In north-west India is a region called Rajasthan. This region contains Marwar, sometimes called Jodhpur, and that is where the Marwari horse comes from. The first to breed the Marwari horse were the Rathores, traditional rulers of the Marwar region. Throughout history, the Marwari has been used as a cavalry horse by the people of Marwar. This horse breed is noted for its loyalty and bravery in battle. In the 1930s the breed deteriorated some because poor management practices led to a reduction in breeding stock, but today the breed has regained some of its popularity.
The true origins of the Marwari are hard to pin down. They are thought to descend from the warhorses of the Rajput warriors of the Marwar region, with the influence of the Turkoman type of horse brought by invaders in the sixteenth century. Unlike the Kathiawari, another horse breed from the area, the Marwari shows little influence from the Arabian horse. The Rathores, the traditional breeders of the Marwari and the rulers of the Marwar region, began following strict breeding guidelines for the horses in the 12th century. The horses were considered divine beings, and could only be ridden by the rulers and the warrior caste. The Rathores believed that a Marwari horse could only leave a battlefield on one of three conditions: victory, death, or carrying their wounded master to safety. The Marwari horses were trained to be cavalry and were extremely responsive to battlefield conditions and complex riding maneuvers. Over three centuries later, Marwari lancers assisted the British in World War I.
The British occupation of India led to reduced numbers of Marwari horses. The British preferred other breeds and tried to eliminate both the Marwari and Kathiawari breeds. They reduced the reputation of the Marwari so much that even the distinctive inward-turning ears were ridiculed and seen as a mark of an inferior “native horse”. The breed was on the brink of extinction until the intervention of Maharaja Umaid Singhji in the first half of the 20th century saved them.
The Marwari horse is one of my favorite designs in this series of artworks! I am fascinated by the Marwari and their unique ears that turned inward, sometimes even to the point where the tips touch. I wanted to create a Marwari piece that would celebrate the area it came from, which is why I decided to put this black horse in a beautiful bejeweled headstall and breastcollar. I drew the horse from the front-on, to really show off the unique ears.
This piece was done with india ink, Copic markers, colored pencils, and watered down acrylic paint for the white areas.
