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Last Update: 16 Jun 2010

Riding Holidays | India

India is fascinating and diverse country in Asia; from snow capped mountains to deserts to fertile tea plantations to sun drenched beaches. It’s this diversity together with the sights, sounds, smells and colours which allows India to capture the hearts and imaginations of visitors time after time. We have found some wonderful horseback riding holidays in India in two very different parts of the country – Rajasthan and Assam.

There is no better way to see Rajasthan than on the back of a Marwari Horse. These horses are a very special element of riding in Rajasthan; as a sixteenth century war horse, in the thick of battle, Marwari horses portrayed great character, faced death fearlessly and defended their masters from the enemy. Today's Marwari horse is a descendent of these splendid war horses that served the ruling families and warriors of feudal India. The most distinguishing features of the Marwari horse are its unusual shaped ears, which curve inward and sometimes even meet at the tips. Through the years, the Marwari has developed the stamina to cope with long hours under saddle in a harsh desert environment. They can thrive on meagre rations and scant water supplies even in the fierce heat of the midday sun. A fine silky coat helps them keep cool and long lashes protect the eyes from sandstorms. The Marwari is a tough, undeniably beautiful, forward going and spirited horse.

The Marwari horses and your horse riding guides come from the stables at Dundlod Castle, home to Kanwar Raghuvendra Singh, known as Bonnie. Bonnie is a warm and considerate host and also an expert horseman. He is a direct descendent of Kesari Singh who built Dundlod Castle in the 1750's. At Dundlod, Bonnie has set up the largest Marwari stud farm in India and has established a breed improvement programme. Bonnie often guides all or part of the rides. There are several different itineraries scheduled between October and February, including the Fairs and Festivals Ride; the Nagaur Fair Ride, the Pushkar Fair Rides. and the Shekhawati rides.

In contrast to bustling Rajasthan; Assam is the perfect place for a relaxing holiday miles away from day to day life at home. Assam is still very much off the beaten tourist track and so provides visitors with a real insight in to the rich culture and traditions of the area. Join a horse riding trail along the banks of the Brahmaputra River, riding through tea plantations and living in colonial spendour at a renovated former tea manger's bungalow. In Assam your hosts are Manoj and Vineeta Jalan who have pioneered equestrian tourism in the area. Manoj is a keen endurance rider and his fit and responsive horses reflect this. The horses are all thoroughbred types and require a competent rider. Included in this holiday is a two day visit to Kaziranga National park which is world famous for its one horned rhinoceros. Kaziranga is also known for its elephant back safaris.

If you have extra days available after your horseback vacation why not visit the Tiger reserves at the famous Ranthambore Park, or Bandhavgarth National Park, a small park but has the highest numbers of tigers in India, including white tigers. Or have some relaxation time at Kerala, which has some of the best beaches in India.