72 race horses on board!

The mares were flown on one of the Etihad Airways’ state-of-the-art Boeing 777 freighters, which are equipped with comfortable seating for up to nine grooms and can accommodate up to 75 horses at a time.

The freight division of Etihad Airways was tasked with transporting more than 70 elite racehorses from England to Kuwait after the European racing season.

In all, 72 racehorses – worth a combined £36 million (US $45 million) – were transported from London Stansted Airport to Kuwait City, where they will spend the winter months training and racing in the temperate Middle Eastern climate.

David Kerr, Senior Vice President, Etihad Cargo, said, “Safety is the most important thing for our equine customers, which is why it is imperative we offer a safe and reliable service on all of our shipments. The Middle East has strong ties to these magnificent creatures dating back thousands of years and, to this day, they are arguably the most precious cargo we carry. In 2016 alone Etihad Cargo has been entrusted to transport more than 1,200 horses, with several more large shipments scheduled before the end of the year.”

A team of six professional grooms handled the horses during loading, while on board the flight – when they visit them in the cargo hold to ensure they are comfortable and calm – and on arrival in Kuwait. When the horses arrived at Stansted, they were loaded by their grooms into jet stalls, specially designed with non-slip floors which hold three horses apiece.

The IATA-approved stalls were then loaded onto the temperature controlled cargo hold of the aircraft in an operation which took more than six hours.