The peninsula and the saddle
In Saurashtra, the Kathiawari carried riders, drew carts and took part in sport. A survey of keepers across the peninsula found that many households cared for only a few horses. That scale matters to the history of the breed. A family that remembers which mares travelled well, and records their foals, holds part of its history.
The polo ground
In Manipur, the game of Sagol Kangjei gives the local pony a place in sporting history. State conservation documents also describe its role in ceremony and the pressure on grazing land. The survival of a riding tradition depends on what happens between matches, including where the ponies eat and where a young pony can grow.
The mountain path
In Ladakh, accounts of the Zanskari describe ponies carrying loads through high valleys. In 2025, keepers from Gya met animal husbandry staff in Leh to discuss conservation. Such records put names, places and present-day decisions alongside older descriptions. When recording your own horse’s history, preserve its place of birth, the breeder’s name and dated photographs with permission.