gained the CILT Level 3 Certificate of Professional Competence for Transport Managers in Road Haulage, in 2022.
Jamie is the second driver. Jamie has an amazing affinity with animals, and loves horses more than he does anyone else! He will always spend his driver’s breaks talking to the horses in the back of the lorry, and making sure that they are O.K. In his younger years he worked for David Elsworth Racing, before going on to be an apprentice jockey for Brendan Powell Racing. He then got his Class 1 driving licence, and spent 6 years driving arctic lorries all over the U.K. Jamie’s experience as a ‘proper trucker’ is absolutely invaluable.
Both Ilona & Jamie have the CPC ( Driver’s certificate of professional competence ) and the Level 3 Award in the Principles of transporting horses on long journeys.
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