Punjab: Riders and horses ready for the big event
Punjab: “There should be understanding between the rider and the horse, only then there will be coordination, which is essential in tent pegging,” members of the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) team discuss among themselves. At the sprawling grounds of PAP Jalandhar, the team arrives early in the morning to practice for the National Equestrian Championship Tent Pegging 2024-2025, which begins tomorrow. Organised under the aegis of the Equestrian Federation of India, the championship brings together top equestrians from across the country. As DSP Ram Pal, the most experienced rider in the team, approaches the target – a peg driven into the ground – excitement mounts. As he catches the peg, there is applause in appreciation of his skill. “Last year, it was Ram Pal who started teaching me tent pegging and now I am playing at the national level. He is a genius,” DIG Inderbir Singh, who is also participating in the championship, told The Tribune. Along with DSP Ram Pal, team members DSP Jaswinder Singh and Inspector Youngbir Singh had a lively discussion about the strategies, techniques and nuances of working with horses. “It is very important to warm up the horse before the game, and after the exercise, the animal must be cooled down. Once they are back in the stable, they get a good ‘massage’. This ensures that the horse is ready to return and play again,” he explains with a smile. “The rider must be confident when approaching the pegs. If the rider is indecisive, the horse will repeat the same behaviour and will not perform well. This shows how intelligent the horse is—it can understand the rider’s mindset. The horse knows everything,” added DSP Jaswinder Singh.
The team also emphasises the importance of preparing the horse mentally and physically before the game. “Everything that happens ‘behind the scenes’ is essential. No one knows how much preparation goes into preparing the rider and the horse before a race. It is important to know how to energise the horses and coordinate the speed,” smiles DIG Inderbir. The horses are fed black gram, flaxseed, jaggery, carrots, oil and fodder so that they are fully prepared for the competition. With over 150 horses participating, it is a mammoth task. A total of 14 teams are participating in the championship, including: 61st Cavalry, AMU Riding Club, ASC Equestrian Team, Assam Rifles, BSF Equestrian Team, Chandigarh Police, Chetak Equestrian Sports Academy and Verina, Dhruv Equestrian Node, Haryana Police, Indian Navy, ITBP and Bhanu.
