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Inside the incredible five-star resort for horses, where the animals enjoy hypoallergenic bedding, marble stables, swims and hot tub sessions in a life of million-dollar luxury

• British travel photographer was allowed inside the elite equestrian centre.
• He was bowled over by the facility, which is home to 700 horses, from new born foals to world champions.
• He said: 'It's one of the most spectacular sporting venues in the world' and 'the list of luxuries is endless'

A hot tub, huge pools, massages and hypoallergenic bedding. These are some of the luxuries afforded to the horses at the incredible Al Shaqab 'five-star hotel for horses' in Doha, Qatar, home to some 700 horses, from new born foals to world champions.

He said: '[It has] incredibly high standards in terms of horse breeding and welfare. And it's one of the most spectacular sporting venues anywhere in the world - and the horses live a life of million-dollar luxury. 'The list of luxuries is endless - they get new shoes every six weeks, their food (hay) gets shipped in from Australia, and their hypoallergenic bedding gets sent all the way from the Netherlands.'

And how much does it cost to stable a horse there? It would be insulting to ask, apparently!

This swimming pool, shaped like a lazy river, is used to help build muscle strength in the horses who are natural swimmers. On-site, the animals also have access to a state-of-the-art hospital and a team of vets.

The indoor performance arena, which seats 6,000, is where some of the biggest competitions in the global equestrian calendar take place.

Horses in the paddocks inside His Highness the Emir’s Stables, which are made of marble and stainless steel, and are specially air-conditioned to cope with the fierce desert heat.

Al Shaqab’s horses are treated like Olympians. Each animal has its own training plan and they are exercised twice daily, including on special treadmills (left). Centuries before the discovery of oil and natural gas turned Qatar into one of the wealthiest countries on earth, the Gulf nation was known for its prized Arabian horses.

Horses in the paddocks inside His Highness the Emir’s Stables, which are made of marble and stainless steel, and are specially air-conditioned to cope with the fierce desert heat.