‘Manipuri Ponies’ are said to be one of five recognised breeds of horses found in India, the rest being Kathiawari, Marwari, Zanskari and Bhutia. Equestrian experts have conflicting views about the origin of the ancient breed, some say that it may have developed from the Tibetan pony or the Mongolian wild horse.
Chand Bibi Playing Polo; a tapestry hanging in the National Museum in Delhi
First mentioned in written chronicles in 1584, Manipuri ponies were used as cavalry horses throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they were in demand by the British for use as polo ponies.
The average height for a Manipuri pony is between 11 to 13 hands high.
1. Express the range of height in inches. (1 hand = 4 inches)
The hooves of Manipuri Pony are closed and very strong so shoeing is unknown in Manipur. The physical endurance of the Manipuri Pony is well known. Normally, a horse at maximum level can play for two chukkers. However, in Manipur, a pony is hardly changed during the entire progress of a polo match – no matter how long the game continues.
2. Each chukker is 7 minutes long. If 1 polo pony normally plays for 2 chukkers, how many minutes do they play?
3. A game of polo is played over 6 chukkers. How long does it take to play an entire game?
Manipuri polo players in 1875
The Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association (MHRPA) was established in 1977. Recalling the close association of the Manipuri pony with the royalty and people of Manipur, members of MHRPA say that most of the royal chronicles refer to polo as a war technique. “There are many versions of the lore behind the origin of polo. Some chronicles say that a Manipur king who was driven away by Burmese troupes had occupied the Cachar district in Assam. The Manipuri troupes then ambushed the kingdom and set up their own rule.
Around 1854 British tea planters are said to have seen the Manipur royalty play polo in Cachar. They were impressed. The first polo club was established in Silchar in 1859,” the members add.
4. How many years passed between the opening of the first polo club and the establishment of the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association?
The numbers of Manipuri ponies are dwindling, today there may be less than 1000 ponies left. Though the breed is referred and mentioned here and there in most of the equine related encyclopedias and other international publications, no thorough study of the breed has so far been conducted.
1. Express the range of height in inches. (1 hand = 4 inches)
Answer: 11 x 4 = 44; 13 x 4 = 52. 44 to 52 inches.
2. Each chukker is 7 minutes long. If 1 polo pony normally plays for 2 chukkers, how many minutes do they play?
Answer: 2 x 7 = 14. 14 minutes.
3. A game of polo is played over 6 chukkers. How long does it take to play an entire game?
Answer: 6 x 7 = 42. There is 42 minutes of playing time in a game of polo.
4. How many years passed between the opening of the first polo club and the establishment of the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association?
Answer: 1977 – 1859 = 118. 118 years passed.
Photos:
Traditional Polo in Manipur India by Kishalaya Namaran [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Chand Bibi Playing Polo from Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Manipuri Polo Players 1875 by Bourne and Shepherd, 1875 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
