When does that happen and how does that happen? What is the process? Inquiring minds and all that…
Thanks!
According to Mike Gallagher’s blog (written on day 28 - beats me when that was, the morning after the final???):
“Two Dressage horses leave tomorrow for Amsterdam and our last 5 horses leave the next day for New York.”
I also read that Hickstead is heading for Spruce Meadows.
Now, with the typhoon hitting, all flights have been cancelled today… so I doubt the horses left as planned.
Is anything special done to prepare the Olympic horse for long air travel? For example, do they get IV fluids before hand? Is there a veterinarian on board the plane and/or down in the cargo area with the horses or only a groom/caretaker?
[QUOTE=SLW;3465748]
Is anything special done to prepare the Olympic horse for long air travel? For example, do they get IV fluids before hand? Is there a veterinarian on board the plane and/or down in the cargo area with the horses or only a groom/caretaker?[/QUOTE]
Beezie’s blog has some good information about flying horses. http://teamusa.usatoday.com/bmadden/ Scroll down to one of the earlier posts.
I’m pretty sure Team Canada and horses will head right to Spruce. Maybe Mac’s horse (Ole) will not because of whatever injury it suffered in Hong Kong?
Wow, no rest for the wicked hey?
I had sort of assumed the Olympic horses might get a bit of a break after the Olympics but I guess now they have to jump for their supper instead of for medals 
Mozart, those Olympic horses are in peak condition right now. It would be foolish NOT to compete with them at a show like the Spruce Meadows Masters or some of the fall Indoor shows. It makes more sense to let them down gradually instead of cold turkey. JMHO
Boy if they were my horses I sure would want to to give them a rest and take one of my other horses to Spruce Meadows!!:yes::yes::yes:
I see that point too (although I would not expect any of them to go cold turkey, even if being given a break they would need to be tapered off…). Calgary will be cooler than HK so that in and of itself will be easier. Although Calgary being Calgary…it could go from blazing heat to a snow storm in the course of one weekend. When packing for the Masters…take everything.
I can see going to the Masters, there is a lot of $ to be won. But at some point you need to stop putting the miles on even if the fall indoor circuit is in full swing. Because pretty soon thereafter Florida, California and AZ get going…i
I’m thinkin that some of the US horses will be at the Hamptons…
I would be surprised if they would go to a horse show when they get home… All that travel on the horses and then go to a horse show…I sure hope not.
Looks like Beezie just posted an entry yesterday, saying that the US horses get to rest & will leave Hong Kong next week.
Per Mike Gallagher’s blog
"On Sunday, we got the last of the horses on planes and most of the Team members. I am the only one left in the Village. Air Canada decided to cancel their Vancouver flight today and nobody really knows why, but it has now made getting a seat on any of their flights almost impossible until September 4.
Our Para Equestrian Team will arrive here in a couple of days. We have a full team of 5 horses and riders. I have tried to forward as much information to them as I can so that they can benefit from some of our experiences. I am not an expert, but it really looks to me like the Hotel and the venue are not the most wheelchair friendly places I have seen. At the venue to day, they were placing plastic type patio stones on the dirt paths - I know I could not drag the wheels of my suitcase on those paths, so I think a wheelchair will have problems. At the same time, to day they were busy installing ramps all around the Village, so maybe everything will be great for them by the time they arrive.
As you are reading this, the closing ceremonies are probably just finishing. There has been lots of discussion about the flag bearer for the closing ceremonies for Canada. Both Ian Millar and Eric LaMaze have been suggested as great candidates on the various chat boards, however both are back home in Canada as the ceremonies begin. This is one of the disadvantages of being down here in Hong Kong - if it were not for that, I am sure they would have been strong contenders."
No mention as to what the horses’ destination was!
Also the Masters doesn’t even start until the 3rd with the big money classes being on the 6th and 7th. That’s 2 weeks since their last competition in Hong Kong.
Well from what i know the canadian horses are currently in New York for quarantine. From there they are most likely flying to Spruce. Spruce does have a charter plane flying most of the international horses in. Most will be arriving as early as friday from new york.
Also Eric was at the closing ceromony … saw him on tv 
P.
Unlike the dressage and event horses…these guys are used to being commuters, nevertheless…I wouldn’t necessarily expect brilliance…maybe Hickstead and Eric might be a 100th of a second or two slower…:lol:
I can’t speak for the rest of the US show jumping team but I know that Will’s horse CVD went directly to Germany for a few weeks and from there will go on to Spain to prepare for the FEI world cup classes to qualify for the finals in Las Vegas. Will has been quoted as saying that his horse was just as fresh finishing the games as he was when he arrived. I’m not sure how the rest handled the rigors of competition but that particular horse is fit and ready for the next challenge. 
Where are the dressage horses ?
[QUOTE=Wanderluster;3487779]
I can’t speak for the rest of the US show jumping team but I know that Will’s horse CVD went directly to Germany for a few weeks and from there will go on to Spain to prepare for the FEI world cup classes to qualify for the finals in Las Vegas. Will has been quoted as saying that his horse was just as fresh finishing the games as he was when he arrived. I’m not sure how the rest handled the rigors of competition but that particular horse is fit and ready for the next challenge. :)[/QUOTE]
I think it helped that the showjumpers went to Germany over a month before the games…
:yes: It snowed yesterday in Canmore:eek::eek:… and that’s only an hour or so away from Calgary!!!
