Horsing Around? How one company moved 121 Mongolian Horses between Ulaanbaatar and Hanoi

Many delicate things are transported by air – be it humans, medicines, cargo, cars, or other live animals – including Horses.

Chapman Freeborn Group has supported a specialist live-animal charter operation, moving 121 Mongolian horses between Ulaanbaatar and Hanoi.

This was delivered through close collaboration between Chapman Freeborn’s Asia Pacific team and Intradco Global, its specialist live animal transport brand.

The operation involved three back-to-back Boeing 757F charter flights within a 38-hour window, moving 51 horses outbound, 20 horses home and a further 50 horses outbound as part of a single coordinated rotation.

The project required detailed planning, bilateral coordination and specialist equine transport expertise to ensure every stage of the movement was managed with animal welfare, timing and operational precision at its centre.

Live animal movements are among the most specialist areas of air charter. Unlike standard cargo, each movement must be planned around the needs of the animals, with careful consideration given to aircraft suitability, loading arrangements, documentation, welfare requirements and coordination between teams at origin, destination and throughout the journey.

The movement carried added significance as part of a wider bilateral initiative, with some of the horses returning after several years and new horses travelling onward as part of the rotation. The operation also reunited members of the animal care team involved in the original movement, bringing continuity and experience to a highly sensitive project.

Chapman Freeborn itself provides private air passenger and cargo charter services for major corporations, governments, NGOs, relief agencies, and high net-worth individuals. The company is part of Avia Solutions Group, operating a fleet of 138 aircraft worldwide and the parent company of over 250 subsidiaries.

In Quotes

Latha Narayan, President APAC at Chapman Freeborn said:

“This was a very special movement and a strong example of what can be achieved when specialist teams work closely together across the group,”

“Projects of this nature require more than aircraft capacity alone. They rely on trust, detailed planning, specialist knowledge and continuous coordination to make sure every stage of the operation is handled with care. For our Asia Pacific team, this operation also reflects the importance of combining regional market understanding with global specialist capabilities. By working closely with Intradco Global, we were able to support a complex live animal movement with the care, agility and expertise required.”

Charlie McMullen, CEO, Intradco Global added:

“Horse movements are among the most sensitive live animal transport projects, and every detail matters,”

“From preparation to loading and arrival, our priority is always the welfare of the animals and the smooth delivery of the operation. We are pleased to have contributed our specialist live animal logistics experience to this complex movement.”

The power of logistics… with every precious cargo.

To achieve a moment like this is impressive, given the sensitivity of moving live cargo, especially horses that both Chapman Freeborn and Intradco Global had to handle.

Throw in the planning needed to achieve movements (going back and forth between Ulaanbaatar and Hanoi), with all the bilateral agreements that need to go forward, and handlers… it’s a lot of work

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