Horsing around
June 8th, 2004 | Published in Living | 17 Comments
One advantage of being in Bangalore, I’ve quickly discovered is the plethora of things to do. Besides getting back into my old loves — badminton and swimming — I decided to get into another activity, horse riding.
So bright and early on Saturday morning, landed up at the Race Course and enrolled at the Bangalore Amateur Riders Institute (BARI). About 1/2 hour went in locating BARI, which was at the far end of the huge field.
Several jockeys were out early morning racing their horses. Up close, I can tell you, they look a little scary, especially when they are galloping hard. And horses don’t neigh as much as they wheeze. It’s not a very pretty sound.
After doing the necessary (that is, paying up, filling form) we were led to Trilla, a 16-year-old horse. She seemed pretty calm, except for a strange noise that she would emit once in a while. I think she was irritated with the flies. Or it could have been me.
I had seen swashbuckling heroes getting onto their mares effortlessly (in movies, they don’t exist in real life, sadly) so I had that romantic picture in mind. Up close, I realised that the horse was much taller than I had earlier envisoned. And with my height, I had to struggle getting my foot into the stirrup and hoisting myself into the saddle. Now, I know, it should be relatively easy. Like the above mentioned swashbuckling hero.
Not so. After about 5–6 attempts I was huffing and puffing, looking furtively at Trilla to check if she had noticed my rather clumsy and unsuccessful moves. She didn’t bat an eyelid. Finally, with some help I managed to get into the saddle. Wow! At the end of it, I felt I had achieved a major milestone in equestrianism.
That was, in a nutshell, my first and rather brief foray into horse riding. Next lesson: sitting on the horse and looking cool :)
June 9th, 2004 at 6:02 am (#)
Hi!, I found your blog off a link from Khushees blog. You have a funky layout :) Would you PLEASE be able to tell me how to upload my template into my comment box? Thanxs xoxox
June 9th, 2004 at 8:18 am (#)
Whoa! Horse Riding! go get yourself a SPIRIT ( though, it may not be the Stallion of the Cimmarons… :) ). I have one (SPIRIT)… but it is not a horse!!
June 9th, 2004 at 8:19 am (#)
all da best at BARI
June 9th, 2004 at 12:17 pm (#)
I agree with that comment about Bangalore
There is SO MUCH to do !
Tried catching a play at Chowdiah or watching a new art show at Painted Platters on CMH road?
Gautam
June 9th, 2004 at 1:06 pm (#)
Do remember to move with horse. Else you are going to have a tough time at your desk job ;-)
June 9th, 2004 at 5:32 pm (#)
GG: Would love to do that. Let me know the next time you’re going :) Am not too kicked about watching play alone!
June 9th, 2004 at 5:41 pm (#)
Nads: Hmmm… I think it all happened automatically so I’m not really sure how to do it.
Alex: Owning a horse is not on my list so far, but when I get down to my animal farm, I’ll definitely get one :) By then, hopefully, my lessons will be over!
Binal: Is that you, Bharathy? I’ll have to master the art of sitting on the horse and not really sitting, if you know what I mean. I’ve seen others do it and definitely looks easier than it actually is :)
June 10th, 2004 at 6:20 am (#)
The first rule of horse riding is making the horse like you, for that, while you go for horse riding next time, carry some jaggry, they call it gooood in hindi, its yellowish kind of sweet material made out of sugarcane, i don’t know how to explain it better. Feed this jaggry to the horse even before attempting to get onto it. Stand on the side, don’t stand infront of the horse and feel its face, neck and pat on it. That will break the ice of your relationship with the horse for that day and it can improve over a period of time. Good luck and its lot of fun riding horses.
June 10th, 2004 at 8:54 am (#)
Ramdhan: Thanks for that tip. Will carry a whole kg of it next time and make horse very happy :)
June 10th, 2004 at 3:17 pm (#)
will let you know
as of now we are grounded as my wife is expecting and we are already in the ninth month
why don’t you come home…?
ever tried Bong food in Bangalore? It would be the closest version of Asomiya food that you could find here !
By the way, didn’t know you were such a prolific writer !
June 11th, 2004 at 12:37 pm (#)
GG: I would love to. Will wait for the invitation :) I love Bong food, especially fish. Jil who also has Bong blood cooks awesome fish… But I guess I’ll have to wait till number 2 happens :)
June 11th, 2004 at 4:45 pm (#)
in the meantime you can try Bong food at Victoria’s Corner near Domino’s on 100 ft road, Indiranagar and Annapurna near Gongura’s on Airport Road…
GG
June 11th, 2004 at 7:05 pm (#)
Don’t carry a KG, then horse will love u too much, that might be trouble some :-), just carry a handful of it, preferably in pieces instead of single piece.
June 11th, 2004 at 9:24 pm (#)
GG: Thanks, will keep that in mind!
Ramdhan: I was only kidding :) I’ll have problems if the horse wants to come home with me. I haven’t gotten myself that animal farm yet!
July 10th, 2004 at 9:17 pm (#)
Hi Anita!
I guess by now you’re looking cool on a horse! By the way, the horse you first rode was a chestnut gelding called ‘Trelka’ — not ‘Trilla’! Yes, he’s the grandaddy of the stables, but he can still beat the youngsters handsdown in racing, tentpegging and dressage. AND he’ll teach you how to ride!
Will see you around sometime…as soon as I’m back on my feet (was bucked off hard by Sassy on Monday, but shall live to tell the tale…)
November 19th, 2005 at 4:03 pm (#)
I love very much riding Horses at BARI.in the Early morning.i had made up my Mind to Become a professional Jockey.but i was not satisfied by the Training given by Hariram an Old person who coaches at BARI. just becoz of him i was forced to drop out of my most loved Sport.i hope if such unmannered persons Remain in the most loved Sport.i sure Bari will get a Bad name.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:30 pm (#)
Hey
iam interested in learning horse riding, can you tell me wats the package( no of hours and the fee) of BARI.Wats the procedure and qualification criteria for joining bari