The first thing that strikes anyone when seeing a Kathiawari
horse is its ears. They point inwards, almost meeting across the top of the
head, and with the ability to rotate 180 degrees.
This is a strong, hardy horse breed that is found mainly in
the Gujarat region of western India. A typical Kathiawari horse stands 14-15
hands high. It has a fairly long head, a broad forehead and large eyes.
There is a legend that claims that the Kathiawari was
introduced to India by Alexander the Great. However, others claim that they are
descended from wild horses found in desert regions.
Up to about 100 years ago these were not particularly
impressive horses, being small and stunted and narrow in the body. They did,
however, possess the attractive qualities of hardiness, stamina and endurance.
They could work all day with very little sustenance. They also had tough feet
that could deal with hard terrain.
Selective interbreeding with Arab stock has greatly improved
the breed in terms of its conformation.
© John Welford
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