With major competitions all over the world, top show jumping horses have more frequent flier miles than many people.
Four-legged fliers —
Special horse charter companies provide stall door to stall door service, picking the horse up at its home barn and transporting it in a specially air conditioned vehicle to the airport.
Four-legged fliers —
Horses on this international circuit can cost as much as $10 million dollars and their health and safety is of utmost importance.
Four-legged fliers —
After their horse passport and health certificate are checked, the four-legged passengers are put in a special traveling stall which has good ventilation and a vibration-minimizing floor to keep those legs from getting stressed.
Four-legged fliers —
These stalls are raised on a lift on the tarmac to be put in the cargo hold where special flight attendants or professional flying grooms ensure the horses' comfort.
Four-legged fliers —
Pilots even fly a special low ascent and descent to minimize the trajectory angle and are particularly keen to avoid bad weather.
Four-legged fliers —
"When we landed ... they unloaded the boxes and transferred the horses to a proper stall on the ground," says Alicia Heiniger, head of the luxury lifestyle media company Equestrio.
Four-legged fliers —
"After a rest and then another vet check and customs, we left for a horse hotel where we spent the night."
Four-legged fliers —
"On our trip from Miami 19 horses were traveling with us and only two were a little afraid which is amazing considering a bird flying by can spook them!"
