Run by a couple, Samee and Sehr Ibrahim who have owned horses since childhood, the Equestrian Club in Karachi encourages polo training and horse riding for adolescents to middle aged people.
Launched in 2004, the Equestrian Club is now well established with 26 horses and 300 active members. Training is divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels along with individual polo training lessons.
The horses in the stables of the Equestrian Club are also given on livery, which is an agreement between the owner and the care taker of the horse.
These horses are bought from Army depots mainly in the city of Sargodha and Mona.
They are of the Anglo Arab breed. Each horse has a maintenance cost of Rs. 24,000 including their medical care and the essential courses of vitamins, electrolytes and mineral supplements. The horses are generally fed a combination of grain and fodder.
In 2001, Samee and Sehr Ibrahim were approached by the CAS school at the Sea View Clifton Beach, where they would ride their horses accompanied by friends.
At this time, Sehr owned four horses where as Samee owned the other eight. Soon after the offer was made, they started a facility for students and in no time other schools lined up to join the club with a success rate of 1,000 registrations in a years time.
What started off as a passion and hobby for the owners of the club has now turned into a successful club catering to hundreds. – Photos and text by Shameen Khan/Dawn.com
