How is a horse transported in a plane?

Question

How is a horse transported in a plane?

Answer 1

They are loaded into horse crates, which are pretty much horse trailers without wheels.  Once in the crates, the entire crate is lifted onto the plane and clamped down to the floor.  I remember reading about it in Equus a long time ago, and just today at work I read an article about it on the NBC olympics website, equestrian page, in the articles section.  I would post the link but my home internet can't handle all the pictures on that site and it would take me forever.  Start here:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/equestrian/in...

Answer 2

they have horse trailers inside the plane with highly specialized staff to look after the horse....you could send your back yard pony to the uk or wherever and they would get the same treatment as an olympic horse. it would also cost the same ..

Answer 3

Depends on what you decide to pay for. Most people go for the more expensive transportation so their horse gets the safest and best of care. In that case, the plane is much like a barn. Many built in stalls, straw/shavings for bedding accordingly, your same individualized feed plan, water, night and day staff, as well as proper blanketing, shipping equipment, and medications that you provide with a detailed list. Much like the same as at home for your horse, just in the air. Depending on the length of the flight determines what you do and do not need to provide information-wise to the staff. The cheaper way is much like when you transport by boat, the trucks/trailers are literally driven onto the aircraft and left there with night watch staff, safely secured, food/water provided but not as "spoiled" I guess you could say if you spent the extra money. Overall it is a pretty easy and safe process, my horse loved it when we shipped her from Denmark to Ontario, she didn't want to leave :P They barely even know they're in the air. :)

Answer 4

Horses are transported on air cargo carriers in specially constructed stall crates, also known as airstables, and the stall crates are constructed to accommodate anywhere from 1 to 3 horses and 1 attendant who must accompany the horse or horses. Most air cargo services contract lease stall crates from manufactures such as Instoneair, while others such as KLM own their own. Some of the largest air carriers who will transport horses are Fed Ex, DHL, Northwest Air Freight, Air Canada, Qantas, Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, and Martinair. KLM is probably the most frequently used carrier to transport horses and sometimes stall crates shipped via KLM will actually be transported by Martinair. There are a lot of others also, especially a lot of foreign air carries, but these are probably the most frequently used. There are also a lot of brokers, Instoneair and Air Equine being the most frequently used, who will make all the arrangements for you to ship horses by air and tend to all the services needed from the point of shipping to the destination and will also provide the attendant/groom who will accompany the horse or horses from departure to destination.

Answer 5

in purpose built horse crates  

Answer 6

The same as it is transported in a lorry.

Answer 7

In a box or standing stall, depending on the horse, and who's paying for the shipping. The stalls are either built into the aircraft, or the horses are loaded onto large pallets and then moved into the plane by way of a hydraulic lift. Staff are generally provided by the airline, but oftentimes horses will have their own individual grooms. Most racehorses fit into this category. This is the way in which Curlin was shipped when he went overseas to Dubai for the race there.

Shipping by air can be very stressful for horses- most of them do not adapt well to the noise and vibrations of the aircraft, and not all horses can stand the close confinement which is necessary when transporting horses this way. Sometimes, this can lead to serious problems, as happened in 1960 during the Rome Olympics. That year, there was an American horse named Markham who had to be destroyed in flight because he panicked and went berserk, and endangered everyone's safety. Most planes used for horse transport generally have a loaded gun on board somewhere, just in case something like this happens- and the pilots in command of such flights can authorize euthanasia in the event of an emergency. If you have ever seen the movie "International Velvet", there is an incident like this in that film- an incident, which, might I add, was probably based on the tragedy involving Markham- his rider/owner, Olympian Mike Plumb, was one of the film's technical advisors, and it's only too likely that putting a fictionalized version of that incident in the film was his idea. Claustrophobia can affect horses as well as people- and just like with people, there is generally not much you can do when a horse that's claustrophobic has a panic attack on an airplane. The space is just too confined, and there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide- a plane in the air is self contained and alone. Emergency euthanasia is tragic, yes, but sometimes, there is no other choice. Better one horse be sacrificed than lose a whole plane full of horses and people in a crash- and a horse that's panicked and out of control can do enormous amounts of damage to an aircraft.

Answer 8

They have built in stalls.