Global Horse Culture

Manipuri Ponies get Protected Status

A friend of mine, Somi Roy, has been supporting the protection of the Manipuri pony in India. This breed is famous for being the original polo pony, but has been declining in numbers. Recently Somi sent some good news about the status of the ponies. With his permission, here are excerpts from his email:

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Dear friends:

It gives me great pleasure to inform you  - especially those of you who are lovers of Polo and horses - the state government of Manipur has agreed to establish a natural preserve for the homeless Manipuri Pony. Last month, the Chief Minister of Manipur gave 200 acres at Heingang Lake just below the Pony Shrine  for this. Heingang Lake is wet only during the monsoon but the animals like boggy wetlands and feed on water plants as well. The lake is covered with lotuses in the summer.

Not only that, the state has agreed to declare the Manipuri Pony a protected animal. We have reason for some optimism now that the Manipuri Pony, descendant of the great animals of the Mongols, and one of 5 equine breeds in India, will pull through and their number will rise from the perilous less-than-1000 that it has dwindled to today. We have also now established a Manipuri Pony Society so if you are on Facebook, do join. I am thinking I will get some Manipuri T-shirts made!

New book!

I am thrilled to have been a part of a new book, just launched today. The Better Deal: Practical Horsemanship Training for You and Your Horse was co-written with horsewoman Margaret Beeman. We spent a year working on this project, setting out Margaret's approach to horsemanship. Margaret focuses on the the need to understand the nature of the horse and the herd rules, and then offers a detailed look at what the person needs to learn about their own body language and emotions in order to communicate effectively with the horse. The second part of the book offers a series of ten exercises on the ground which can be used to evaluate and work through problems at all levels, including problems under saddle. She has used her approach to help students who are regional, national and international competitors, as well as helping pleasure riders and drivers. The book is thoroughly illustrated with  photos.

I spent four years training with Margaret, and it made a huge difference in my horsemanship, allowing me to get over my anxieties and try new things I never would have dared before, from hunter pacing and fox hunting to starting my own young horse.

Read more about the book and find out how to order here.

Help a reader identify this saddle blanket

A reader sent me some pictures of a saddle blanket she has (see end of post for photos), and wondered if I could help her figure out where it is from. I asked a couple friends who know a bit about saddle blankets, and we hazarded a few guesses (below) but we didn't know for sure. Do you know?

Our guesses:

It's definitely not Native American, and it doesn't resemble any we've seen from Africa (such as Ethiopian or Morroccan).

The shape, with the pointed ends, is similar to some English cavalry saddle pads, and this might suggest it was made in an area where English influence was felt, such as India.

However, it also looks like the black outer area and zig-zag border are a newer and different material than the central portion, which appears to be old woven wool.

It has a slot which is typical of saddle blankets that are laid over the top of a high-pommeled or high-cantled wooden saddle frame, which is common in many regions of the world.

The geometric designs and floral motif are similar to some found in Central Asia, such as Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, but again the shape is unusual for those regions and I have not seen any very similar.

Do any readers have ideas? If you have seen something similar please let us know! If possible include a link to an online image or webpage in your comment so we can take a look and compare.

Comments are moderated, so your comment may not appear right away.

Thanks for your help!

Fiction: Zoom

"This is Zoom," said Raoul, handing me the reins of a too-pretty bay gelding. I sighed inwardly. Never ride a horse named Zoom or Devil or Lightning if you want a leisurely ride in the countryside. "You've ridden before, right?" he added.  We nodded. He seemed relieved, and another yellow flag went up in my head. "The horses are a little excited when we leave the yard," he said. "But you know how to control them?" He made a gesture of holding hard on the reins of a runaway horse. I threw in two more mental yellow flags. "They'll settle down after a couple kilometers." I sighed to myself again. I really did want a leisurely amble through the countryside, with plenty of energy for conversation and taking in the flora and fauna. I didn't want to spend it trying to keep a badly trained horse under control.

The plumes of St. Alfio

I must admit my favorite part of the ornate harnesses of the horses at the St. Alfio festival in Sicily is the plumage. The plumes on these horses reach epic proportions, and are unlike anything I've seen elsewhere. They are simply spectacular!

Beautiful harnesses at the St. Alfio festival

This post features details of the bridles and harnesses of the horses at the St. Alfio festival in Sicily, which reader Al Zammataro was kind enough to send me.

St. Alfio: the puppets

Sicily has a strong tradition of puppet theater, featuring legends of ancient battles and heroic deeds. You can read much more about the fascinating tradition in this article and this one.

St. Alfio: the battle scenes

The harnesses worn by the horses at the St. Alfio festival often include elaborate embroidered, painted or beaded battle scenes.

The carts of the St. Alfio festival

Elaborately decorated carts are part of the tradition at the St. Alfio festival in Sicily.

The return of the amazing St. Alfio festival

 Al Zammataro wins the award for biggest fan of Global Horse Culture! Last year he sent me some snapshots from an incredible festival in Sicily, where spectacularly-adorned horses and carts are paraded in celebration of St. Alfio's festival day.

This year, he sent me more photos - taken by a friend of his - with even more detail of the costumes, harnesses, plumes and elaborate carts. There are even puppets acting out legendary battle scenes mounted on the horses!