On a sprawling dirt track, Fame & Fortune, one of Madras Riding School’s (MRS) most popular stallions, trots alongside senior instructor Alagesan. Twenty-nine other horses sit in the stables. They’ve just finished a weekend of intense competition, and the riders, aged seven to 70, have jumped back into their classes with vigour. The passion for riding is evident, and it’s what has put MRS on the national map, says head coach G Dhananjai.
“Although our institute has been around for over 60 years, we’ve revamped our programme completely. The aim is to train both horse and rider for competition rather than just recreational riding,” Dhananjai says.
Dhananjai’s story is not so different. Having begun as an amateur rider at MRS 12 years ago, riding became a way of life, as it has for the five other instructors and multiple trainers who work at the institution. This, they say, is no ordinary job.
“Every horse has to be groomed, fed, and cared for every single day. What sets us apart, I think, is the fact that we groom our horses for competition, giving them the best care possible,” Dhananjai explains.
There is a scheduled system in place, developed largely over the last decade. With the support of the Madras Race Club, MRS has been able to purchase a few more horses and register its riders in competitions. For the instructors, however, this growth is just the beginning.
“We have been very competitive over the last four years, taking part in events in Delhi, Puducherry and Bengaluru. People have started taking notice, and it pushes us to train even harder,” says Dhananjai. The training is not only on the track; both riders and trainers must maintain a heightened level of physical fitness to perform at optimum level.
Riding also requires mental acumen. The science of riding, we’re told, is both intricate and highly disciplined. “Both rider and the horse must be in complete synchronisation. The way I see it, if the rider is the stage, the horse is the dancer. A rider and his/her horse communicate in the minutest of ways to work as one on the track,” says Dhananjai.
This harmonisation takes place gradually. During weekly introductory classes, the instructors take the children through the basics. There are daily quizzes and a final exam, after which participants receive a certificate. For many riders, it is at this point that their journeys take flight.
“Out of 100 students, about half will go on to take classes with us. We then handpick students with potential and do whatever we can to give them a future in riding,” Dhananjai says.
This week, MRS began its summer camp, for the second year running. It is structured like the standard introduction class, though summer holidays allow both instructors and children to spend countless hours interacting with the horses. This year, like always, the trainers will meet a new group, hoping to find the next young star on the racing track.
