Olympic Horse Transport Video

wow thanks for that, was really interesting, and how good the horses are, you would think they would at least be a little looky,a credit i guess to the pro's working with them...yay team GB and the very best of luck!!!!!!!
 
Only managed to catch glimpses of it as won't show properly for me...
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Aaaargh
 
Was it just me or did that bring a lump to anyone else's throat watching them being loaded up and taking off, a kind of feeling of placing your best friend in the hands of strangers type of feeling?

Would I be right in assuming that the horses normal grooms don't fly with them and that there are specially trained grooms that go with them?
 
That was amazing, they are just so trusting, no way would my boy be that relaxed about a flight.

Briliant post, gets you quite emotional.
 
Thanks for that.
Sharon looks as if she's trying to convince herself he's very calm..........bless.........
How good are horses to us humans, I'd have been in bits watching my pride and joy vanish into the sky........
Wasn't there an event horse destroyed on the plane 'cos it went berserk going to the LA games in 1968?
 
That's how my little Cloudy made it here!!
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Thank you sooo much for posting this! I've never actually seen the whole process before.

When Cloud flew over here with Pedens, I was able to travel with her if I had wanted to, however you have to pay for your flight and it wasn't going to save me any money on grooms fees as they were travelling anyway with the other horses on the shipment. I did wonder about flying with her, however due to her blood work being a day late (couriers mistake) she actually flew out the day after us, so I opted to fly on the same plane as my dogs, cat and family.
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Wasn't there an event horse destroyed on the plane 'cos it went berserk going to the LA games in 1968?

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Tokyo in 1964 (according to what Eventing mag says)
 
1932 LA Olympics 3 horses were destroyed on the plane. The US eventer Markham paniced on departing from Newark, a Chilean horse had a heart attack in flight, and an Argentinian horse had to be detroyed on the way home (not sure of the reason).
 
Thanks. I'm soooo bad at numbers..........
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1932........jeez, that's a LOT of horses......
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I did think it was the most recent LA games tho', but dementia is probably setting in .........
I wonder if the advent of much better tranquilisers would prevent that happening now?
 
Could well have been one in the 1984 although the records say the only fatality was Bermuda's Gold on course, they may not have considered travel to / from to be on note.

The 1932 said "in flight" but thought back then some horses went by sea to Tokyo.
 
the grooms do go with the horses on a flight like that they use a 747 the horses go where the normal passengers go in their air stables and the personnel go where the first class lounge ould be above. no luxuries though i can tell you. ...
on the flights sometimes they let the agtual grooms do any watering or whatever nessecary but often the flying grooms just get on with it.
it doesnt matter how important and famous you think your horse is, the flying grooms and the captain have the final say so, you pretty much have to put up and shut up, they know what they are doing and most are experienced horse people before they get offered a job so are well able to deal with their charges. dont forget most of the rachorses they deal with are younger more silly and worth more money so they habe to be good.
good post though x
 
1937 Tokyo - I thought many went by sea but the records said by air.

The 1984 LA Olympics record one horse fatality - Bermuda's Gold on course breaking a leg after 2nd fence xc. But not to say one was not lost in transport as they may not classify that as noteable to the games.
 
BTW does the video cut out at 4 mins for everyone else like it does for me? I have tried watching it about 5 times now, and it cuts out when Jenny Hall is speaking after the horses are being loaded at Stansted?
 
i'm pretty sure there wasn't a fatality en route in 1984. i think with the faster-acting sedatives nowadays (and probably much better-built crates etc) the chances of a panicking horse having to be shot are very very small. horses are much more used to travelling nowadays too.
I was surprised to hear that it was Tankers Town's first time flying - I thought the policy was to try to get prospective team horses in the air once or twice before a major champs such as this.

i'd forgotten about poor Bermuda's Gold... broke down terribly on landing over the 2nd fence iirc, having taken off and cleared it fine, absolutely terrible for her poor rider, she was a lovely mare.
 
I remember Bermuda's Gold. Poor MJ, just so terrible, and what a waste when it is a mare. I know it's awful for anyone it happens to, but for a rider without a stable of decent horses it is even worse...

I'm so old now I'm probably getting my memory confuddled about the dates, but I know the thought stayed with me for a long time when I heard about it...........
 
Jean Teulere wanted to fly to HK with Espoir de la Mare who gets very tricky on long transports but he wasn't allowed. No room for him, only federal vet and 2 grooms with the horses they said...
 
Yes, owner and rider were nervous about the whole thing but he made it ok.
Espoir IS a difficult horse who can be temperamental...
Maybe they put him next to Galan who's a cool-headed horse, nothing fazes him
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