If you ever get the chance to see a Marwari horse, the first thing you’ll notice about this unusual breed is its ears.
The Marwari has a striking appearance, with ears so curled that the points meet.
The history of this breed spans centuries, and the Marwari remains an uncommon yet cherished horse today.
Origins and History
The history of the Marwari horse breed is largely based on Indian tradition. The Marwari breed originated in the Indian Marwar region, where people crossed local horses with Arabians.
The origin of the story is in the mystery surrounding the introduction of Arabian horses to the region; the most widely known explanation proposes that Arabian ships ran aground somewhere off the coast of the Marwar region, and locals subsequently saved the horses that were on board.
This Indian clan selectively treasured and bred these horses to improve their most remarkable features. People employed Marwari horses for calvary by the 16th century.
Marwari horses have exceptional hearing abilities, which serve as an early warning system for the rider and the horse in dangerous situations.
Due to lifestyle changes, the Marwari horse breed was on the verge of extinction in the twentieth century when India’s British occupiers chose Thoroughbreds over the Marwari horse.
Poor breeding techniques nearly destroyed the Marwari horse breed, but fortunately, there were just enough dedicated breed aficionados to keep it alive.
A Marwari Bloodlines club was founded in 1995 by Francesca Kelly, who wished to conserve the Marwari horse breed globally.
She brought the first Marwari horse to the United States in 2000, culminating in the shipment of 21 more horses from India. In 2006, India refused to give export licenses for the Marwari breed.
In 2009, the Marwari Horse Society of India started taking steps to produce studbooks and establish registration procedures.
This helped to restore the breed’s degraded qualities and return it to its previous splendour from the 1100s.
Height and Weight
The Marwari horse may stand between 14 and 16 hands tall and weighs between 750 and 1,000 pounds on average.
They are recognized for having lean bodies and are a breed that is known for being exceptionally light.
Colours
The Marwari horse comes in various coat colours. Some of these colours are bay, piebald, skewbald, chestnut, gray, palomino, and chestnut.
Because the colour black is associated with the underworld and the afterlife in Indian culture, They believe Marwari horses that are black bring bad luck.
On the other hand, fortunate are Marwari horses that have white blazes on their faces and four white socks on their hooves.
People place a significant amount of value on piebald and skewbald horses, although gray Marwari horses are also among the most desirable.
Conformation
The shape of a Marwari horse demonstrates that people developed it specifically for use in desert environments.
Their shoulders slant less than other breeds, allowing them to have a shorter stride and sprint in the desert sand by quickly bringing up their legs.
This is because their shoulders are more vertical than the shoulders of most other breeds. This may cause them to be slower than horses of the Arabian or Thoroughbred breed, but it also makes the Marwari horse more comfortable to ride through the expansive desert wastelands.
The Marwari horse breed is not known for its speed, but due to its ambling, fast, four-beat pace, known as a rehwal or revaal, the horse can traverse enormous distances smoothly and efficiently.
Characteristics
Due to the unusual appearance of the Marwari horse’s ears, you may identify the breed in just a moment. The ears of Marwaris are distinctively bent inward, and the inward curvature of certain horses’ ears is so extreme that the tips of both ears touch one other.
People developed the Marwari to serve as a horse in arid environments, reflected in the modern breed. When compared to the shoulder bones of other breeds, those of this breed have a less pronounced angle.
Because of this anatomical feature, the Marwari can effortlessly lift its legs up and out of the sand. Marwaris are naturally slower than other breeds of horses, such as Arabians and Thoroughbreds.
This is because their bone angles prevent them from extending their stride to the same extent as those of other breeds. On the other hand, this bone angle results in a leg action that the rider finds very comfortable.
Additionally, this breed has a gait. This quick, four-beat ambling gait ensures a comfortable ride for the rider.
This type of gait, also known as a revaal or rehwal, enables the horse to cover long distances with relative ease and velocity.
Diet and Nutrition
The Marwari Horse is exceptionally resilient and can make it even with a restricted diet because of this trait. Because the Marwari horse breed is so uncommon, very little information is available regarding its particular dietary requirements.
It is common knowledge that the Marwari horse, which originated in India and was developed specifically for use in arid climates, is exceptionally resilient and can make do with very little food.
Make preparations to offer high-quality horse hay and to boost its diet with a ration balancer or another form of nutritional support if necessary.
Common Health Problems
Because Marwari horses are still relatively uncommon, There is little or no information on their health problems just yet.
The general health of these horses is quite good, and their hooves are exceptionally robust in terms of health. According to horse trainers, Marwaris are approachable and easy to train.
Breeding and Utilization
Even though the Marwari horse is popular in countries other than India today, the language is still rather uncommon anywhere else in the world.
People still actively breed the Marwari breed today, but you are much more likely to come across one of these horses in India than in any other country.
The Marwari is useful in a variety of contexts. Because of its striking appearance, it is ideally applicable for use in processions and other ceremonial contexts.
The offspring of these horses crossed with Thoroughbreds are often slightly larger than their ancestors and have a greater capacity for various disciplines. Because of its quickness and endurance, the Marwari is an excellent choice for dressage and polo.
Grooming
Because the Marwari has such delicate skin, it will require additional attention and grooming throughout the year, particularly in the spring and summer months when there is a high population of insects.
It is possible to make these horses more comfortable by providing protection from fly bites and promptly treating any bites they receive.
The majority of Marwari owners let their horses’ manes develop in their natural state. Grooming and detangling manes and tails consistently are beneficial.
The Marwari’s short coat will have a natural luster if you provide them with adequate nutrition and regular grooming.
Conclusion
The Marwari horse breed is an interesting one, even though there is little information about them because they are exclusively endemic to India.
They are a rare horse that deserves to be back from the brink of extinction because of their curved ears, easy temperament, and the potential to be low maintenance because they are desert horses.
