Anush Agarwalla Emphasizes the Vital Role of His Horse as Paris Olympics 2024 Approaches

Aiming to etch their names in history and bring glory to their respective countries, athletes from all across the world get ready to vie for medals, so the Paris Olympics is scheduled to start on July 26, 2024. The event looks to be an amazing exhibition of sportsmanship, agility, and national pride.

Also Read: Kapil Dev’s Words of Motivation for Paris Olympics-Bound Diksha Dagar

Anush Agarwalla on the Importance of Equine Partner Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024

Anush Agarwalla shows the depth of their nonverbal connection based in trust and harmony by being able to identify his horse, Sir Caramello's feelings of worry, excitement, or enjoyment. Anush, India's first equestrian qualified for the individual dressage event at the next Olympics, puts his relationship with Sir Caramello above all else. His attention is still on the flux of their relationship, giving their connection top priority even as he gets ready for the Paris Olympics amid questions concerning results. 

As Anush wants to present his synchronised performance on the Olympic stage, this special bond emphasises his commitment to ensure the welfare of his horse and the great mutual understanding and care that characterise their cooperation.

"Without the horses, we are nothing. Of course, you need to be a good rider. You need to have a good coach. But without the right horse, you are nothing," Agarwalla told PTI from Germany.

Agarwalla moved to Paderborn in Germany as a 17-year-old and his weekend hobby of horse riding with no real competitive aspirations soon turned into a passion. With hard work and proper guidance he climbed the podium at the 2018 Asian Games twice -- individual bronze and team gold.

The Kolkata-born rider said he shares a superb bond with his horse but it took a long to develop that trust. It's been five years that Agarwalla has been riding with Sir Caramello.

Initially the horse would not trust Agarwalla but consistent feeding, cuddling, riding, cleaning, taking him out created that trust. He had to work hard to win over Sir Caramello.

"Building relationships with horses, it's just like building relationships with people. It takes time. Relationships are not built over a matter of a couple of hours or a couple of days. I spent a lot of time together with him.

"I would say that he always wants me to give him 100% attention. That's the most important thing for him. He always wants me to scratch him on the back. He's a horse who loves contact with humans." He says Sir Caramello always wants to go out, even if it's raining or snowing: "He will pull me and take me to every corner. He wants to see everything. He just enjoys it, and I just let him do his thing." And this bond is a must if the rider is competing in Dressage which is different from Eventing and Show Jumping.

In Dressage, the horse and rider perform a series of pre-determined movements. The suppleness, flexibility and obedience of the horse are tested in this event.

Dressage is physically demanding and mentally challenging for the horse.

"The horse is the main member of the team, I would say. What really attracted me to dressage was that though power is involved it still has to look elegant and that you are completely in sync with your horse." "When you ride in the arena, the whole stadium is full and the horse is completely with you. It really feels like you're flying, there's no better feeling in the world." When humans join forces, teammates can express their apprehensions and excitement through words and body language. But when your teammate is an animal how do you do it? "I just have to look at him and I know how he's feeling. I know exactly what he needs. And that is the definition of trust and a relationship. I do not think that a trust, a relationship really needs a language." Agwaralla shared an incident when he could sense how his horse suddenly grew impatient and how he calmed it down.

"When we competed at the 2022 World Championships, during the warm-up, he was feeling really good. We were really in sync and everything was perfect. And then we came into the 10-minute arena where we were completely alone. And in that moment, I started to feel like he started getting nervous.

“I was only 22 years of age, even I, somehow in those first two or three minutes could not really help him. Then I just patted him, kind of spoke with him. I could really sense him, like, really breathe out. And then we were back in our motion. So, that was for me, personally, a very nice moment.”

 Agarwalla knows consistent hard work is the key and he also understands that defeats have to be embraced as much as victories.

"I think defeat teaches you much more than victories. It shows you what you have to work on.

"Defeat also shapes you a lot as a person. It teaches you that you have two options: either you keep crying and quit or you say, okay, you take it on the chin, I had a defeat, but I'm going to make sure my next event will be a victory.

"It really teaches you to bring out a power from within yourself, a motivation from within yourself that you probably didn't know was even there. And I think that, in this moment, is when you improve the most." Ask him about his rivals and his own expectations at the Paris Olympics where men's and women compete together, Agarwalla preferred not to over-promise.

"Of course, I know who all I'm competing against. But what I like to do or what I've always done and will continue to do now before the Olympics is focus on myself. That's the only thing which is in my own power. I cannot influence the others' performances, nor do I want to." 

Agarwalla is also mature enough to leave behind the fact that his candidature for the Olympics was challenged by veteran rider Shruti Vora.

"There is no bitterness," he said. 

(With PTI inputs)