From Fouaad Mirza, who won two silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games, to Asian Games gold medalists Divyakriti Singh and Anush Agarwalla, India has had its share of equestrian stars. For aspiring equestrian athletes, there is a dearth however of supportive infrastructure and facilities. A few well-resourced residential institutions are now bridging this gap by offering equestrian training, expert coaching, and opportunities for competitive participation.
1. Shrewsbury International School India, Bhopal
Shrewsbury International School is the first Indian campus of the prestigious Shrewsbury School UK and brings a 473-year-old legacy of academic excellence and sporting tradition to India. Spread across a 150-acre campus, the school’s state-of-the-art infrastructure integrates academics and sports within a holistic educational framework. The campus offers advanced facilities for over 20 indoor and outdoor sports, including football, cricket, tennis, and swimming, along with more specialised disciplines such as fencing, rowing, and scuba diving.
As part of its holistic co curricular program, the school provides dedicated coaching and world-class infrastructure for equestrian sports. Shrewsbury students recently participated in the Sterling Cup 2025, reflecting the school’s commitment to its credo of “whole-person education,” which nurtures well-rounded individuals.
2. The Assam Valley School, Sonitpur district
The Assam Valley School, located in the scenic tea gardens of Sonitpur district, Assam, has an elite equestrian program embedded in its sports curriculum. It not only offers riding facilities with two capacious riding rings, a jumping course, sprawling fields perfect for cross-country training but also a well-equipped stable with around 20 horses.
Under expert tutelage, students can learn disciplines such as dressage, show jumping, and tent pegging. For a while now, the Assam Valley School students have also been participating in regional and national competition, including Junior National Equestrian Championships and the Delhi Horse Show. The school also organizes an annual Inter-House Equestrian competition.
3. The Lawrence School, Lovedale, Tamil Nadu
Established in 1858, the Lawrence School, Lovedale, is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious institutions. Situated in Tamil Nadu’s verdant Nilgiri Hills, the school includes a vibrant and diverse sports curriculum in its distinctive holistic education ethos. The mandatory equestrian programme is a hallmark of this approach and is designed for students at varying skill levels.
The personalised training regimen ensures that all students learn to maximise their potential and gain confidence. The school has well laid out horse riding fields and experienced trainers who foster in the students, both discipline as well as a deep connection with their equine companions. The students expectedly go on to succeed at a wide range of equestrian activities and excel at basic riding techniques as well as advanced manoeuvres.
4. The Indian Public School, Dehradun
Underlining its focus on holistic student development, The Indian Public School (IPS), Dehradun, demonstrates its strong equestrian commitment through its horse-riding programme. Under the guidance of experienced trainers, including Retd. Naib Subedar from the Indian Army (RVC), students learn the fundamentals of riding, grooming, and understanding horse behaviour. Through this initiative, IPS’s equestrian programme offers an enriching experience that builds discipline, responsibility, confidence, and leadership skills while promoting physical fitness.
Along with equestrian training, IPS provides a wide spectrum of sports and creative pursuits such as cricket, football, tennis, hockey, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, basketball, and swimming. These activities help students develop strength, stamina, agility, and precision, qualities essential for success in both academics and future careers. By nurturing participation across varied disciplines, IPS encourages students to explore their interests beyond the classroom in a balanced and engaging environment.
5. Ecole Globale International Girls’ School, Dehradun
Located in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayas, the 40-acre campus of Ecole Globale International Girls’ School offers a serene setting that supports balanced learning and overall growth. The school’s guiding vision is to empower girls to explore their intellectual, creative, and physical abilities, enabling them to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Staying true to this, the school emphasises not just academics but also ensures that sports and co-curricular activities are integral to its educational approach.
In the field of equestrian sports, Ecole Globale has built a remarkable legacy with a stable housing nine horses and a consistent record of achievements. Notably, the Ecoliers earned one gold and one silver medal at the 2024 Delhi Horse Show. The campus also features advanced sports infrastructure, including a modern rifle shooting range, an Olympic-size swimming pool, courts for squash, basketball, tennis, and volleyball, a table tennis room, a 200m athletics track, and five open playing fields, all guided by 12 NIS-Patiala certified coaches.
