There is a rich history surrounding the logistics involved in transporting horses. As far back as 1500 BC the Persian army shipped the animals to Greece where they were used by mounted warriors to invade Ancient Greek settlements. Indeed, war was the initial driving force in the field of horse logistics, as for centuries the beasts were ferried from battleground to battleground while being held in place by wooden boxes or in slings positioned on the decks of sailing ships. A lot has changed in recent times, especially when it comes to racehorses, whose value has skyrocketed, leading their wealthy owners to protect their live assets by giving the horses VIP style luxury transport that most humans would be glad to receive.
Luxury Horse Trailers
When on domestic journeys, where not too many miles are covered, the vehicle of choice for top trainers to treat their horses to is a luxury trailer ride, with many trailers so big that they’re able to accommodate between five and fifteen (yes fifteen!) horses at a time. Many of these trailers resemble articulated lorries more than horseboxes and cater to everything a travel weary horse could need, from padded stall walls for added comfort, to refreshing air conditioning, to specially designed floors that sooth fidgety hooves. And it’s not just the animals who find themselves well looked after, with many trailers offering up 5-star living quarters for any one of the horse’s chaperones. However, all this luxury doesn’t come cheap. The very top of the range vehicles retail at around a cool £250,000. For those who don’t wish to splash the cash to own one of these stables-on-wheels, there are companies who provide a full bespoke horse logistics service, although this obviously also comes at a price.
The Risks of Road Travel
Because racehorses are renowned for being skittish, it’s easy to spook them with a long road journey, often leading to the animal not performing at his or her peak when they make it to the racecourse. There’s also the issue of, as is the case with people, some horses being more prone to travel sickness than others. Many trainers worry that their animals will arrive running a fever or be stiff after spending time tensed up in a small stall, as their trailer gets stuck in traffic or, god forbid, breaks down in the middle of nowhere. This is why many of the world’s elite owners and their horses are now shunning four wheels, packing their bags and taking to the air.
Pegasus is not Alone
When horses take to the sky nothing can be left to chance, because they’re unable to watch the in-flight safety demonstration, fasten their own seat-belt and can’t be trusted not to bother fellow flyers while they wait for the bathroom. This means there are companies who are chartered up to two hundred times a year to fly the cream of equine talent to and from prestigious race meets all over the world. Obviously, this sort of service comes with a lofty price tag, with a one-way ticket to San Diego from London setting its owner back £9,500, and that’s just for the economy package. Once an owner’s bank balance has taken the necessary hit, the horses are loaded onto cargo planes in much the same way as they would be a trailer, travelling in the hold, but away from other animals that might distress them. Fear not horse owners, your horse will not share a stall with a tiger. Although cargo planes are the norm for this sort of job, there are still some flights that hold both human and horse cargo, such as New York bound KLM flights, which regularly have horses on-board. So, if you ever find yourself cruising at 40,000 feet and hear a neigh or the clopping of hooves, don’t be alarmed, a fellow traveler is probably just happy to have been delivered their in-flight meal of hay with a side of grain.
Animal Safety
During its infancy, air travel for horses was a genuinely fraught business, with carriers treating the animals as badly as ground staff often treat suitcases and items marked with “fragile” stickers. Back in 1978, there was even one story of a horse being flown to a race, only for the flight to be re-routed to Hamburg, where the poor beast was stored overnight in a freezing warehouse full of sacks of grain.
Do horses suffer from jet lag, I hear you ask? Well, you’ll be heartened to know that studies suggest they don’t, and that in some cases the animals even gain an advantage by being jet propelled to the edge of the stratosphere prior to a race. Jet lag aside, there’s also deep vein thrombosis to think about, but because the majority of horses travel standing up (albeit with their horseshoes removed) this issue rarely rears its head. However, when the animal in your care is worth upwards of seven figures, owners often think it prudent to have a vet travel with the horse, especially when the flight runs over the 10-hour mark and the horse in question needs feeding and watering. There are no doubt plenty of vets queuing up for the job, as they are treated to a business class seat in return for taking care of the plane’s most prized cargo. Having racked up their air miles, the horses finally make it to their destination, at which point all that’s left to do for the dedicated airport logistics staff who got them there is to sit back and perhaps even select a cheeky little Cheltenham Festival FreeBet.
From Airport to Racecourse
As well as a vet, each shipment of horses is given a chaperone whose job it is to make sure all the animals get past the paparazzi and don’t get distracted by honeypot fillies in the arrival’s hall. They also make sure that all the boxes are ticked with security and immigration authorities. Only then, with the journey over, can the horses stretch their legs, and set out on the long arduous gallop for victory.
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