Riding
Marwari: Indian Cowboy Saif Patel
Traveling
around the world, now residing in his home country of India, Saif Patel is a
horseman. His riding photos and long-sleeve white shirt with Marwari written down the sleeve caught
my eye. I connected with Saif and we talked about his horses, riding, and much
more.
With
his Marwari horses, he has captured the art of roping cattle. Saif explains, “I
am not sure if you are aware of this, but my stallion Tarzan is the world’s
first Marwari horse to be trained for roping and cutting, and I am the first
cowboy in India to also do so. Tarzan is fully trained by me, and to my
surprise, he has natural instinct to work with cattle and has no fear whatsoever.”
And
what about his long-sleeve, white Marwari shirt? “The Marwari logo shirts, I
had them custom made,” Saif explains. “Three of them here in India and lots of
people asked me about them and are interested in them. I thought about selling
them. It’s a good business idea, my own clothing line for Indian horsemen in
future!”
GM:
When did you learn to ride?
SP:
I grew up in a small village in Gujarat state, India, there were not many horses
in the area at the time. At the age of 12, myself and my elder brother
befriended a caretaker at a nearby farm which stabled a few Sindhi breed
horses, he allowed us take one horse for a ride and that was my first horse
riding. Later, when I moved to Canada, I often joined trail riding classes and
that's when I learned more about horses and riding.
GM:
I’ve seen photos of your Marwari – Badboy Badal and Tarzan – they are gorgeous.
You write that Badal is “meanest and
baddest as ever and he is a big goof.” What horses do you currently stable
besides Badal and Tarzan?
SP:Currently
I have two Marwari stallions, Badal and Tarzan. Badal is 6 years old, he has
very unique personality, very naughty, and playful. He is also an escape
artist, he always figures out how to open the stable doors and window and slide
out of his halter. He loves to play with my dog (a Rottweiler), they are both
inseparable. Many of their videos are on the net and they are well known in the
area.
My
other horse Tarzan is 6 ½ years old Marwari. Contrary to Badal, Tarzan is more
serious and calm type. I believe he is a type of horse who can learn any
discipline, he is well trained for western disciplines. I often share his
photos and videos on social network.
GM:
Your photos are amazing. What enticed you into the world of photography?
SP:
Thank you, I picked up this hobby in Canada. Since I enjoy traveling and having
been traveled around 50 countries, I wanted to preserve my memories trough
photography, because I enjoyed so much, I am always eager to travel and see new
places. My philosophy about photography is “the whole world is a big studio,
you just need a camera and you can capture anything.” I dedicated my last 2
years in India capturing the beauty of Marwari horses and since I have great
models at home, it makes it more fun and entertaining.
GM:
Off all of your photographs, which is your favorite?
SP:
Oh wow, there are too many favorites, but there are some that I consider the most
appealing to eyes, also you might have noticed, majority of my images depict
cowboy and western style photography, and that's something I enjoy the most.
GM:
Where is your favorite place to photograph?
SP:
I love the Southwest USA. there are so many places so unique such as Monument
Valley, Arches National Park, Zion National Park etc.
GM:
What is key to capturing the perfect photo?
SP:
I never believe a camera can capture a good photo, a good photo is captured by
your eyes and imagination, you need to have a good imagination to compose and
create an image. Sometimes I develop an idea of a photo in my mind, also I need
to find out perfect timing, lights and angles, so it takes days before I go for
an actual shoot.
GM:
Do some horses photograph better than others?
SP:
To be honest, every time, I shoot photos, I feel like there is something unique
about each shoot, each horse is different and each horses has unique
personality, I find when they are free and you let them run, that's when you
capture the real beauty of horses. Unfortunately, I don't get so many chances
to photograph horses at liberty here in India because majority of horses are
tied up and not many owners design facilities for them to run free.
GM:
Besides your stunning photos, I enjoy reading your captions; they are
inspiring. Have you thought about publishing a book of your thoughts and
photos?
SP:
My captions come from my mood and feelings, and every time I take a picture and
see it on my screen, I just want my feelings to be woven with that image. Of
course some are just purely for fun. I have many thoughts on publishing
documentaries, educational videos, calendars, posters, books and if possible a movie.
It might take some time, but I have been working on it.
GM:
What do you do besides photography?
SP:
When in Canada I owned a small transport business and here in India, I am just
on a long vacation after almost living 20 years abroad. I spend most of my time
with horses, training them, feeding them and for myself. I work out regularly
to make sure I am in shape just like my horses. I also meet up with many horse
enthusiasts in the area and discuss about riding and how to improve the lives
of our horses and try to educate people on how to be better riders and
stay away from using cruel methods.
GM:
What horse training methods do you use?
SP:
I train my horse on my own with the aid of some friends from nearby village who
also own horses and are eager to learn. My training always involves
disciplining my horses first. Since they are hot blood stallions, they can get
distracted easily. My training programs are designed by me, I am more of a
military type of guy and I prefer strict discipline when it comes to horse
riding, such as I am always dressed up when I am on a horse. My horses are
always well tacked up. They have set schedule for riding, training and rest. I
give my horses lots of freedom, they are well fed and they get to stay in
modern and comfortable stables. I think that is the key to prepare them
mentally and get the best out of them. To me, it's always performance. I love
working with Marwari horses, they are responsive and they have great
temperament.
GM: Do you have advice for those looking to buy their first horse?
SP:
Buying a first horse, my advice is simple, always know your goals and your own
capacity.
GM: Do you prefer Marwari over other horse breeds?
SP:
I just love to ride horses, no matter what breed it is. In India, I travel
far to look for some beautiful indigenous horses such as Kathiwari, Marwari
Sindhi, etc., and so far I have ridden all three major breeds. I always take
pictures and shoot videos, also I interview the owners asking them to tell me
more about their horses and whey they keep them ( all my interview videos are on
my facebook page).
GM:
What does horsemanship mean to you?
SP:
To me, my horse is my trainer and a partner, if you can understand your horse
and learn from him, both will be in perfect harmony; be
gentle, patience and caring, you also need to spend time with your horse not just
only when you are riding, but when he is inside the stall, when he is
grazing, and when he is in the paddock. A well trained horse is a blessing very few
can have.
GM:
What’s the secret to a happy life?
SP:
Can I say “get a horse and a dog?” Haha, to me, learn to appreciate and be
thankful for what you have; follow your passion, value those who care
about you.
Gina
McKnight is an author and freelance writer from USA. gmcknight.com
About the Author
