Muhammad Luqman, now in his sixties, has always loved horses. For him, it was inevitable, as he hails from a family that has been raising horses for generations in the deserts of Tharparkar in the province of Sindh.

“Our horses are like our children,” he tells Eos, while gently patting his award-winning horse, named Mor [peacock]. “We care for them with love and enthusiasm, as a parent would.”

Mor regularly takes part in races in cultural events and festivals across the province, winning races — which are often one-on-one affairs — and has also won local versions and iterations of dressage events that focus more on gait — known locally as chaal — and movement.

Luqman says that Mor has won multiple such events, with his impressive speed and elegance. A lot of people in areas across the province have named their horses Mor due to its victories, he tells Eos.

Horses are central to Sindh’s cultural soul — symbols of strength, grace and pride. But with rising costs and changing lifestyles, can this age-old tradition keep pace with time?

But the path to the top is not easy, explains Luqman. To train a horse in the desert, with its varying landscape and exhausting terrain, demands patience, effort and a significant investment, he points out.

AN AGE-OLD TRADITION

The practice of horse raising, breeding and riding in Sindh dates back centuries and is intertwined with the colourful culture and customs of the area. It is reflected in the array of colours and motifs on display in the horse’s tack, including on saddles, bridles, reins, bits and harnesses.

The horse breeds in Sindh are indigenous, with the four primary breeds of horses being Sindhi, Balochi, Arabian and Kathiawari — which is also known as the Marwari breed. Traditional racehorses in Pakistan mostly come from imported breeds, referred to as thoroughbreds, although some half-breeds can also be found on the race tracks in Lahore and Karachi.

The indigenous breeds have their........

© Dawn (Magazines)