Rubber-burning screeching metallic monsters have not eliminated the love for majestic horses and in fact, the tribe of hippophiles – lovers of horses – is growing in the city.
From hardly six enthusiastic horse-riding enthusiasts a couple of years ago, the city today has more than 30 persons who know riding and are keen on acquiring their own mounts. One of the avid riders, Srinivas Babu, has set up the Bayfront Horse Club, which will be operational soon.
“Further, at least five persons have bought horses after being taught horse riding by trainer Abbas in the last six months,” K. Sai Subbaraju of the Visakhapatnam Horse Riders Association says.
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The Association is planning to establish common stables where horses owned by the members would be fed, groomed and maintained, he explained.
The Association has bought couple of horses at the Sonepur animal fair in Bihar and this time the members are planning to visit animal fairs to acquire more. “We have the option of buying Indian horses at these fairs. The Malegaon fair will begin from next new moon. The mela at Pushkar and Pandaripur will commence on Deepavali,” Mr. Subbaraju says.
A horse may cost anything upward of Rs.50,000 and maintaining them is not easy.
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The horses are finicky about food. They need to be given green grass and oats, Srinivas Babu said.