How to do preparation for horse racing in Bangladesh

 Traditional horse owners (ghorawala) and jockeys in Bangladesh prepare for Ghorar Dour through a mix of ancestral dietary practices, rigorous physical conditioning, and crowd-desensitization techniques tailored for rural fair environments.

🌾 High-Energy Race Diet

Preparation begins 2 to 3 months before the winter racing season. Horses are transitioned from basic grazing to a high-calorie, muscle-building regimen:

• Protein & Grains: Daily feeds consist of soaked chickpeas (chana), black gram lentils (mashkalai), crushed oats, and wheat bran (bushi).
• Traditional Stamina Boosters: Owners routinely feed racing horses raw eggs, fresh cow's milk, honey, and sugarcane molasses (gur) to maximize stamina and raw energy.
• Oil Cake: Mustard oil cake (khoil) is mixed into mash to promote body mass and heat generation during cold winter mornings.

🏃 Physical Conditioning & Field Adaptation

• Morning & Evening Gallops: Horses are conditioned twice daily along riverbanks (char areas), embankment roads, or harvested fields to build cardiovascular endurance.
• Terrain Hardening: Training takes place directly on dry, uneven paddy fields rather than smooth tracks. This conditions the horse’s tendons and hooves to handle rough dirt without stumbling or throwing a shoe.
• Distance Drills: Conditioning builds up to repeated 1.5–2 km sprint intervals to mimic the heat-based knockout rounds typical of village tournaments.

💆 Massages & Hoof Maintenance

• Warm Mustard Oil Massages: After hard runs, attendants rub warm mustard oil across the horse's legs, shoulders, and back. This relieves muscle soreness, protects against winter chills, and gives the coat a distinct shine.
• Hoof Shoeing (Naal): Local blacksmiths forge light, custom iron horseshoes (naal) fitted specifically for dry, packed clay soil to prevent slipping and protect hoof walls.

🏇 Jockey Prep & Bareback Techniques

• Weight & Agility Selection: Jockeys are typically young teenagers or lightweight adults chosen for their low body weight and quick reflexes.
• Thigh Grip & Balance: Because races are run bareback or with only a thin folded blanket (gaddi), jockeys train extensively to lock their thighs into the horse's flanks, using rope reins and vocal commands to control direction at top speeds.
• Crowd & Drum Desensitization: Village races feature thousands of cheering spectators, air horns, and traditional dhak drums. Owners expose horses to loud music, flags, and crowded village markets weeks prior so the animal remains focused and calm at the starting line.