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A horse was airlifted by the Swiss Air Force as part of an unusual trial on Friday.Â
The heavy cargo was hoisted from the ground by a military helicopter as part of a test to work out whether injured animals can be evacuated and transported to vets quickly. Â
The Swiss military also carried out a second test, hoisting three animals with the Super Puma helicopter.Â
A horse was airlifted as part of an unusual training exercise and evacuation trial run by the Swiss Air Force on Friday
The Swiss Air Force also carried out a second test which involved airlifting three horses in one go with the Super Puma helicopter
The heavy cargo was hoisted from the ground by a military helicopter as part of a project to determine whether injured horses can be rapidly evacuated to a medical facility
Seen through the trees, the horse is carried on the simulated evacuation as part of a trial project carried out by the Vetsuisse faculty of veterinary medicine
The horse is seen suspended from the Swiss Air Force Super Puma helicopter during Friday’s unusual trialÂ
The horse appeared to be thrown about by the wind and the helicopter as it was dragged along for a flightÂ
The horse was blindfolded during the flight, but would otherwise might have enjoyed the stunning landscape and wind turbines on the helicopter’s flight path
The blindfolded animal did not manage a quick stop at the Cafe Du Soleil, which remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, on his flight past
The soon-to-be flying pony was pictured being prepared for its flight by army vets with a blindfold, harness, head collar, and lead ropeÂ
The bizarre project was carried out by the Vetsuisse faculty of veterinary medicine and the Swiss army veterinary service in north western Switzerland
Staff were pictured in their own protective gear, including high-vis jackets and helmets, and noise cancelling headphones, before the experiment
The test was carried out by the Vetsuisse faculty of veterinary medicine and the Swiss army veterinary service in north west Switzerland. Â
Pictures show the horse being prepared for his flight, probably marking the first time the animal has ever been airborne.Â
Military vets cloaked the horse in a full body harness and appeared to cover its eyes ready for take off.Â
The horse was surprisingly calm during the short flight, despite seeming to swing around vigorously in the wind.Â
The horse was later pictured touching down safely surrounded by six waiting onlookers. It was not immediately clear how long the horse spent in the air.
The horse was later pictured preparing to touch down after the flight surrounded by six onlookers
Onlookers were seen photographing the unusual sight as the flying pony completed its journey and came into land
Seven people, many wearing hi-vis jackets and trousers, as well as hard hats were seen helping the horse make a smooth landing back on the ground
The horse looked relatively calm during the flight, despite appearing to swing around in the wind
The Swiss army are yet to say if they believe Friday’s trial has been a success or if the practice will be rolled out for operational use
 It was not immediately clear how long the horse spent in the air, but it was pictured high up in the sky in the Saignelegier areaÂ
It was not immediately clear what state the horse was in once it had returned to stand, as this is likely the first time it has been airborne
A second helicopter that was not carrying animals was seen shadowing the Super Puma during at least one of the test flights
The horse managed a fly-by of the town of Saignelegier’s sites, including the Cafe du Soleil, were puzzled onlookers watched the display
Vets thoroughly covered the horse, including with a blindfold, before it was attacked to the helicopter’s hoist
The horse appeared to be dragged around on the flight and seemed to often end up travelling at odd angles during the experiement
In a second experiment on Friday, the Swiss army airlifted three horses together, this time with the animals wearing protective boots.Â
Each animal had a harness around its midriff, which was then attached to the helicopter.Â
The trio each wore a head collar with an attached rope, ready to be caught by the waiting vets on landing. It was unclear what state the horses when they returned to land.Â
The Swiss army are yet to announce if the test has been considered a success or if it will be rolled out operationally. Â
The lucky – or unlucky – horse managed to take in the beautiful surrounding scenery during its flight, including a trip through the nearby town of Saignelegier. In a second experiment, the Swiss Air Force practiced hoisting three horses together from the Super Puma helicopter
 The trio of ponies were strapped together using a set of harnesses that went round their midriffs and their tails
Onlookers in the town of Saignelegier, in the Swiss canton of Jura, watched as the unusual experiment took place
They also wore blindfolds, head collars, and lead ropes so they were ready to be caught by waiting vets when they landed
The trio were carried suspended below the military helicopter as part of a test to see if injured horses can be evacuated and transported to vets quickly
They were padded out with protective boots, head collars, and ropes, to make the flight and landing as seamless as possible
The goal of the exercise is to provide transport and rapid evacuation of injured horses to a veterinary medical facility
 The horses were prepared by vets at the Vetsuisse faculty of veterinary medicine at the University of Bern
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