​FRIENDS OF MARWARI / KATHIAWARI HORSE UK
Affiliated to the Indigenous Horse Society of India
UK Chapter ~ Established 2008
Welfare ~ Horsecare Education
We are supportive of any horse healthcare training that is given within India - Our Bit Donation Scheme tackles one element, we have started to give out leaflets with basic horsecare pictures to explain what every owner should know about, or notice changes in their horse, but we also work closely with other organisations for a broader remit.
Our Mother Society the IHSI has been instrumental in founding the FAF - Farriery Institute Dundlod (Flying Anvil Foundation, a Swiss based NGO headed up by Bernard Duverney). The FAF Dundlod is now into its 3rd year and has successfully trained up more than a dozen Indian farriers.
Click on the following pictures, or the link to find out more about FAF.
Import / Export Information
It is natural, due to the elegance of these breeds, that we get many requests asking 'are there any Marwari or Kathiawari in the UK?' and 'Where can I buy one?' The current situation is that the government of India has imposed export restrictions on all Indigenous horses, and in turn Europe also restricts import from India due to lack of disease control measures taken in India, therefore we are working hard with the IHSI and EU to remedy this, in order to allow some of these beautiful horses into the UK and Europe. However, in the meantime, please take our survey so we can identify requirements from foreigners wishing to purchase - should India ever lift the export restrictions.
Brief Background
A shipment of 6 Marwari were exported to the USA in the year 2000, (before the restrictions), and the handful that are in the USA or Europe now are descended from these six. No horses of either breed are currently resident in the UK, though one Marwari stallion, Dilraj, was shipped to France from USA and subsequently he came to the UK for a short period to take part in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Dilraj is now resident with a private breeder in Spain. Three more Marwari were exported from USA to Spain (1 stallion, 2 mares), and these have bred two filly foals who are now resident with a private breeder in France, and a colt and a filly who are still currently with their dams in Spain.
EU rep Erika Young attended the Ordinary General Meeting of the National Horse Breeding Society of India, invited by one of their Council Members. There she made a presentation on behalf of the IHSI regarding the import/export of equines and illustrated a possible joint way forward. This matter is still in negotiations and ideas such as setting up 'disease free zones' within India in order to satisfy Europes requirements are under discussion. There is also the issue of the Indian government declaring the horses 'low in numbers', when in fact their own census states otherwise. The Indian government is also 'holding fast' on making any changes to the export requirements, partly due to the various indigenous horse breed societies in India not lobbying with one voice, therefore there is currently an impasse.