Monday, October 27, 2014

Mailbag: Shipping Saddles to Australia

Q: I'm from Australia and I want to get a saddle from www.HorseSaddleShop.com but I'm a little concerned about it getting through customs and having to fill out mounds of paperwork. What is the process to get my saddle?

A: (From past AU customer) We initially received a letter from Australia Post. It informed us that the goods had arrived and would be released once they had been assessed by Customs. We had to logon to the Customs website and submit an Import Declaration Form. There is an Importing and Clearing Goods that arrive by International Mail (post) section that has all the information. Basically if the goods you are bringing into the country do not exceed $1000 then you don't have to pay any charges. If the value exceeds $1000 then charges are calculated and the goods aren't released until payment is received. I submitted our form online and it was assessed within five days. I received an email telling me how much I had to pay. The total cost of our saddle, bridle etc was $1832.47 USD. We were charged $347.94 AUD by Customs, which included duty, transport and insurance (T & I), GST and a processing charge. It was payable by BPay, phone, Internet and money order. The saddle arrived a few days after that. It was relatively stress free. We just had to go to our local post office to pick it up.


Horse Saddle Shop provides the necessary documentation to get your saddle smoothly through customs.

Find more information on the official Australian Customs Website.

Mailbag: Professional's Choice Boots

Q: What is the difference between the Professional's Choice protective boots SMBII, SMB3, and Elite?

A: The SMBII boots are great for multipurpose protection. They offer 360-degree protection and provide support to prevent hyperextension. The SMB3 goes further in providing additional elastic stitching around the boot perimeter to keep a snug fit to the horse. This helps keep dirt from getting in behind the boot and irritating the horse. The Elite set themselves apart with contour shape for the best fit. The interior uses VenTech ventilated neoprene to dissipate heat and moisture. The Elite boots are recommended for longer days on the trail and arena.