Shubh Chowdhari Interview
In equestrian sport, success isn’t built in
the few minutes spent inside the arena—it’s forged through patience,
discipline, and an unspoken bond between horse and rider. For this young
equestrian, the journey is as much about personal growth as it is about
performance, proving that the greatest lessons often come from the most
unpredictable teammates.
Q. Equestrian sport is as much about partnership as performance—how would you describe your bond with your horse?
Honestly, it’s hard to explain unless you
ride. My horse is more like a teammate than just an animal I compete with. We
spend so many hours training together that you start understanding each other
without needing much. Some days he picks up on my energy before I even realize
how I’m feeling. Trust is a huge part of it especially, in eventing, because at
the end of the day, both of you are depending on each other out there.
Also… he definitely knows when I have treats
in my pocket before I do.
Q. What’s one discipline or habit that has made the biggest difference in your consistency as a rider?
Probably learning to stay disciplined even on
the boring days. Not every day is exciting or perfect, but showing up
consistently, taking care of the horse properly, fitness training, and focusing
on small improvements every day makes the biggest difference over time.
Q. How do you mentally reset after a round that doesn’t go as planned?
Earlier I used to overthink mistakes a lot,
but now I try to look at every bad round as feedback instead of failure. In
this sport, you can’t stay stuck in one moment because the next competition is
always coming. I usually watch videos, understand what went wrong, talk to my
trainer, and then move on and focus on improving.
Sometimes you just have to laugh at the chaos
too because horses definitely keep you humble.
Q. What are some challenges in equestrian sports that people outside the field often don’t understand?
I think a lot of people only see the few
minutes inside the arena, but they don’t see the work behind it. It’s
physically demanding, mentally exhausting, and also emotional because you’re
responsible for another living being. Horses have moods, injuries, good days,
and bad days just like humans.
Also, the amount of mud, early mornings, and
random horse-related injuries is something nobody warns you about.
Q. How do you balance precision and instinct while competing in high-pressure environments?
Training builds the precision, but during
competition instinct takes over a lot too. You have to trust your preparation
and also trust your horse in the moment. Sometimes things don’t go exactly
according to plan, so reacting calmly and quickly becomes really important.
Half the sport is planning perfectly… and the
other half is pretending everything is under control when it absolutely isn’t.
Q. Looking at your journey so far, what has been your most defining learning moment?
One of the biggest lessons for me has been
understanding that progress in this sport is never linear. There are amazing
days and really frustrating ones too. Learning patience with myself and with my
horse has probably changed my mindset the most as a rider and as a person.
The sport teaches you maturity pretty fast
because horses really don’t care about excuses.
Q. What goals are you currently working towards, both in performance and personal growth?
Right now I’m focused on improving my
performance consistently at higher levels and gaining more international
exposure in the sport. Personally, I’m working on becoming mentally stronger,
more focused under pressure, and learning how to handle both success and
setbacks in a balanced way.
Q. If your journey with your horse had to be described like a movie, what would the title be and what kind of vibe would it have?
Probably something like Managed Chaos.
It would basically be a mix of sports, comedy,
and emotional drama one minute everything looks cinematic and perfect, and the
next minute my horse is dragging me toward grass like he pays the bills.
But overall, the vibe would be fun, intense,
unpredictable, and full of those moments that make all the hard work worth it.
Bio
Shuubh Chowdhari is an Indian equestrian
specializing in Dressage and Show Jumping. A dedicated rider known for his
discipline, resilience, and strong partnership with his horses, he has earned
recognition through consistent performances at national-level competitions.
Beyond the medals and results, his journey reflects a deep commitment to
learning, patience, and continuous growth both as an athlete and as an
individual. Passionate about representing India on larger stages, he continues
to work toward higher levels of competition while inspiring young riders to
embrace the challenges and rewards of equestrian sport.
Interviewed By – Niyati Gupta
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