I acquired Humayun ' earlier RajTilak', a black PanchKalyani Stallion of the Marwari Breed from Mewar region of Rajasthan couple of months back.
Each of the horsey gang here, baring the few daredevils like Anish were skeptical initially about my efforts to acquire a top grade breeding Stallion for my stables.
With my limited experience on keeping horses and non with Stallions, I was prone to bouts of nervousness about being able to stable a " Nar" as they called him.
But then whats a horseman who cannot but put up to a challenge thrown by the steed. I started sounding out the channels and started inquiring about the Panch Kalyani stallions available in the area.
Few were identified and discarded, some too young, some too pricey and mostly all lacking the height and the aura which I had come to associate with stallions. My criteria were also too exacting... Black.. PK.. atleast 62 in ht and 4+ in age.
Meandering around North Gujarat, we reached the famous Danta stables, and the kind Maharana invited me and rest of group for tea, and to see his horses.
When I saw his black stallion, all my fears just evaporated, such a well kept, well behaved yet powerful stallion!! Lovely animal, and more so his methodology of stabling and caring for stallions and mares alike.
The stallion was kept loose in the box, a fairly largish box if I may say. But without the standard trappings of the stallion, ie no leg restrains, no restrains on both sides of the mouth. Free.. Free to move, to roam and roll as he desires.. that drew the anger and frustation of the animal out of him and made him a normal horse.. almost like a mare .. maybe with a bit of xtra power in his stride and his posture..thats all.
No rearing.. No loud neighing and jumping about when brought out to be shown in hand. Easy to touch & handle. MY DECISION WAS MADE!
I took directions from the Kind Maharana for Udaipur and moved on. We reached Udaipur pretty late in the evening almost at Sundown. The horse trader who had reffered this particular stallion to me had done the disapearing act and like the houdini.. just done a wonderful disappearing act !
Loosely aware about the area in which this particular animal was located, we set about asking every corner shop about the presence of few horses, which led us to the stables where 4-5 horses were stabled in a dingy shack called the stables.
The two horses which were visible from a distance looked diseased and frail, that sank my heart, a whole days worth of wandering gone down the drain. But that's fairly common story. Every horse owner or trader has a fable on his tongue about the magnificient, seen tobe believed, 65 tall .... and what all, animal stabled in some obscure village, just waiting for the city seth to turn up and pay a few lacks for him. Most of the time these turn out to be the local asses cousin. Only well fed relatively.
We'll here at Udaypur, after passing over the two diseased animals I saw a bright streak of white peek out from a tin shed. That ignited me and I rushed into the shed to see the most expressive equine eyes that I've ever looked into.
To cut a long story short, after a few days of bargaining and haggling the Emperor was at the Elina Stables and rechristened " Humayun" from the erstwhile RajTilak. (too many RajTilaks around)
Just like the typical Stallion he too was like a beast caged, nostrils flaring, his fore's stamping and rearing.. trying to hit out at the blowing wind. Tied on both ropes with the hinds restrained, I wondered if would ever be able to muster enough gusto to even carress him. Riding him was like a thought too far away. His
Every time I ventured forth to touch him or let him scent me, he would show his gums and pull back his ears, warning me to stay away. If at all I went ahead and tried to stroke his blaze, he would jump and try to bite.. or nibble. And his show of strength was designed to put the fear of Stallions in to my heart. One strong pull and the rear restrains were torn to tatters , a sway of his strong head rendered the twin fore restrains to bits of rope dangling from his neck. And trying to think of holding him after that show was like lava in your cup.
All the stable hands were out and away in a jiffy. When I went in there were 3 more with me and not surprisingly when I turned around now, I could see some distant silhoutes of the stable hands trembling at a long distance. I had no other option, so as I was told by Rathore of the mounted Police, I grabed at his jaw and that action probably gave him the message that humans have always mounted the equine and remained on top for a longer period than vica versa. He kept exploding but now it was more of a restrained power as compared to his earlier Avatar. He was retied and restrained.
But seeing him restrained used to give me a feeling of sadness, I hate a animal tied up or a bird caged or a fish dammed. The next day I ordered him to be freed from his rear restrains and to be tied only by his rotating ring around his neck to enable him get all the movement he can on both sides.
Presto ! He was a changed animal the very few days later. Gone were his hot breaths down my neck and his panting and huffing. He turned out to be a sensitive animal, lovely inquisitive rolling eyes and highly responsive to human touch and scent. But lungeing was alien to him, typical of village reared horses who have had no need to lunge around solitary post, having miles of dusty trails available to trample upon and stamp their authority. Off went the thorny bit and incame the smooth snaffle. That gave a lot of relief to his sensitive mouth.
Few days down the line, my stable hand Rattansingh turned him out along with the mares to graze around and when i happened to see him loitering around with his harem, free of all human restrains and inhibitions, it was clear that humans are a hindrance to the animal achieving its own balance with the nature and its herd.
Since then Humayun is a free animal, he moves freely as and when he wishes, wherever he wishes and with whichever mare is the flavour of the day. Mares in heat are isolated for obvious reasons. Good varied equine intellectual company has sharpened his intellect as well and he is a 100 times more alert and well behaved " Nar" then before.
We, humans dictate and distort the reaction of the animal to its natural instincts. And blame the poor animal for its reactions. Freedom is cherished by us and equally by the equines...
