Socio-economic status of Spiti horse owners vis-a-vis horse management in native tract

Abstract

Spiti horses are widely used for carrying men and material in the hilly terrains of Lahoul and Spiti in Himalayan region. People living in Pin Valley rear these horses mainly for breeding purpose. The study was planned to know socio-economic status of Spiti horse owners and managemental practices followed by them. The primary data was collected from 50 horse owners belonging to Pin Valley of Spiti Sub-Division of Lahoul and Spiti District. The people engaged in horse rearing belong to mainly Buddhist community. Majority of them were poor and illiterate. Women and children contribute significantly in equine husbandry. Selection of breeding stallion, sharing of upkeep of stallion, castration of surplus males etc are the important practices which are performed under the supervision of elderly and experienced horse breeders more or less on scientific lines. The mares freely roam with the stallion from April onwards and get covered through natural mating. Foaling generally occurs in the month of April and May and most of the mares conceive during the foal heat. They sell their equines in International Lavi Fair at Rampur in Shimla District and Ladarcha Fair Kaza in Lahoul and Spiti District. Selling price varies from 10,000 to 30,000 depending upon age, sex and physical condition of the horse. It was concluded that horses were an important component in the life of people of Pin Valley. Potential areas for intervention were identified as training of veterinarian for AI, treatment, husbandry practices of equines and disease investigation as well as including of height as a criterion in stallion selection.