Manipuri Pony
Encyclopedia
The Manipuri pony is a breed of pony
developed in India
. It is an old breed and is thought to have developed from crosses between the Mongolian Wild Horse and the Arabian that were subsequently brought to India by invading Tartar
tribes. The Manipuri pony was originally bred for polo and military usage, and today is bred mainly for playing polo
and racing
, although it is also in demand for military transport use.
, a deep chest and sloping shoulders. The croup
is sloping, the legs sturdy and the hooves well-proportioned. The breed's overall appearance is elegant, an inheritance from their Arabian ancestors. Manipuri ponies generally stands high They are generally bay in color, but are also seen in piebald
, gray
and chestnut
. Because of the short height of the ponies, riders use shortened mallets while playing polo. The Manipuri pony resembles, and is distantly related to, the Burmese Pony
and the Indonesian Batak
and Sumba ponies.
tribes, who also brought the equestrian game of polo. The breed has been bred for centuries in the Manipur area of northeast India. The first written mention of the breed dates to a brief mention in 1584 in the Manipur Royal Chronicle. By the early 1600s, the breed is mentioned frequently in Manipur literature. They were often used as cavalry horses, and were ridden by Meitei
warriors. Manipuri ponies played a major part in the cavalry commanded by Gharib Newaz, and in 1738 were used during his Sack of Sagaing. His horsemen terrorized upper Burma
throughout the early 1700s. There were further infusions of Arabian blood in the 19th century, as British administrators and military officers sought to upgrade the ponies on which they played polo. Between 1859 and 1916, Manipuri ponies were extremely desired by the British for playing polo. The height of polo horses was initially restricted to (based on the average height of the Manipuri), and although this restriction was later relaxed to and then removed altogether, demand for Manipuris was so high that the area was drained of ponies. At one point during this period, the export of ponies from Manipur was banned to allow the breed time to increase in number to a viable level.
Australian Waler horse
s were brought to Manipur during World War II
for use as pack ponies, and may have contributed to the Manipuri pony. Manipuris were also used to transport British troops into Burma throughout the war. In 1977, the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association was established to promote the Manipuri pony breed and the game of polo. In recent years, breed numbers have decreased, and estimates place the breed at somewhere between 2,300 and 1,000 in population in the 21st century. Population numbers continue to dwindle in part due to high numbers of ponies being smuggled into Myanmar (Burma), where the breed is in demand, after either having been purchased or stolen from their Indian owners. In 2005, a heritage park was begun by the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association with the goal of preventing the extinction of the breed and promoting them to tourists.
learned of the game of polo during the 19th century while watching it played on Manipuri ponies in India. The breed is still used for polo today in India, but other breeds are more popular in Europe
and America
. They are also used extensively for racing. Manipuri ponies were also in demand as cavalry horses, and men that rode these ponies were thought well-mounted. They continue to be in demand for military uses.
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
developed in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is an old breed and is thought to have developed from crosses between the Mongolian Wild Horse and the Arabian that were subsequently brought to India by invading Tartar
Tartar
Tartar may refer to: *An alternative spelling of the name Tatars, an ethnic group in present-day Russia.* Tartars, the name of the athletic teams from 1927–1999 at Wayne State University in Detroit.*Tartar sauce*Tartar on teeth, hardened dental plaque...
tribes. The Manipuri pony was originally bred for polo and military usage, and today is bred mainly for playing polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
and racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, although it is also in demand for military transport use.
Breed Characteristics
Manipuri ponies have a light head with a straight profile, set on a well formed neck, somewhat pronounced withersWithers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, a deep chest and sloping shoulders. The croup
Horse anatomy
Equine anatomy refers to the gross and microscopic anatomy of horses and other equids, including donkeys, and zebras. While all anatomical features of equids are described in the same terms as for other animals by the International Committee on Veterinary Gross Anatomical Nomenclature in the book...
is sloping, the legs sturdy and the hooves well-proportioned. The breed's overall appearance is elegant, an inheritance from their Arabian ancestors. Manipuri ponies generally stands high They are generally bay in color, but are also seen in piebald
Piebald
A piebald or pied animal is one that has a spotting pattern of large unpigmented, usually white, areas of hair, feathers, or scales and normally pigmented patches, generally black. The colour of the animal's skin underneath its coat is also pigmented under the dark patches and unpigmented under...
, gray
Gray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
and chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
. Because of the short height of the ponies, riders use shortened mallets while playing polo. The Manipuri pony resembles, and is distantly related to, the Burmese Pony
Burmese Pony
The Burmese Pony originated in the Shan state of Eastern Myanmar , where it is bred today by local hill tribes. It shows similarities to the Bhutia, Spiti, and Manipuri ponies of the Himalayan Mountains, suggesting these breeds have a similar origin, most likely deriving from the Mongolian horse...
and the Indonesian Batak
Batak Pony
The Batak Pony is a pony breed from Indonesia. Originating in Central Sumatra, it is thought to have descended from Mongolian Horse and Arabian blood, and has continually been infused with additional Arabian blood to improve its quality...
and Sumba ponies.
History
The Manipuri pony is thought to have been derived from ancient stock, as a cross between the Mongolian Wild Horse and the Arabian. They were probably brought to India by invading TartarTartar
Tartar may refer to: *An alternative spelling of the name Tatars, an ethnic group in present-day Russia.* Tartars, the name of the athletic teams from 1927–1999 at Wayne State University in Detroit.*Tartar sauce*Tartar on teeth, hardened dental plaque...
tribes, who also brought the equestrian game of polo. The breed has been bred for centuries in the Manipur area of northeast India. The first written mention of the breed dates to a brief mention in 1584 in the Manipur Royal Chronicle. By the early 1600s, the breed is mentioned frequently in Manipur literature. They were often used as cavalry horses, and were ridden by Meitei
Meitei people
The Meeteis or Meiteis are the majority ethnic group of Manipur, India, and because of this are sometimes referred to as Manipuris. Generally speaking, Meitei is an endonym and Manipuri is an exonym...
warriors. Manipuri ponies played a major part in the cavalry commanded by Gharib Newaz, and in 1738 were used during his Sack of Sagaing. His horsemen terrorized upper Burma
Upper Burma
Upper Burma refers to a geographic region of Burma , traditionally encompassing Mandalay and its periphery , or more broadly speaking, Kachin and Shan States....
throughout the early 1700s. There were further infusions of Arabian blood in the 19th century, as British administrators and military officers sought to upgrade the ponies on which they played polo. Between 1859 and 1916, Manipuri ponies were extremely desired by the British for playing polo. The height of polo horses was initially restricted to (based on the average height of the Manipuri), and although this restriction was later relaxed to and then removed altogether, demand for Manipuris was so high that the area was drained of ponies. At one point during this period, the export of ponies from Manipur was banned to allow the breed time to increase in number to a viable level.
Australian Waler horse
Waler horse
The Waler is an Australian breed of riding horses that developed from the horses that were brought to the Australian colonies in the 19th century...
s were brought to Manipur during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for use as pack ponies, and may have contributed to the Manipuri pony. Manipuris were also used to transport British troops into Burma throughout the war. In 1977, the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association was established to promote the Manipuri pony breed and the game of polo. In recent years, breed numbers have decreased, and estimates place the breed at somewhere between 2,300 and 1,000 in population in the 21st century. Population numbers continue to dwindle in part due to high numbers of ponies being smuggled into Myanmar (Burma), where the breed is in demand, after either having been purchased or stolen from their Indian owners. In 2005, a heritage park was begun by the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association with the goal of preventing the extinction of the breed and promoting them to tourists.
Uses
Polo was introduced in to the area of Manipur state as early as the seventh century, and Manipuri ponies were one of the first breeds used in the game. The BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
learned of the game of polo during the 19th century while watching it played on Manipuri ponies in India. The breed is still used for polo today in India, but other breeds are more popular in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. They are also used extensively for racing. Manipuri ponies were also in demand as cavalry horses, and men that rode these ponies were thought well-mounted. They continue to be in demand for military uses.