Growing up listening to the stories of Chetak, the famous horse of Mewar king Maharana Pratap, Abhishek Karnani had always felt a connection with equines since childhood. And at some point, he found his true calling – horse riding. Introduced to the sport by a cousin, Karnani’s horse-riding journey started on an amusing note when he was gifted a horse. Now it’s been over 25 years and riding his muse is what wakes him up in the morning.
In a conversation with Medianews4u.com, Karnani explains, “A good ride fills me with vitality and gives me vigour to take on the rest of the day. When I am on my horseback and I am riding, I’m into a meditative mode and my mind is completely carefree and I don’t think about anything else except me and my horse compatibility.”
For Karnani, riding on a horseback gives him a sense of euphoria. What started as a hobby has now turned into a passion for life. The Director at English daily The Free Press Journal manages a balance between his full-time job and his passion, just as well as he manages himself on his horse.
Talking about his two German ‘warmblood’ kids Shaka Zulu and Confect, Karnani reflects, “Both my horses are imported from Germany. The reason being that you don’t get this breed in India. Thoroughbreds are what we find here in India which are into racing. Warmbloods are exceptionally good at jumping. Both horse and rider speak a different language but they understand one another and connect to strive together till they achieve their goal.”
Karnani has participated in several national tournaments. A few years back, he competed in the National Jumping and Dressage competition. Riding has made Karnani’s life more disciplined. He feels deeply connected with horses and is elated that he found a passion that gives him a balance in life.
“One thing that I have realised is that once the horses grow old, there are no happy homes for them. In their old age you can’t ride them because they generally come up with issues in their legs. That said, I would like to make a happy home for old and rescued horses so that they can live the last leg of their life in good condition. This is the least I can do for them who have made my journey so interesting and given me so much love and affection,” reflects Karnani, when asked about his future plans.
Competitions involve travel and preparation and have hence taken a back seat for now. But if one comes up in the proximity in future, the newspaper owner who starts each day at the Mahalaxmi Race Course will be all saddled up – with Shaka Zulu and Confect all set to go.
