Caroline Moorey has been promoting the Marwari horse by organising private safari groups all over Rajasthan for the last decade. Having experienced rides as a client, Caroline wanted to organise well thought out rides with ‘special touches’, understanding that this is what make a holiday memorable. Thus Horse India was born. Caroline’s passion for the Marwari horse and Rajasthan is infectious, as is her enthusiasm, and her aim is for others to experience and enjoy the uniqueness of a breed that has given her so many wonderful experiences.
Here are her 15 Questions in 5 Minutes
1. Who you are (naturally!)
Caroline Moorey, an equestrian adventuress, portfolio worker, designer and facilitator!
2. What inspired you to create your business?
For over 15 years I have discovered Rajasthan through my horseback adventures, riding the indigenous Indian horse breeds – Marwari and Kathiawari, culminating in forming Horse India in partnership with Dr Rao Ajeet Singh.
3. An anecdote which epitomizes your India?
When our desert camp got kidnapped by marauding villagers and we were rescued by a very happy and kind one eyed, gold toothed bandit with a Kalashnikov who invited us to the safety of his village for the night, there was lots of contraband arak and dancing! (I must add this was NOT on a Horse India ride!)
4. One thing that you can’t live without?
Hot water shower.
5. One thing that you hate?
Freezing cold water showers that promise to be hot!
6. If you could change one thing about India what would it be?
Tone down the ego’s a notch?
7. Who is your greatest inspiration?
My parents who inspired me to believe I can, and maybe subliminally the explorer Christina Dodwell. As a child I read her book of her lone ride down the length of Chile, and it obviously inspired me to believe that adventures like that were possible, and then, some 30 years later, I had the honour of her contacting us and riding with Horse India in Rajasthan 2 years ago. Small world.
8. What is your favourite quote?
Mark Twain: “20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do, than by the things you did do, so live, dream, explore” or another one is “sometimes when your ship comes in you have to swim out to meet it”
9. I have noticed huge changes in India over the last few years but what is the biggest change you have noticed in India over the last 10 years?
Haphazard highway constructions in the cities, and the dreaded barbed wire appearing in the countryside
10. What do you think are the biggest challenges India faces over the next ten years?
I would advise ‘be careful what you wish for’ – Be individual – means to have the courage to resist the big conglomerates, fast food chains etc, and all bad things from the West.
11. Which is the destination at the top of your bucket list?
Ooooh too many! That’s the beauty of India – so much that needs exploring
12. What is the one place you visited that you have NO desire to return to?
At a push, because I always take something positive away from a place, but Darjeeling didn’t do it for me – I was saddened by the plastic Chinese tat in what were meant to be local markets, and it was cold and wet – I’m a desert girl 🙂
13. Book or Movie?
Both 🙂 (means why choose?!
14. Just for fun! I am doing a survey to find India’s most popular breakfast, what is yours?
Masala omlette, with a spoonful each of poha and curd on the sid
15. In retrospect, what is the one thing you wish you could have told your 20 year-old self?
Self confidence and a smile are the keys to unlock all doors.
