The only current Olympic sport involving animals is equestrian. In the ancient Olympic Games, chariot racing and horse racing were part of the events. Horses continue to be in the spotlight, with an Indian representing the country for the first time in dressage at the Paris Olympics in July-August this year. Anush Agarwalla, 24, will carry the hopes of a billion people as he rides a horse at the Palace of Versailles in Paris. Horses are woven into almost every chapter of India’s rich history. In the Mahabharata, Arjun’s chariot is drawn by four white horses.

In Paris, Agarwala will become “Arjun” as he is known in India, riding Sir Caramello, the horse that earned him a historic dressage berth at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“It is truly surreal. From winning India’s first medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou to becoming the first Indian to qualify for the upcoming Olympics in dressage, it has been a huge experience. Every step of the way, I have been with The relationships I have with my horses are all special and the cycle is almost only complete when I can get on the podium in my favorite city, Paris.” Anush Agarwala on the Podcast with the Indian Fitness Champions said host Shrimati Ekta Vishnoi during the chat.

The ‘Fit India Champions’ podcast series aims to spread the message of fitness through conversations with athletes and fitness influencers. The 10-episode series is in partnership with GOQii, a key stakeholder in the fitness industry that proactively manages health through digital and multimedia technologies.

Agarwala’s career is a story of sacrifice. Agarwala was born in a business family where no one was involved in sports. He has been living and training in Borchen, Germany since he was 17 years old. With less than two weeks at home in Kolkata every December and January, it’s a tough time. Agarwala won two historic medals – a team gold and a gold medal – in his Asian Games debut last year. A bronze medal.

Agarwala credits his equestrian career so far to his family and coach Hubertus Schmidt. Aggarwala said Schmidt, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist and 2005 European champion, “is fully responsible for my transformation from a low-level rookie to where I am now.” He added that Schmidt’s level of patience was “amazing.”

Interestingly, Schmidt was “discovered” through the internet by Adarsh, an accounting teacher at Sri Ram School in Agarwala!

Anush Agarwalla stresses that “a close relationship with the horse is crucial to achieving good results.” Agarwalla says the best horses feel the same way humans do at large events and in front of crowds Nervous and flustered, his six to seven hours of training each day include a large part of “taking care of the horse and building trust.”

“The level of trust with your horse has to be perfect. Intimacy is key, and I was lucky both in Hangzhou and when I qualified for the Olympics, because both the physical and mental health of the rider and his animal have to be a perfect match. You can’t whip the horse and get good results.

“Relationships, like relationships, happen over time, and these are really like secret affairs,” Agarwala said. He returned to Sir Caramello, the horse he bought five years ago to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics but narrowly missed out. In Hangzhou, Agarwala rode Etro. “After training hard at the Asian Games, he now needs a rest.”

Having earned a quota for the country, Agarwala must wait until June 24 when the Equestrian Federation of India sends the names of the riders who will represent the country at the Summer Olympics. Two dressage riders – Shruti Vohra and Major Jolly Ahluwalia – are also contenders for Paris, but if form and experience are factors , then Anush Agarwalla looks to be the frontrunner.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is derived from a press release)