…and on the eighth day god created the horse in perfect image, to romp, graze, gallop, play, and make manure wherever it darn well pleases, in divine grace.
The Sumba and Sumbawa ponies come from islands in Indonesia, and are the same breed, but each comes from separate, neighboring islands. They are primitive in their appearance with short, stocky necks that tie in low on their chest, with a rather long back. Their croup is goosey and they come in around 12.2HH. (1)
It is thought that their predecessors came from China and Mongolia, and they look very similar to the Mongolian ponies.
The Indonesian islands where they live are barren tropics with poor grazing habitats that are hot and harsh. This has resulted in a very durable animal that demonstrates superior fortitude and stamina. (2)
Their coloring is dun with the black dorsal stripe, with dark manes and tails, thus adding to their primitive appearance.
The Sumba pony’s temperament is better than primitive or wild ponies in that they have a willing, sociable, and quiet demeanor.
The Sumba ponies can run fast and are very agile. (3)
The sport of “Pasola,” or mounted spear-throwing and fighting competitive games, is played in Indonesia on the backs of Sumba ponies as a past time, especially on Sumba Island itself.
Pasola, originating from the Sansrit word “sula,” means “spear” in the local dialects. Pasola goes on for 4 weeks each year during February and March. (4)
Wood spears are thrown at opponents while atop ponies, in celebration of rice planting season.
Originally, it was a blood ritual to commemorate a male chief of the village of Waiwuang.
The chief had left home for quite a lengthy amount of time, and his wife thought he had died.
She found a new boyfriend and took up with him. (5)
Then the chief eventually returned home, but his wife chose to stay with her new lover.
The game of Pasola was an attempt to spill blood on the ground, in an effort by the villagers to help their chief forget his sadness over his wife. Stabbing each other as they rode past, in a Medieval jousting-style, blood from humans and ponies was spilled on the playing field. (6)
The participants ultimately transferred the blood-shedding game into a festival as a way of thanking their ancestors for a bountiful harvest, and to secure a bountiful upcoming harvest.
The festival begins when a certain type of sea worm crawls out of the ocean onto the island, signifying the end of the rainy season. (7)
The game evolved from bloodshed by the participants and their ponies, as the sharp metal spear points have been removed and replaced with blunted tips. Now it is symbolic, with jousting-style tapping.
However, blood is still spilled onto the ground; instead of horse and human blood being spilled, pigs, chickens, and dogs are sacrificed in blood rituals. (8)
Some Sumba and Sumbawa ponies are specially trained to dance and perform. They wear bells on their fetlocks and dance in patterns set by a dance master. Young boys ride the ponies, moving in tempo to rhythmic beats on drums. (9)
The Sumba and Sumbawa ponies originate in the country of Indonesia, are considered a Warm Blood, and as stated, come in at 12.2HH.
It is interesting to learn about rare breeds of equine from other parts of the world, as we broaden our knowledge about them and the cultures they live in.
Closing once again with the immortal words of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, “Happy Trails to You.”
1-3: “A Pocket Guide to Horses & Ponies,” by Corinne Clark, Parrogon Books, UK, 2007
4-9: Internet/Wikipedia