Kathiawari

The Kathiawari is a certificate from the Indian island Kathiawar pony breed that is more like a thoroughbred as a pony in their appearance.

Background information on the evaluation and breeding horses can be found at: exterior, interior and horse breeding.

Exterior

The exterior is heavily influenced by the Arabs. The Kathiawari is a very elegant young horse that is more like a thoroughbred as a pony in his appearance. The head is of medium size and most expressive with a straight profile. Striking are the large on the tips inward curved ears that are apart from the Marwari horses, innate only in this breed. The long elegant neck of the Kathiawari goes into a pronounced withers. The back is long and straight and ends in the sloping croup. The limbs are long and sinewy. Race Typical defects in the exterior are the steeply sloping shoulders and a tendency to ewe neck.

The coat colors brown, gray, fox and Plattenschecken are represented, more rarely, Isabel. Popular are great markings on the head and extremities. The coat is fine, the long silky hair, but not very dense.

The average Height of Kathiawari is 143 cm. The horses at most a height at the withers of 148 cm and are thus among the small horses.

Interior

Through the intersection of two very different types of horses, the sensitive, intelligent Arabs with the robust, self-willed farmer pony Kathiawari has often a rather difficult character. It is very lively and has a strong will of its own. In their home in India but they are valued for their endurance and toughness.

The Kathiawari possesses a marked predisposition to the very comfortable for the rider gaits and gait pass. This makes it ideal as a traveling horse. In India, it is often used as police and military horse, but also as a private leisure and polo horse.

Breeding history

The Kathiawari and it very similar Marwari probably originated from a cross between indigenous breeds such as the Manipuri and Spiti with purebred Arabian horses in the 14th century. From the targeted breed much lighter, larger and nobler animals emerged, but still had the strength and sufficiency of the Indian ponies. Today, the stock figures of Kathiawari are declining, as only a few private and military studs lead the breed.