Home › Horse Breeds A–Z › Marwari

Marwari

Equus ferus caballus

Marwari horse showing its distinctive inward-curving ears
Photo: Virendra.kankariya — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

India's own war horse of Rajasthan — unmistakable for its inward-curving ears that can touch at the tips.

TypeLight / ridingBest asRiding & familyOriginIndian native

How to spot it

A graceful desert horse of about 14 to 16 hands (142 to 163 cm) whose signature is its ears: long and curved sharply inward, often meeting at the tips. All colours occur; piebald and grey are especially prized.

Temperament

Brave, loyal and alert — bred as a cavalry mount, it is spirited yet deeply bonded to its rider.

What it's bred for

The horse of the Rajput warriors of Rajasthan, bred for the desert and for war. Today it is ridden, shown and used in weddings and festivals, and it performs India's traditional horse dances.

Care & upkeep

A hardy desert breed, heat-tolerant and thrifty on modest feed — well suited to the Indian climate. Export is tightly restricted to protect the breed at home.

Health & lifespan

A sound, hardy breed, commonly 25 to 30 years, with few of the inherited problems of the heavily refined Western breeds.

Dog Breeds A–Z →Popular and Indian native dog breeds, with pictures.Animals A–Z →Well-known wild animals and India's own wildlife.Animals for sale →Horses and other animals listed by owners near you.
← Back to all horse breeds