Inside 'Air Horse One,' The Most Luxurious Plane In Horse Racing

Equestrian sports like riding, racing, and dressage are some of the most noble sporting events in the world, with horse-centric sporting first joining the Olympics all the way back in 1900. Naturally, the cornerstone of these sports are the horses themselves, who are just as important in any race or show as the jockeys who ride them. There's a reason these majestic creatures serve as the logos for major brands like Ferrari, you know. 

Since equestrian sports are a global phenomenon, with events like the World Equestrian Games drawing competitors from all around, it stands to reason that the competitors' horses would need to be brought in alongside them. While you can put jockeys on a commercial air flight, though, a horse doesn't exactly fit on a typical airplane.

This is why equine air transportation companies exist, chartering flights on specially-modified airplanes designed to safely haul the horses to their destinations for events. For pedigree horses here in the United States, one of the ritziest rides they could hope for is aboard the "Air Horse One," a private transportation vessel boasting the very best in horse care staff and amenities.

Air Horse One is the private equine transportation craft of Tex Sutton Forwarding, a United States-based transportation company with a penchant for ferrying horses. The actual plane is a modified Boeing 727, a classic commercial aircraft carrier, exclusively contracted out to Tex Sutton with the help of a first-class certified air carrier. This special contract allows Air Horse One to take off whenever and wherever it needs to; other carriers are often beholden to airline schedules, which can be troublesome for event schedules.

For horses aboard the plane, the finest in equine amenities are provided. Every individual horse gets their own stall, with about 20 horses able to safely fit aboard. The partitions between the stalls are adjustable to accommodate horses of different shapes and sizes, and the floors are lined with sawdust to give their hooves a little extra purchase while the craft is in the air. Some purebred horses that have small animal buddies to help keep them calm in stressful situations can have them in their stalls on the flight.

For just about any animal, horses or otherwise, flying is a very unpleasant situation in general. Four-legged creatures simply weren't meant to fly, unfortunately, and it can be difficult to get through a flight aboard Air Horse One without at least a little tension. It's for this reason that every human that sets foot aboard the vessel is trained to provide the horses with the utmost care and comfort. Grooms, assistants, and if necessary, veterinarians will join the horses in the main cabin to provide them with food and water and keep them calm during takeoff and landing. For sensitive horses, owners can request special temperature-controlled stalls for that added bit of comfort.

Even the plane's pilots do their jobs with the horses' comfort in mind. They take special care to avoid steep ascents and descents, give a wide berth to any inclement weather conditions, and take extra time to ensure landings are smooth and simple. Anything they can do to help keep the horses upright and balanced, not to mention prevent them from getting scared, the pilots will do. These horses get treated nicer than most human passengers on regular airlines, though the fact that a single ticket aboard Air Horse One starts at around $5,000 certainly incentivizes the royal treatment.