During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the equestrian events will be held in Hong Kong. Now, the air distance from Beijing to Hong Kong is about 1230 miles (1979 kilometers)--that's almost as far away as New York City is from Miami, Florida!
The reason they decided to hold the equestrian events in Hong Kong is because the Hong Kong Jockey Club has lots of experience in taking care of horses. However, part of the complication for these Olympics is getting the horses to Hong Kong. The horses used in these events are really expensive (over a million U.S. dollars) and they are treated like athletes. Horses aren't exactly stupid, so when they are loaded on a plane, they sense danger and need to be calmed down.
The reason they decided to hold the equestrian events in Hong Kong is because the Hong Kong Jockey Club has lots of experience in taking care of horses. However, part of the complication for these Olympics is getting the horses to Hong Kong. The horses used in these events are really expensive (over a million U.S. dollars) and they are treated like athletes. Horses aren't exactly stupid, so when they are loaded on a plane, they sense danger and need to be calmed down.
Piloting the flights for these horses is also challenging. If a horse
falls or slips during takeoff or landing, it might injure them. This
means that the pilot has to make the flight a smooth one. They also
have in-flight vets and grooms to attend to the horses needs during
their trip. Some have to fly on the plane for over ten hours. Once in
Hong Kong, the horses have specially-equipped stables with air
conditioning to keep the horses happy before the Olympics.
Another issue is dehydration. If a horse gets dehydrated during the flight, the long-term effect may be devastating--the horse could get sick or injured, and the rider cannot switch horses easily as they mostly train with just one horse. Most horses have been with their riders a couple of years.
My mom and brother are in Hong Kong right now and they just experienced a typhoon (like a hurricane) on Wednesday, August 6, 2008. All businesses were closed down because of the high winds and rain that came with the typhoon. Hopefully, this will all clear up before the equestrian events are supposed to start on Saturday, Aug. 9th.
Stay tuned, I'll introduce all the other Olympic co-host cities next.
Another issue is dehydration. If a horse gets dehydrated during the flight, the long-term effect may be devastating--the horse could get sick or injured, and the rider cannot switch horses easily as they mostly train with just one horse. Most horses have been with their riders a couple of years.
My mom and brother are in Hong Kong right now and they just experienced a typhoon (like a hurricane) on Wednesday, August 6, 2008. All businesses were closed down because of the high winds and rain that came with the typhoon. Hopefully, this will all clear up before the equestrian events are supposed to start on Saturday, Aug. 9th.
Stay tuned, I'll introduce all the other Olympic co-host cities next.
Hi David, I am glad for your comments and photos. I am going to follow your blog together with my children in Germany. So, I guess, I´ll write again! See you.
Cool love the story. I hope your mom and brother are safe from the typhoon.
Talking about horses makes me think about my horse . her name is tango . She has a tan colored body with a white mane and a tail .
I HAVE A HORSE TO HIS NAME IS ROCKY.