HIMACHAL PRADESH: In ancient times, the Chamurthi breed of horses was a favourite with the warriors in Tibet, Ladakh and Lahaul & Spiti and other high-altitude areas. The 'ship of the cold desert' - known for its endurance, surefootedness and stamina had lost its worth later, driven to the point of extinction.
Good news is those lovely horses are back, feeding the rural economy, and as a reliable transport for the armed forces, with a little push from the state government. Every year at least 250 horses are sold after breeding, with each horse fetching around Rs 30,000.
Dr Ajmer Singh Dogra, Director of Himachal Pradesh Animal Husbandry Department, says in 2002 the department set up a horse breeding farm at Lari in Spiti to save and conserve the versatile breed. The farm has been divided into three units each with 20 horses. It also has a stallion shed with four horses. The land of surrounding villages is used for pasturing.
A 25-member veterinary and supportive staff looks after the horses with medicines, machines and other facilities. "A three-day Lavi horse trade-cum-exhibition is held each year from November 4 at Rampur town, which was once a centre of barter trade with Tibet. Horse competitions are held and prizes are also given. The fair helps local breeders in selling their horses and earning their livelihood," says Dogra. Around 67 horses (23 stallions and 44 broodmares) are being reared in the farm.
The majority of the yearlings produced each year are sold to the locals and individual buyers through auction by the department. "Around 15 mares conceive in a year and a foal is born around 11 months after conception. Weaning is done after the foal is one year old," says Dogra.
Himachal Pradesh Animal Husbandry Minister Virender Kanwar says the population of these horses is now around 4,000 in the state. "The state is ranked at the top among the leading stallion charts and has been successful in consistently producing good quality horses," Kanwar said.
Dr Dakpa Tenzin, in-charge of the breeding farm, says sometime back around 60 horses of this breed were bought by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
Lobzang Boda, a member of the tribal advisory council of Himachal government who hails from Lahaul and Spiti says the Chamurthi breed has again become popular. "Every household in Pin valley with around 325 houses has at least one horse of this breed," he says.
Padma Rigzin, who lives in Pin valley of Lahaul and Spiti says last year he sold around 150 horses of the breed in the age group of three to four years and got good rates. But this year due to COVID-19, no sale has taken place. "Better days will come for sure," he says with a smile.