17 Jun 2001 NEW BOOK: The Indian Marwari Horses NEW BOOK The Indian Marwari Horses Historical introduction: The call thunder down the ages through the sands of time and fades into the desert air, a haunting remembrance to an era of chivalry and valour forever lost yet indelibly stamped into the spirit of Rajasthan. To know and love the Marwari is to re-enter the magical realm of our childhood, a world of castles and heroes, intrigues and passion, dark deeds and mythical horses. A time when women dressed as queens and queens rode like warriors, a time when men fought to live and lived to fight on the battlefields and never went gently into that good night. It is a golden opportunity to embrace the twilight world of the desert, the creative frenzy of a thousand and one festivals, and to partake in the daily rituals that help reawaken our perceptual innocence and calm our unruly souls. To know and love the Marwari is to know and love the Rajputs, for their destinies are inextricably bound. To ride a Marwari is to realise new levels of joy that demand in turn, a receptive stillness for its appreciation. It is to view the way ahead through a pair of perfectly curved ears, gateway to the heart of India’s spiritual and ceremonial heritage. Breed information: The Marwari horse today is descended from the splendid war horses that served the ruling families and warriors of feudal India, throughout and from the beginning of that country’s history. Their status was unparalleled, as they were declared divine and superior to all men, including those Royal blood. Accordingly, only the Rajput families and the Kshatriyas warriors caste were permitted to mount these exalted animals. Today the breed is once again achieving eminence after over a century of twilight status due to the imperial presence of the British and further, the new Indian democracy. The Marwari horse, as the most potent symbol of the warrior Kings somehow survived wholsale slaughter, castration and fearful ignorance during the troubled times preceding Independence and for several decades later. It is thanks to the surviving rajput families and horse lovers from all communities that the resilient and beautiful Marwari has emerged from the shadows onto a bright and hopeful future and out of the threat of extinction. We are honoured to present some of the best horses in the country . Our primary breeding stable is based in Dundlod Fort, Shekhawati, Rajasthan, with a sister base on the Island of Chappaquiddick, MASS, USA. Together they from the largest nucleus of this breed, and we are the first breeders of the Marwari horses to have exported them successfully out of their country of origin. Curreently we have six horses in the USA with several more due later in this year 2001. We anticipate exporting a maximum of 10 a year for foreseeable future. Text FRANCESCA KELLY Francesca Kelly: in India is known as “Ghorawali” “ she who rides horses”. Her particular love for the Marwari has helped bring this relatively unknown breed out of near extinction into the drawn of international recognition. The book is available in India and through select sources in the UK and the USA. You may order it directly from the website: www. Horsemarwari.com Purchase price including postage is US$ 77.- Contact : Francesca Kelly fkelly8254@aol.com Raghuvendra Singh Dundlod bonnie@vsnl.net Click to enlarge

 

27 Mar 2001 A new link with the French Vet school of Paris "Maison Alfort" A new suggestion: go to visit the web site of Paris vet school “Maison Alfort”. It is fascinating to learn about their research. If you want to go directly to the "Maison Alfort" website, go through my link page. www.vet-alfort.fr/Fr/recherche/biomeca/index.htm Firstly the CIRALE, which had just opened when we prepared the Letter N°1, is now operating at full speed, with about 6 to 10 horses being examined per day (more than 400 horses have been examined since the opening). In this letter, Jean-Marie DENOIX and Fabrice AUDIGIÉ have made a first report after about nine months of functioning. In the field of Biomechanics, the last six months were marked by the very good representation of our group at the IWAL (" International Workshop on Animal Locomotion ") congress which was held in Vienna last May. Five conferences were given by members of the UMR, and one of us (F. AUDIGIÉ) participated in the organisation of a " workshop ". In addition, within the context of this congress, five articles were submitted to the Equine Veterinary Journal. A summary of this important quadrennial meeting of equine Biomechanics is presented on p. 5 by P. POURCELOT and myself. The purpose, among others, is to place the works of our group in the international context. it was announced in the Letter N°1, our last recruit, Sylvain FALALA, Assistant Engineer - INRA in Computer Science, joined us last May. Sylvain is in charge of our computer network and manages the clinical case data base of the UMR. He started his work at once with efficiency Given the density of the first issue of "The Letter of the UMR", we could not present the main partners of our research works: administrative supervision organisms of course, but also colleagues from different universities, foreign and French, or from other research organisms. This is done in this second issue (see p. 14). May they be assured of our gratefulness and of our will to continue and develop our collaboration with them in the next months and years! Pr. Nathalie CREVIER-DENOIX Click to enlarge

 

18 Mar 2001 My last trip in Mexico During my journey around Mexico I had a chance to visit many places, farms, race courses in Mexico City and also in the country side. The selection of pictures you will find in my collection will help you grasp the farriery standard and the need for some teaching programs there. Click to enlarge

 

20 Dec 2000 Travel Diary Under this heading, I shall also present a country according to my travel schedule. Click to enlarge