When troops are sent to the Middle East, they don't generally expect an easy ride.

But this time 30 members of the Household Cavalry  -  and their horses  -  seem to have landed on their feet  -  and hooves.

For a billionaire Arab sheik has offered to pay for them to fly to Abu Dhabi and perform for him  -  at a cost of £250,000.

Gift horses: Thirty members of the Household Cavalry are travelling to Abu Dhabi to perform their Musical Ride routine

The Musical Ride will travel on business-class flights and stay at one of the country's top hotels, at his expense.

And their mounts get an even better deal. Sheik Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is one of the richest men in the world, has arranged for a specially adapted Boeing 747 jet to take them there.

At their destination, the horses will be put up in air-conditioned stables, with a team of staff to entertain their every whim.

'It looks like the horses are going to get better treatment than we will,' joked spokesman Captain Michael Fry.

The world-renowned Musical Ride is described as the equine version of the Red Arrows.

It has been a part of the public face of the Household Cavalry for many years, first performing at The Royal Tournament in 1882.

Their format is based on a series of cavalry drill movements set to music and has remained largely unchanged over the years.

The team, who are based at the Household Cavalry barracks in Hyde Park, take part in all state occasions, such as Trooping the Colour, and perform at shows around the country. 

However, they have never before travelled outside Europe  -  and were astonished to receive an invitation to perform at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition in September.

The trip was approved by senior Army officers, as it is considered an invaluable opportunity to strengthen links between Britain and the UAE.

No payment is being made, although the sheik has promised to make a 'generous' contribution to the Household Cavalry Museum as well as meeting the costs of the trip.

A source explained: 'The British Army isn't for hire but the Musical Ride perform in public on a very regular basis and this is a brilliant chance for them to show off their skills to a new audience.

'And, if you pardon the pun, you can't look a gift horse like that in the mouth.'

Between 28 and 30 horses, including the famous shire-cross drum horse Sparky, a handful of grooms and a vet, will fly out to Abu Dhabi a week before their performance to acclimatise to the 36C heat.

The sheik is bringing the adapted jet over from his stables in Normandy.

'Essentially none of it would be possible without the extraordinary generosity of the sheik,' added Captain Fry.

'It is an unbelievable opportunity for the team and we looking forward to it immensely.'

A spokesman for the Musical Ride said: 'The details are still being finalised and we're not sure how many planes are being sent over for us yet but it will be an incredible experience with no cost to the taxpayer whatsoever.'

Mansoor is the brother of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, the biggest of the United Arab Emirates, whose family fortune is estimated at about £555billion.

Last year he splashed out £210million on Manchester City football club.

The family's wealth is derived from oil which was discovered in Abu Dhabi in 1958.

Their coffers have been swollen by its soaring value and it is estimated that every time the price of oil goes up by a $1, Abu Dhabi gains as much as $500million a day.

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