Sourcing saddle-display horses from China

0% duty under heading 9618

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 9618 covers tailors' dummies and other lay figures, automata and other animated shop-window displays. The supplied snapshot contains a single commodity line, 9618 00 00 00, carrying 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed.

The tariff attaches import and export controls on cat and dog fur. Imports and exports of that fur, and products made from it, are banned. For a horse model ordered from China, specify a painted body and synthetic mane and tail, and obtain a material declaration. Do not accept cat or dog fur coverings or trim.

Confirm whether the horse model's construction and saddle-display purpose support this heading with your customs broker before ordering. Send photographs, materials and intended-use details, using our commodity code guide. A decorative figure can fall outside this heading. See the wider mannequins and dress forms guide.

Specify the back shape and saddle support

Specify full horse or torso, body material, back profile, wither shape, saddle-bearing area, girth clearance, stance and base footprint. Agree whether legs, head and tail detach, how the body fixes to its base, and the intended saddle load. Approve a sample with your actual saddle and pad fitted. Agree a smooth contact finish that will not mark leather.

For models sold for consumer use in Great Britain, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 require safe products. Their scope also includes products likely to be used by consumers under reasonably foreseeable conditions. Assess stability and accessible sharp fittings. Specify display use and agree how to discourage climbing or sitting on the model.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business batch of hollow fibreglass saddle-display horse mannequins under 9618 00 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £590 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,090. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,090, so it is £618. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Saddle fit: fit the intended saddle and pad, check the bearing area, girth clearance and whether the saddle slips or rocks.

Assembly and stability: assemble the model with its base and saddle fitted; check rocking, loose leg sockets, exposed fittings and movement at the body fixings.

Surface and materials: compare paint and gloss with the approved sample; check cracks around withers and leg roots, rough saddle-contact surfaces and the declared mane and tail materials.

Packing and arrival: check rigid support around the body, separate protection for detachable parts and clearance around ears and tail. Photograph packaging and inspect concealed joints before putting the model on display.

What goes wrong

A horse-shaped shell can look correct in photographs but have a back too narrow or too rounded to support the buyer's saddle. Loose leg sockets and a small base can leave the loaded display unstable. Sharp mould seams or rough paint can rub the saddle underside.

Transit damage often needs checking around projecting ears, tails, leg roots and base fixings. Agree packing against those weak points and require assembly and saddle-fit checks before dispatch. Use our quality inspection guide to brief the inspection.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.