MY name is David McMahon, or Bono to a lot of people in the horse racing industry. I have worked with horses for over 25 years and, since 2017, have worked full-time as a flying groom. Ann Munnelly of Brideschurch Bloodstock introduced me to flying, and I still work closely with her today. Similar to many of my colleagues, I am self-employed and contract work from shippers all around the world. The majority of my work includes shipping horses from Europe to the US and shorter day trips to races in Europe for Ballydoyle and other Irish trainers on big Group 1 race days.

Predominantly, the US is the busiest route for Irish horses, but as there is only one scheduled freight service out of Ireland that horses can travel on, it is actually cheaper to truck out to Liege, Frankfurt or Amsterdam to ship your horse to the US. Usually, mainland European grooms are used to keep costs down. All other flights from Ireland would be chartered aircraft, which is where things can get very expensive!

It’s a very rewarding job when things go right. A boring flight is a good flight, as it means all the passengers have travelled well. Recently, I took over work from John Dooley flying the Ballydoyle-based runners with Des Dully, often flying to racetracks around Europe during the Irish flat season. John Dooley taught me the art of the trade and I’m very grateful to follow in his experienced footsteps. The trade is constantly evolving and it’s great to have Des to work alongside and learn from as well.

Flight crew

An example of our typical race day includes meeting the specifically chartered inbound aircraft in Shannon Airport. It arrives empty, so we have quite a bit of work to do, including liaising with the flight crew and the ground crew and get it “stalled up” and ready for when the horses arrive, to ensure a speedy departure. We travel with the horses from the airport to the track and help the yard teams throughout the day. Then, back on the flight in the evening, home through Shannon.

For long-haul flights, I would usually arrive to the airport or sometimes meet the horses in the yard and travel from door to door, wherever in the world they are going. For a long-haul flight, horses often travel with other items of cargo, such as other animals, luxury cars, computer parts, you name it. The oddest piece of cargo I have seen on a flight alongside the horses was a full helicopter!

It’s very rewarding and fulfilling to be involved with such top-class horses, especially after a successful day on the track or knowing I played a small part in the success of animals continuing on their careers with new owners.

I find most horses seem to fly well when they have a good team with them, keeping them as calm as possible. In my opinion, hydration is key. If they drink well during the flight, that’s a big plus and they will usually come off their jet stall in good condition on the other side.

A major help is getting their heads down to eat and drink, so they are in a natural position. This involves reconfiguring the internal doors of the jet stall and creating a more natural, stable-like environment. This approach can also be applied to all horses travelling by road, sea or air. It also helps a lot if they are kept to their routine regarding feeding times and hay.

Unlike the movies, and unknown to most people in the equine industry, hundreds of horses fly every single week. The first question I always get asked by a lot of people that don’t know much about flying is “do you sedate every horse?” and “if things go wrong, are they euthanised on the spot?” And the answer to both of these questions is no! Obviously, if a horse gets nervous on a flight, measures are put in place and certain steps are followed to ensure a safe and successful flight for that animal.

I can count on one hand the amount of times when things took a slight turn for the worse, but having a good team of experienced people around you is what ensures the best outcome.

Often, I have shared flights with inexperienced grooms directly from the yard the horse has come from, that may have no experience flying, and do not know how to spot when things may be heading in the wrong direction. However, their experience of knowing the horse’s specific quirks, combined with an experienced flying groom’s knowledge, is the key to a successful and boring flight.

Depending on the country, there are different agricultural protocols in place but, in general, most horses will need pre-export/import testing, health documents, customs declarations and in some cases quarantine. Shippers will provide all necessary information before the flight and make the necessary arrangements at both ends.

Usual schedule

Similar to humans, horses experience a form of jet lag. Some journeys are long on them, as they’re on their feet all day. You have to remember, from the moment the horse leaves their yard, they are travelling non-stop to their next destination. Plus, they will experience a broken routine, so they will need time to re-adjust. I like to ensure that they have a constant supply of fresh water from their original yard and usually feed them as close as possible to their usual schedule. There is also a difference in travelling a horse for competition versus a general shipment for a horse that has been sold.

A horse’s kit bag contains their most important items. I like to keep the kit bags to the absolute essentials, as sending too much takes space away from your horse in the jet stall and makes it difficult to reconfigure the stall to create the comfortable stable-like environment. There are differences between a competition kit bag and a long-haul kit bag, but similar essential items include hay net, water, buckets, good lead rope, a nice soft leather head collar, feed, and a light travel rug, depending on their destination.

In my personal travel bag, I go nowhere without my coveralls and a good set of footwear, a medical kit, leather lead and chifney, microchip reader and a spare head collar and lead rope. Also not forgetting some snacks, as you never know when your next meal will be! During the flight, we can regulate the temperature on the aircraft and my advice would be to not travel horses in a sheet, so they can regulate their own body temperature and are as naturally comfortable as possible during travel.

Like humans, larger kit bags go into the hold, or belly, of the plane. We don’t have access to this during the flight. When we arrive at the destination, these larger kit bags will have to go through customs, so having the travel sheet in the smaller kit bags helps if they have to wait a few hours at the airport in a colder climate.

If you are packing your kit bag, remember, less is more! Including what the horse wears when travelling. I have always been taught to keep everything the same as if they were travelling at home on the road. If your horse does not wear boots or bandages while travelling, putting them on for a flight will only annoy the animal and could potentially cause more harm. To also help avoid any potential injuries during the flight, if the horse has shoes on, taping or removing shoes is advised.

From October to December, it is a hectic time of the year, as a lot of international racing takes place. I’m away more than home during these months, often living suitcase to suitcase. My fiancée, Alyssa O’Neill, has the patience of a saint, as we usually only get to see each other through video call for the busy periods! However, her involvement with her own event horses means she understands the work I’m in. The Breeders’ Cup is probably my favourite trip every year and takes place every November. Mersant, US-based shippers, are the official shippers for the Breeders’ Cup and LG Bloodstock, in the UK, look after the European side of runners and delegate the work to the Irish shippers to prepare the Irish-based runners. There is a massive amount of work and cost involved in taking part at the Breeders’ Cup but, to me, it is the Ryder Cup of horse racing. All the best European-based horses taking on the best US-based horses and then throw in the best of the Japanese into the mix as well. It is a spectacle and a privilege to be involved.

Preparations start weeks in advance and usually involve a lot of conversations with Chris Santarelli of Mersant, and Brian Taylor, one of the best UK-based flying grooms, recognised for it as he was awarded the Godolphin UK Thoroughbred Industry Employee Award in 2024. Brian and I stay for the week of the Breeders’ Cup and help out the Irish and UK trainers and staff with their runners and fly them back home. This year was again successful for the European team, with plenty of winners!

Cost can be huge in shipping a horse abroad, but do not cut corners. Spend that little bit extra to ensure your horse is as comfortable and as well looked after as possible. Unfortunately, I have seen people try to save a few quid and sacrifice the wellbeing of their horse by not following appropriate advice. There is plenty of help available, if you find yourself in a position having to ship a horse. Shippers provide services for various racehorse trainers, eventers and show jumpers around the world and are always willing to help. I have experience working with Brideschurch Bloodstock, Equine International Shipping and BBA Ireland, as well as Mersant and IRT in the US and UK based LG Bloodstock and BBA UK. They are all fantastic companies that do all the hard work in the background for you! Use an approved shipper and ask for Bono as your horse’s personal “air hostess” for all their needs, both on the ground and in the sky!