Naveen Jindal has a soft spot for horses

Nov 10, 2014, 06:31 IST2 min

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(From left) Naveen Jindal&rsquos son Venkatesh, Salim Azmi, Simran Shergill and Jindal. Venkatesh shares his father&rsquos interest in polo. He will soon travel to the US to pursue higher studies. &ldquoI hope to continue riding horses there,&rdquo he says

Image by Amit Verma

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Initially, Naveen Jindal played in the forward position. But now, he has moved to the rear. &ldquoWhen I ride, nothing else enters my mind. I feel free,&rdquo he says

Image by Amit Verma

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Like for any other sport, warming up is a must. Jindal jogs for a few hundred metres and goes through a routine of stretching exercises. His Spanish trainer Marc Gastin takes him through each step. Jindal met Gastin in Bolivia, where JSPL had mining interests. For about two years now, Gastin has accompanied Jindal everywhere

Image by Amit Verma

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After his first round of exercises, Jindal returns to the villa for a set of exercises to strengthen his back (two years ago, he had fractured his back during the Ambassador&rsquos Cup in Argentina). He now takes extra care as riding horses puts immense pressure on the bones and muscles of his back

Image by Amit Verma

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It&rsquos time to saddle-up. As Jindal puts on his boots, he remembers to also strap on the watch and arm band that are synchronised to record his vital statistics. Gastin will later transfer the data to his laptop and inform Jindal about how his body is faring

Image by Amit Verma

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Jindal with his horse Fortuna. Though a busy man, Jindal prefers to buy his horses himself and travels across the world, mainly to the UK and Australia, to choose them

Image by Amit Verma

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Polo is a sport fraught with risks and danger while chasing the ball, it is common for the horses, running full-tilt, to come too close for comfort. &ldquoPolo is inherently a hazardous and dangerous sport,&rdquo says Jindal

Image by Amit Verma

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While making the rounds of his stables, Jindal often stops to discuss his horses, including the quality of grass they are fed, with his staff

Image by Amit Verma

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Jindal with Falabella, a miniature horse (one of the world&rsquos smallest breeds) from Argentina

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