The Meghalaya Pony Livelihood Project is being conceived to inspire, encourage and motivate the passion for ecological activities and conservation of environment and its habitats through sustainable economic enterprise. The primary exponent of horse rearing at Mawmahwar, Bitali Kharsyiemiong have had decades of experience in taming and domesticating wild ponies, breeding and nurturing of calves and in caring and catering to the wellbeing of the young ponies until they grow up into matured adults. At the tender age of twelve, Bitali Kharsyiemiong was fascinated with ponies and initiated for tending a few of them, even as they were used for domestic carriage of agricultural produces from the field into the granary; and subsequently shipping the finished products to the nearest vehicular road on the way to the market.
The self-acquired expertise of Bitali Kharsyiemiong is a lifelong involvement with immense knowledge in folk animal husbandry and veterinary sciences. He has tamed and domesticated the wild, bred and cared the young calf, taught and trained the matured ponies. The most significant aspect of his profession is that he has developed an emotional attachment with the animals; they communicated and understood each other at every stage of their growth. Certain middlemen acquired the ponies and smuggled to Bangladesh and later he learned that they were used as the beast of burden and most of them died prematurely due to the overloaded stuff they were made to carry. He discontinued the trade with them and always mourned at the unfortunate demise of any pony. Further, when he is away busy with farming and other works, he would engage relatives and close friends. At present, there are more than twenty ponies with few mothers in the process of breeding young calves. There is a dire need of a proper stable and a farmhouse to sustain the livelihood of both humans and animals.
The primary motive is to venture for a permanent cultural and eco-tourism destination at Mawmahwar and diversify the undertakings to other prospective areas in the region. The project have identified certain locations with enchanting landscapes that are prevalent with ponies and appraised the local inhabitants about the need for proper care of the animals, even as they are being used in various livelihood activities for generations. The project shall initially facilitate for a feasible seasonal event to cater the tourists and other local visitors within the State of Meghalaya. Thereafter, the activities will expand with various cultural performances and amusement for visitors.
