Ponies' fate hangs by slender thread
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 01 2018: Notwithstanding the proud claim that Manipur gifted the game of modern Polo to the world, Manipuri ponies which are central to the game are facing a very precarious situation of possible extinction sooner rather than later.

Imphal Polo Ground is said to be the oldest pologround in the world and there are two large hoardings which read "We gave the world the game of Polo" and "Save Manipuri pony, the original Polo pony".

But the Government as well as the public seem to have little understanding of the underlying message carried by these proclamation and slogan.

According to the quinquennial livestock census carried out by the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department, the State's total number of ponies were 1898 in 2003, 1218 in 2007 and 1101 in 2012.These figures clearly indicate that the population of ponies has been declining alarmingly.

Taking serious note of the fast declining pony population, the State Government framed the Manipur Pony Conservation and Development Policy and a notice was issued in this regard on December 23, 2016 .

A body called Manipur Pony Development Board should be set up under the policy with the Chief Minister as chairperson and the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister as the vice-chairperson.

The policy incorporates different measures for conservation and promotion of Manipuri ponies such as pony breeding strategy, prevention and control' of pony diseases, development of permanent polo grounds and race courses, pony based employment opportunities, incentives to pony keepers, organisation of pony related events as tourism activities, inclusion of pony related literature in text books etc.

However, not a single rupee has been incorporated in the State budget for conservation of pony.

As such, it remains a big question how the policy would be translated into action and what would be the fete of Manipuri ponies.

Manipuri Pony Society secretary Ningthoukhongjam Ibungochoubi said that Manipuri ponies are facing a very precarious situation today.

Under the aegis of the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association, Manipuri Pony Society in association with the Manipur Equestrian Association carried out a random count of ponies over a period of 4/5 months in 2014.All the horses (ponies) including which have keepers/owners as well as those abandoned were photographed and their total figure stood at just around 360 .

Even though hill areas and remote areas of the valley were not covered by the random survey, it was assumed that there may be only 100 to 200 ponies in these areas.

According to this estimate, the total population of pony in the State was around 600 in 2014, Ibungochoubi said.

On the other hand, pony birth rate is lower than pony mortality rate.

Moreover, survival rate of pony colts is just around 20 per cent and those which survive have to struggle hard to live and grow, Ibungochoubi said.

Most of the Manipuri ponies are kept at home but they are let to roam and graze freely on roads and public places.

After harvesting of paddy and until sowing of paddy seeds, ponies have enough grazing ground on the vacant paddy fields.

Once paddy seeds are sown, they (ponies) do not have any grazing ground and they come to roads and there have been many cases of endangered ponies killed by speeding vehicles.

There are also many cases of ponies dying from consuming poisonous waste materials disposed of on road sides.

There are data of death of 26 ponies in road accidents and after falling into ditches and drains in Lamphelpat area alone in 2016, Ibungochoubi said.

At one point of time, around 1000 ponies could be seen grazing at Lamphelpat and there were more than enough spaces.

But these days, there is not enough space for even 100 horses, he added.

Even though there are records which say that there are 40 grounds for playing Polo in the valley, these grounds have been disappearing gradually.

The only succour Manipur ponies enjoy is the 4/5 polo tournaments organised by the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association.

If these polo tournaments were not there, Manipur ponies might have already disappeared completely, Ibungochoubi said.

There around 28 polo clubs in the State.

Even though Manipuri ponies/horses have no utility these days, it was the cavalry which safeguarded the sovereignty of Manipur for centuries.

Reservation and development of enough grazing grounds is the foremost task for conserving pony and there is also an urgent to implement the Manipur Pony Conservation and Development Policy, he added.

Comment