Marwari Horses

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.


History

Out of 380 known breeds of horses throughout the world, there are only four ancient known Hot blood. Marwari Horse is one of them, Bred specially for war in "The land of Dead" where blades of steel grows better then blades of grass.

The Marwari horse is native to the Marwar region of India. It is difficult to exactly trace the origin of Marwari horse with precision but undoubtedly, it is a breed in itself and has no connections with other breeds. Lot of people has related Marwari Horse to Arabian Horse but unfortunately there is no genetic similarity between the two Breed's. Of-course both are hot blooded so is Akelteke & Barb. Conformationally Marwari Horse is a distinct breed.

Anyhow its origins are entwined with local folklore. According to "Shalihotra"(Ancient encyclopedia of Horses), 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. In the Hindu Manuscript Bhagvad Geeta(Hindu Bible), its mentioned that out of the fourteen gems extracted from the sea, one and the first gem was "Ucchaishreva" The Horse which was given to Indra "The King of Heaven".

Great kings associated themselves with these horses, enhancing the power and prestige of the warrior clans. Considered divine creatures, blessed by the gods and exalted by kings, the Marwari horse found his rightful place as the noblest of war horses. The Marwari Horses were known as "Jungla" in the native region, only after Maharaja Jaswant Singh Ji of Jodhpur used them in campaign against Afganistan, The Horses became to be known as Marwari Horses from "Marwar". He is the one who got credit for the revival of Marwari Horses in 17th century. The Marwari fought their last battle with General Allenby in 1917 in Haifa as part of the Jodhpur-Mysore-Gwalior-Jaipur lancers, presently known in India as the 61st Cavalry Regiment, the only "Horse cavalry regiment in the world today".

The fortunes of the Marwari ebbed to its lowest point in 1947 when, on behalf of the interim Indian Government, Patel persuaded the rulers to sign away their royal rights. Following the land-owning abolition act, noblemen were further deprived of the means to support their animals. When in 1952 the first free democratic elections were held, the Government felt justified in wiping out all traces of the ruling classes. This included the Marwari horse which was too powerful a symbol and inextricably linked to the values and excesses of the fallen monarchies. Marwari horse husbandry in the 50's was totally neglected and the Marwari was consigned to oblivion.

Redemption, albeit partial and piecemeal, came from its own people who had many a rough diamond hidden away in their humble homes in the farmlands of Rajasthan.

Marwari Horse has his home in the area called "Marwar". Villages namely, Patodi, 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, Jalore & Jodhpur districts have some famous breeders of Marwari breed. Korta, Rohet & Barkana in Pali, Posana & Daspa in Jalore and Ransigaon & Jhalamand in Jodhpur are very well known Marwari horse-breeders in their region.

The others who are fond of Marwari Horses have taken it to the districts of Udaipur, Jaipur, Ajmer and even to Gujarat, Kathiawar, Punjab and to other states.

Breed Characteristics of Marwari Horse:

By selective breeding of Marwari horses the need of the warriors of the Middle Ages was satisfied. A breed which can survive well in difficult arid terrain, could withstand intense heat and cold, could cover long distances with speed and has hard strong hoof and set examples of bravery, chivalry while maintaining its glorious beauty. Their growing demand was in battlefield.


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 to survive.


The Marwari is an elegant breed with much presence and quality.

Head: The head is overall refined with a medium muzzle and a sensitive firm mouth.


Forehead: Long straight and broad between eyes.


Ears: The medium size ears those are soft and curved inward at the tips, often touching, and forming an arch, when pricked forwards. The length varying from 8cm to 12cms. Located on 90-degree axis and can rotate 180degree.


Eyes: Large round eyes set widely and reflect intelligence and a placid disposition.


Nasal bones: It is flat and long.


Nostrils: spacious rounded outward flare full and sensitive.


Jaws: well-defined and prominent jaws.


Neck: The head joints the narrow neck at about 45-degree angle, proportionate with good musculature, at the base with high head carriage.


Shoulder: Being set at an angle of about 45 degree, well muscular, the slope of shoulder blends into the withers.


Withers: Medium high and well defined.


Chest: Medium and deep.


Back: The saddle back is of medium length and powerful. The barrel of girth is deep with well-sprung ribs.


Hind Quarters: The quarters are well defined and muscular with a well-rounded croup.


Stifle: Well developed and placed apart.


Hock: The hock is broad, clean, strong high set and free of excessive tissue.


Cannon: The cannon bones are long, both front and rear shows perpendicular position and appear quite broad when viewed from side.


Pastern & Hoof: The fetlock is round and is well formed and strong to withstand shock and strain. The medium length pastern denotes strength. They have a slightly forward slope about 45 degrees, viewed from either the front or rear. The legs, cannons, and pastern are straight. The hoof is oblong its size balance with the overall size of the individual animal, it has almost the same slope as the pasterns.

The sole and the wall are very strong compare to other breeds


Tail: The tail of Marwari is well set.


Average Height: Purely bred Marwari horses are about 15hh but varies from14.2hh to 15.3hh.


Weight: Normal weight of well looked after full grown Marwari horse can be between 450kg to 700kg. Depending on individual (Mare or Stallion).
Average Shank Measurement: 20.5cms in Males and 20cms in Females.


Colors: Wide variety of colors is observed in Marwari breed horses. The most prevalent body colors are Black (Bhanwar), Bay (Kumet), Dark Bay (Telia Kumet), Chestnut (Surang), Liver Chestnut (Mahua), Dun (Champa), Grey (Kagra), Skewbald (Lal Ablak), Piebald (Kala Ablak). Note*Names in the brackets are the local names of the colors in the region.



The Marwari Breed, in recent years, is gaining a strong following both inside and outside India. The Marwari Horse is capable of adapting almost anywhere, and its undoubted beauty and courageous disposition along with the steadfast loyalty it shows towards its owners is making it very popular with horse enthusiasts. Today it is used for Riding, Endurance, Tent pegging, Polo, Trail Riding , in Marriage and Religious Ceremonies, and also in the Cavalry ranks of the Police, The President's Bodyguards, and the Armed Forces of India, Also There is lot of passion among the people of India.

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