Table 2 Descriptive statistics of owner and 118 horse details, including the past travel history before air transport (2020–2023)

Horse owner details

Owner’s equestrian sector

Show jumping

32

27

Breeding

19

16

Other

17

14

Dressage

14

12

Recreational riding

11

9

Thoroughbred racing

6

5

Showing

3

3

Western

3

3

Pony club

1

1

Unknown

12

10

Relationship with the horse

Professional

96

81

Amateur

10

8

Unknown

12

10

Horse details

Horse sex (n = 110) ^a

Female

57

52

Male

53

48

Horse breed (n = 110) ^a

Warmblood

60

55

Thoroughbred

25

23

Quarter Horse

8

7

Other

17

15

Country of stable of departure (n = 110) ^a

United Kingdom

42

38

Belgium

27

25

USA

16

16

Germany

11

10

Other

14

13

Reason for moving the horse by air (n = 110) ^a

Sale

59

54

Breeding

22

20

Competition

13

12

Personal relocation

10

9

Racing

6

5

Horse past travel history

Horse temperament profile

Bad

20

17

Good

64

54

Unknown

34

29

Horse experience in road travel

Few trips

37

31

Travel regularly

34

29

Unknown

47

40

Horse training to travel

Untrained

74

63

Trained

20

17

Unknown

24

20

Horse loading in a vehicle

Easy

77

65

Resistant

21

18

Unknown

20

17

Horse previous Transport-Related Problem Behaviors

Yes

12

10

No

85

72

Unknown

21

18