A horse-riding school in the city (Photo Feature)

I recently visited Angel Horse Stable in Chundevi in Kathmandu. I wanted to see what all happened at a horse-riding school. I met Suman Bhujel, 20, who is currently an instructor at the center. He has been working there for the past seven years. He started as a helping hand at the center, cleaning the stables and feeding the horses, and later learned horse riding and underwent buggy management training as well.

Bhujel says he has always been fascinated with horses. As a child, he used to peek through the walls of the center and watch people ride horses for hours. “It’s an unconventional job but it’s exciting and I love it. No two days are the same,” he says.

In recent times, horse buggy or horse carriages have become popular in some parts of Nepal. It’s often used in weddings as it adds a festive and ceremonial touch to the marriage procession. Bhujel says many couples have been favoring beautifully decorated horse buggies as part of the wedding celebrations instead of the regular cars and jeeps.

Traditionally, horse-drawn carriages were used at weddings. It was once reserved for princes and princesses. The carriages were usually velvet-lined and adorned with flowers. The practice is now back in fashion again as more and more couples have started opting for this regal mode of transport during what is perhaps the most important day of their lives.

Apart from using horse buggies for weddings, the general fascination with horse riding seems to have increased too, says Bhujel. There are lots of children and adults alike coming in for weekly riding classes at the horse-riding school. Bhujel says the younger you start learning the better it is but horse-riding is fairly easy once you grasp a few important techniques.