Horse Illustrated Magazine

The Marwari

Profile:
The most amazing feature about the Indian horse called the Marwari (mar-wah-ree) is its curved ears.  They often touch or cross in the middle, giving an appearance of a spectacular headdress.  No one knows why the animals have this feature, but cave paintings show that horses with curved ears were in existence in 2000 B.C.  Indian warriors, called Rajputs, lived in the Marwari’s birthplace of Rajasthan and used the horses as cavalry horses. Today, the Marwari is used in rural India for farming and transportation.  In the cities, these horses pull tourist carts and are ridden by police.  They are also the centerpiece for festivals, particularly weddings.

Characteristics:
The Marwari horses come in an array of colors except chestnut.  Gray, pinto, black and palomino and bright sorrel are all commonly found.  A popular but rare color is called the “nukra” or cremelo, which is a cream horse with blue eyes.  The Marwari stands from 14.2 to 16 hands.  The Marwari is more full-bodied than the other desert breeds–somewhat similar to the Spanish breeds. The Marwari’s gracefully arched neck is often described as a scimitar. Many are born with a pacing gait called either the apchal or revall.

For more information:
www.horsemarwari.com