Horses around the world The Marwari horse
With an ear design that makes it truly unique (and very cute), Julie Brown says hello to this ancient Indian breed
RECOGNISED BY ITS inwardturning ears, this beautiful rare breed comes from the Marwar region of India. It is thought to be descended from native Indian ponies crossed with Arabs, possibly with some Mongolian influence too. The history of the Marwari goes back to 1150 AD, with relics and paintings of them found peppering the walls of caves in western and central India, which then included Iran. It’s safe to say this horse is one of the oldest known breeds in the modern world. Traditional rulers of the Marwar region were the first to breed the Marwari and they were careful to breed for both purity and hardiness — essential as they were to eventually become cavalry horses. They were loyal and brave in the mayhem of battle, a good friend to the soldiers of war. As is often the case with unusual breeds, the number of Marwari horses reduced dramatically during the 1930s and ‘40s, when the rulers no longer needed war horses. Poor management practices also resulted in fewer breeding horses. They have since regained popularity, being used for light draught and agricultural work, as well as riding and packing. The horse safari industry in India, popular with tourists, has also helped. Exportation tion of Marwaris was banned for decades, but between 2000 and 2006 a few were allowed, and since 2008, visas allowing temporary travel outside India have been available in small numbers. In fact, the UK was lucky enough to be granted a temporary visa to allow a Marwari horse to take part in The Queen’s diamond jubilee anniversary at Windsor Castle in 2012 — a privilege and a rare sighting indeed. The first and last Marwari to be exported to Europe was in 2006. India’s horse societies are urging the Government to lift the ban so that more horses can be exported, which they hope will help preserve the breed. Now becoming popular as showing, sport and endurance horses, the Marwari is often crossed with Thoroughbreds to produce a larger horse with more versatility. They are particularly good at dressage, in part due to their natural tendency to perform. Polo is another sport they excel at.