The Marwari horse is native to the Marwar region of India, and
its origins are entwined with local folklore. The breed can be traced to a period, "when the ocean was churned to extract nectar for the Gods. A period when horses had wings."The bardic literature of Rajasthan speaks very high of Marwari Horses, of their heroic exploits, leaping up to Haudus of Elephant crossing over the high barrier walls of cities and forts. Few of the famous horses are "Chetak" of Maharana Pratap, and Veer Durga Dasji's horse "Arbud."

Horse is a symbol of loyalty, self-respect, and power. It is also a part of the deepest root of our culture. It is our duty to have a sense of responsibility towards the continuity of the noble breed of horses with which we all have always been connected and to which we owe so much.

The religious significance

According to Hindu traditions, a horse has very important religious significance. No religious ceremony or rituals were considered complete without a horse. Worship of horse (Ashwa pujan) along with worship of arms (Sashtra pujan) on Dushera festival is performed till today among kshatriyas (The warrior caste of Hindus). Geldings are considered as bad luck therefore traditionally people in the region will not keep any geldings until unless it is because of medical reasons.

Breed Characteristics of Marwari Horse

It is difficult to exactly trace the origin of true Marwari horse with precision but undoubtedly, it has connections with "Arab".

By selective breeding for the need of the warriors of the middle ages, a breed was evolved which can survive well in difficult arid terrain. Their growing demand was in battlefield of an indigenous breed for that the Marwari breed evolved. A breed, which could withstand intense heat and cold, could cover long distances with speed and has hard strong hoof and feet.

An elegant medium height, strong horse with track record of bravery and loyalty in the battle fields of medieval period. Now famous for traveling long distances, have strong feet and hoof, has his home in the area called "Malani" which is part of Barmer district of Marwar, in the villages namely Nagar, Gudha, Jasol, Sindhari, Bakhasar and some areas of Sanchor Tehsil. These areas are said to be the nucleus of the breed Marwari Horse. The nearby Pali and Jalore districts have some famous breeders of Marwari breed. Korta is one of the very well known Marwari horse-breeding stable in the region.

The others who are fond of Marwari Horse have taken it to the districts of Udaipur, Jaipur, Ajmer and even to Gujarat and Kathiawar and to other states. The horse stock, of the breed is maintained for breeding, travel, marriage ceremonies and personal interest. A good number of Marwari Horse can be seen in fairs of Pushkar, Tilwara and Naguar.
The horse stock of the breed is maintained for breeding, travel, marriage, ceremonies and personal interest. Mainly the training is based on traditional war tactics. Horses used in ceremonies and marriages are trained to do Piaffe& Levade. A good number of marwari horses can be seen in fairs of pushkar, tilwara and in many other local fairs in India.

The conformation of a marwari horse is different from any other breed. His confirmation gives him unequalled grace and balance and enables him to excel as a sports and performance horse. It is an animal, which has strong limbs with clearly defined tendons, square frame, and a thin coat, which has the ability to cope with heat and cold without excessive dehydration. It has a well-developed sense of smell and hearing, which is very useful in the desert.