‘Kudla’ to get ‘Kudure’? M’luru Horse Riding Academy launching on Jan 1

‘Kudla’ to get ‘Kudure’? M’luru Horse Riding Academy launching on Jan 1

‘Kudla’ to get ‘Kudure‘? (Horses) Mangaluru Horse Riding Academy launching on Jan 1, 2017, an initiative by Avinand Achanahally, an MSW graduate from Roshini Nilaya, an environmentalist, an animal lover and also a horse rider.

Mangaluru: Start your New Year 2017 with a new hobby which will be introduced for the First time in “Kudla” involving “Kudure” (Horses), where you can get trained how to ride a horse under the leadership and guidance of Avinand Achanahally, who will be launching “Mangaluru Horse Riding Academy” on January 1, 2017. Do you know that a Horse is the projection of peoples’ dreams about themselves- Strong, Powerful, Beautiful and it has the capacity of giving us escape from our mundane existence.

Also, Horse Riding improves Physical Fitness; Burns around 650 calories per half an hour of continuous horse riding; Strengthens Muscles, reflex acceleration, prevention of muscles cramps; Relieves Stress; Increases level of confidence; and Weight loss and flexibility. So to those who have been waiting to learn Horse Riding which involves trotting, cantering and galloping, your dreams will come true beginning New Year 2017- and this Horse Training Academy will serve those will people who are not very familiar with horse riding and horse racing.

Avinand Achanahally, an MSW graduate from Roshini Nilya- Mangaluru, presently working as an Assistant PR Manager in the Human Resource dept. at a private firm, is an environmentalist, an animal lover and also a horse rider, is all excited and gearing up to open his academy to teach horse riding to the public and also aims at taking it to the academic level. Apart from putting his time in training at the Mangaluru Horse Riding Academy, Avinand is also set to introduce horse riding as a part of co-curricular activities at a bunch of private schools.

We all know that a car or motorbike with ‘horse-power’ runs on ‘Gas’, but do you know an animal with ‘horse-power’ that runs on ‘Grass’? – and one such animal is the ‘Horse’.

Avinand became popular in Mangaluru, when Mangalorean.com had first done his exclusive interview while he was riding his 7-year old Kathiawadi breed horse “Sikandar” (which he had bought for Rs 70,000 from Mysuru) to his college, while he was doing his masters in Social Work at Roshini Nilaya, in order to bring awareness how to save energy and pollution. But you may ask me, “Who in this consumerist society would change their lifestyle to go natural? Well, quite a few I suppose, but for sure I know this young gentleman Avinand did, and two years ago I interviewed him in the throes of this paradigm shift, who many others like him are advocating conscientious and responsible living not just in America but across the world, including India and off course, Mangaluru..

During that interview When I asked him what was his idea/motto behind riding a horse to college or do personal errands, he said, “Since childhood, I had a passion towards horses, and our family owned horses then. While all my friends wanted to buy expensive bikes and cars, I opted to stay simple and with love for the nature and animals, and also to keep the environment clean and pollution free I wanted to set an example for others also how nice and healthy it is to ride a horse than ride a bike or drive a car. By riding a horse you can learn about horse therapy, get physical fitness, and moreover, you will develop love towards animals, and also learn how to take care and maintain animals. My main intention in riding my horse to college is to save fuel/energy and reduce noise/air pollution”.

Avinand Achanahally, is the son of agriculturist A L Vijaya Vivekananda, who is also a coffee planter having a coffee estate in Mudigere/Sakleshpur; and K U Roopa, who is a housewife. Avinand has only one younger sister, Adamya aged 23, doing her engineering studies in Bengaluru. Completing his MSW at Roshini Nilaya, Avinand was the General Secretary of PG All College Students Association for the year 2104-15. He was the Director of Malanad Youth Association and was president of the College union at St Aloysius College, Mangaluru in 2010-11. Originally from Mudigere, he did most of his early schooling in Bengaluru, but did his college at St Aloysius here. He was a good volleyball player in ‘libro’ position and took part in various co-curricular activities.

Avinand has great love towards animals and birds- he has a wide variety of birds, few well-bred dogs and now owns horses. While he was a student at Roshini Nilaya he had started a “Sustainable Development” Concept, which included birds etc – Avinand says, “Students instead of wasting their time on their mobile phones or browsing too much on the Internet, can feel the touch of the nature, hear the chirping of birds, watch greenery around the campus, admire animals and natural surroundings. This will bring awareness to them about keeping the community environmentally clean and green”. He had also done ‘Vermiculture’ at the campus, and for all his projects he had received full support from his principal, college teaching and non-teaching staff and off course, the students, in accomplishing his dream projects.

Horses “can be” cheaper to own and operate than vehicles (depending on how you go about it, and if you have the land for them). And insurance isn’t required! And if you ride a horse instead of riding a two-wheeler or drive a car to college or your workplace, you don’t have to worry about getting a traffic violation ticket, nor will you have to spend on regular oil changes or mechanical repairs nor do you have to shell out more money on fuel. Only expenses you will incur in raising and maintaining a horse is the food cost- that’s it. How much lifestyle benefit there is really depends on your outlook on riding horses!

Horses are also great when you need someone with a listening ear to talk to. They don’t interrupt, and they’ll look up at you every now and then with those big, dark eyes (in between mouth fulls of hay) and appear very understanding and sympathetic to your problems. And it can be very therapeutic to rub their soft noses. They are very polite, calm and harmless to have them as a home pet. Keeping all these in mind, Avinand opted for a ‘Horse’ rather than going to spend lavishly on a high-class motorbike or a luxurious car, like his rich friends did. He wanted something that was natural, good for the environment and energy saving.

When he was riding his horse around town when he was a student, citizens were showing enthusiasm and keen interest towards horse riding. This made him think why not open a Horse Riding Academy so that all those who are looking forward to learning horse riding could benefit from it- although it took nearly two years to materialize his plans and dreams, finally his baby project “Mangaluru Horse Riding Academy” is in the last stages of getting ready, with only a few minor things to be completed. Already kids and adults have been visiting this Horse Riding area to get some basic training. And Avinand is all excited and can’t wait to launch his project on January 1, 2017.

Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Avinand said, “The Horse Riding Academy will be open for all enthusiasts between the age of six and sixty years. The courses offered are- Basic Horse Riding, which focuses on Basic Walking and Trotting; Intermediate Horse Riding-focusing on advanced trotting and cantering; Advanced Horse Riding-which will focus on Cantering course planned as per already acquired individual skills. Riding will be of 45 minutes duration per class, and Intermediate rider can experience Cross Country Horse Riding on Sundays, and we will provide stabling and boarding facilities for outside horses”.

“The timings of training are from 6 am-8.30 am (morning batch), and 4.30 pm -7 pm (Evening Batch). We will also have monthly beach rides, horseback safaris (only for experienced and advanced riders) conducted once a month – these rides will go through rural landscapes, villages, hilly areas like Sakleshpur and Chikkamagaluru. These Safaris will last for 2-3 hours or a whole day, where horses will be on the walk, Trot and Canter. The safari included the rider’s one night stay and four meals. And I want to remind all those who want to take up this hobby, horse riding is one of the best exercises to burn calories”, added Avinand.

The Mangaluru Horse Riding Academy is located right opposite to Hotel Moti Mahal, Falnir Road-Mangaluru, and if you need more details as for how to register etc call Avinand at 9880185784. At present, there are three horses at the Academy by the names- Varun, Red Bolt and Rocky; and also a pony by the name “Minto” to be used to train kids. So if you are looking for a “New Hobby” for the “New Year”, sign up for Horse Riding Training at Mangaluru Horse Riding Academy. Yee Haw- let’s all go, Horse Riding!