Jodhpur: Falabella, the world's smallest horse two to three feet in height, was displayed at Marwar Horse Show in Jodhpur on Friday. It is for the first time, that Falabella, commonly known as a miniature horse, was displayed at a horse show. The breed is only around two to three feet tall, which makes it shorter than many dogs. The average life span of this breed is 45 years which is much more than an ordinary horse. This breed is usually seen in horse shows. Falabella is an Argentinian horse breed, but is also found in many European countries.
Falabella drew a huge crowd at the fair today. This apart, an Arabian horse also participated at the fair. However, the Marwari breed, which is a rare breed from Marwar or Jodhpur was the main attraction. There were around 150 Marwari breed horses this time. The eighth two-day All India Marwar Horse Show was inaugurated this morning. The All India Marwari Horse Society, Jodhpur and Marwari Horse Book Registration Society of India jointly conducted the show at Maharaja Gaj Singh Sports Foundation Polo Ground. The show was inaugurated by Naresh Gaj Singh by worshiping Ashwadev Revant.
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The inauguration ceremony was marked by a march past with horses, group folk dance 'Langa' and folk songs by Manganiyar folk artists as well as Mehrangarh Band, Sundar Band and Camel Band of BSF. On the occasion, Naresh Gaj Singh said that the horse breeders benefited a lot after the show started. He said that Marwari breed horses have become very popular nowadays and they were fetching a good price.Rizwan, who came from Pratapgarh with his 27-month-old Marwari horse, said that he has to devote one-and-a-half to two hours daily to the horse, who is now over six feet tall. Rizwan further said there are eight to ten breeds of the Marwari horse. They are identified by their nose and ears.
Harpreet Singh Sidhu, a resident of Bathinda, Punjab, who brought Falabella and Arabian horses to the show said two hundred years ago, the Falabella breed was used in the coal mines of western countries. Due to the narrow opening of the mines, coal was extracted by loading these horses. At that time the physique of these horses used to be strong. Gradually, after the arrival of machines, their use stopped. Now they only come to perform in shows. Harpreet said his brother is a doctor in Ireland and he brought Falabella and Arabian horses from there. He rued that presently a lot of custom and other duties are levied on horses. Union Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Minister Purushottam Rupala, who attended the show in the evening praised it. Various competitions were also organized on the occasion. The eighth season of the Marwari breed horse show will conclude on Saturday. The title of Best Horse in Show will also be announced before the finale on Saturday.
