Palaces, Temples and Leopards – an equestrian adventure in India’s Land of Kings

I had wanted to ride a Marwari horse – the fine breed from Rajasthan in India distinguished by its cutely curled ears – for longer than I can remember. So when Caroline Moorey, who runs riding holidays in India together with Marwari horse breeder Ajeet Singh, offered to put together an equestrian adventure in India that involved staying in former palaces and going on a two-day leopard safari I jumped at the chance.

Rooftop Meal. Photo Clare Pedrick

The first stop was Udaipur, also known as the white city or the city of lakes and home to the royal family of Mewar. After being driven by taxi, then tuk-tuk through this small town’s narrow streets, we settled into what would be the first of many elegant hotels during our stay, before a sunset boat ride on Lake Pichola to see the island Lake Palace, once a royal summer resort. Dinner was at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the lake, the food a delicious array of Indian and Rajasthani dishes, accompanied by a cold Kingfisher beer. It was all looking very promising

The trails on this equestrian adventure in India have a different stopping place most nights and are based in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, which translates into Land of Kings, and the royal theme is a constant feature throughout. Our first morning saw a guided tour of the royal palace in Udaipur on the water’s edge, home to past Maharajas of Mewar as well as the present one, whose own string of exquisite Marwari horses we saw heading for the royal stables to be fed. A visit to some shops selling richly decorated pashminas and cashmere scarves and sweaters was followed by a lunch with mesmerising views over another shimmering lake before we were whisked off to our next hotel in the spectacular Aravalli hills.

Ganpat, who was to be our guide during the trail, was waiting for us at breakfast, having trucked the horses from their base in Narlai. We couldn’t leave without visiting the nearby Kumbhalgarh fort, whose walls stretch for 36 km, making this the second longest wall after China, but now came the moment that I had been waiting for – an introduction to our horses. Quickly paired up and mounted, we wound our way down elephant trails through fields of chickpeas and forests of bamboo and banyan trees, with monkeys shrieking, deer lurking in the shadows, buffalo wallowing in the streams and spectacularly, a peacock strutting through the undergrowth, its tail spread out in glorious shades of turquoise and green.

Together with his elder brother Ajeet, Ganpat is an 8th generation breeder of Marwari horses. As well as this particular equestrian adventure in India, their trails have attracted famous guests such as then Prince Charles and pop queen Madonna. The brothers also supply Marwaris for sumptuous wedding ceremonies and scenes for Bollywood films.

One night was spent at Ajeet and Ganpat’s farm, a former royal hunting lodge, where we were drummed into the courtyard on horseback before being welcomed with garlands of orange and white flowers and shown their stallions, mares and foals. That evening we were treated to a magnificent display of a dancing horse with another decked out in ceremonial dress.

As the days progressed, and we settled into a rhythm with our horses, the tempo increased, with long canters sometimes breaking into gallops along the sandy trails. In every village, children ran out to greet us as we trotted past and cows – sacred to the Hindu religion – wandered freely. We were told that the first chapati or flatbread baked by each family is traditionally offered to these revered animals.

One ride took us past fields of fenugreek and mustard, with women in saris and men in pink turbans raising their heads from their labours. A special moment of this equestrian adventure in India happened in the rocky uplands around Lake Jawai, where we stayed for two nights.

We were lucky enough to see a couple of leopards quite close up. The previous evening we had seen them mating, then watched them being taunted by playful monkeys who danced tantalisingly within their reach then skipped away to safety. On rides around the lake we saw crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks, their bulging eyes observing us from the water

Lunch generally involved being met by the team of grooms, who unsaddled the horses and tied them up in the shade while other members of the crew offered us wet towels to freshen up and glasses of the wonderful nimboo pani, made of lemon juice, salt, and sugared water for rehydration. A meal of rice, curried vegetables, and dahl soup was served as we reclined on comfortable cushions before it was time to get back on our horses for the afternoon ride

A frequent sound as we rode along the trails on this equestrian adventure in India was the distant drumming and chanting in the Hindu temples, with shrines and offerings at every turn. In Ranakpur we were taken to the magnificent 15th-century Jain temple, a massive pearl-coloured marble confection that is dedicated to this ancient Indian religion and an important draw for pilgrims.

The hotels are a special feature of this ride. Each one is different, and each is chosen with care for its character and charm. In Udaipur we stayed in a boutique hotel with a facade made of coloured glass and richly painted plaster, while in Ranakpur the Maharani Bagh was set in luxuriant vegetation, home to tens of species of different birds that flashed through the trees in brilliant colours. On the last night, we slept in an exquisite 17^th-century palace owned by the Maharaja of Jodhpur, with elegant courtyards and gardens and a good-sized pool.

But it is the Marwar horses that were the stars of this equestrian adventure in India. Lean and relatively small at between 14.2 and 16 hh, these horses are prized for their resilience, loyalty and intelligence, as well as for their spirited gait. They were originally bred by the ruling classes as war horses and their conformation makes them particularly suited to desert conditions and as sports horses. Forward-going but manageable, they are perfect for riders who enjoy long canters, though those who prefer a slower pace can also be catered for.

During a pause in our riding programme we learned from Ganpat what makes a good breeding mare: winning traits are the blaze, which must be unbroken, ears, which must touch at the tip and revolve 180 degrees, width of chest, number of socks and the suli – the circular whorl or tuft of hair on its forehead, which brings good luck. The most highly prized colours are black, bay and piebald, in that order. Murat, the horse I was riding, ticked almost every box on the scorecard, her only slight ‘defect’ being that she was bay rather than the top colour of black. As such, she was worth at least £20,000, I was told. Fast and always willing, with ears that touched perfectly at the tip, this mare was my idea of the perfect ride. Worth every penny of the price she could command, I rather hope she isn’t sold before I have a chance to ride her again!

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