A stable relationship

CHENNAI: Some horses will test you, some will teach you and some will bring out the best in you. While most equestrians swear by this maxim, Tiyasha Vathul’s recipe for success in sport lies in equal reciprocation. “It’s always a team effort. You need to be completely in sync with the animal for it to bring out the best in you. They have the capacity to mould you into a better rider,” suggests the 17-year-old equestrian show jumper, over a phone call from Mumbai while in the middle of a competition. Having won many championships held by the Equestrian Federation of India, she recently bagged the Young Achiever Award by the Rotary Club of Madras East.

The Chennai resident is currently training at United Riders Barn, Bengaluru, under coach Nitin Gupta; she also trains at Talland School of Equitation in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, under the tutelage of Pammy Hutton and her daughter Pippa Hutton. All in the hope of representing India at the Asian Games and Olympics. “I’ve been riding since the age of five and I’m glad that I chose this sport over mainstream options like skating, swimming or tennis. These days, I train six days a week and the sheer joy of spending time around animals is special and much better than connecting with humans. That’s what drew me to this,” enthuses Tiyasha with poise. 

Taking a break from her 45-minute training session and spending time with her horse Democratic outside the competition arena, Tiyasha walks us through the bond she’s developed with the three horses she has had over the years. “This is perhaps the only sport where your success depends on the performance of another living being; so, it’s important that you get to understand the personality and emotions of animals inside-out. I’ve ridden three horses so far. Every time you ride a new horse, it’s like starting from scratch. You need to earn its trust and communicate well. All of them are dear to me and bidding a goodbye is the toughest; it’s like parting ways with your house pets. I get very attached to them,” she shares. 

Like any sport, mental health goes hand in hand with physical stamina. Emphasising on how it’s different with riding, she says, “If you’re anxious or stressed, the horse easily picks up on your emotions. So your mental well-being is crucial for the horse. You need to spend quality time with it as every horse is different. Some are calm, some are energetic... with experience, you will be able to select the most compatible one.”

In contrast to her early years, Tiyasha is glad that more people are coming forward to take up the sport. Highlighting the scope of it, she explains, “The sport isn’t underrated anmore. We had Fouaad Mirza win a silver in the Asian Games in 2018. There’s a lot of potential and young riders are accepting it as a lucrative option. Plenty of riding classes have mushroomed in recent years. You get to showcase your talent at competitions and also have better opportunities to train abroad.”

The show jumper is presently competing nationally and regionally. “Europe and the UK are the Meccas of the sport. The opportunities abroad, the quality of horses and the number of people involved in the sport are incredible. It’s the only sport where men and women can compete in the same category. Personally, I look up to Edwina Tops-Alexander and Peder Fredricson as my inspirations. I’m confident that India is not far behind and we will catch up with the rest of the world shortly,” assures Tiyasha.