In the bustling city of Dhaka, entertainment options are few and far between. There is very little scope for hobbies, and most other leisure activities are either too expensive or limited in terms of accommodation. Having said that, there is one exception currently offering a unique experience: riding horses.

Under the open skies of the Sunvalley Residential area beside UIU University, people can find Buraq Horse Riding School. Established on 29th September 2023, this school has been offering services for all comers in horse riding, stables, and consultancy. We met up with Sadat Uzzal, one of the four founders and the CEO of Buraq Horse Riding School, to know more about the journey behind introducing such a unique sport to Dhaka city.

Inspiration

Delving into such a unique business must have been daunting at first. Sadat expressed his and his partners’ immense passion for horse riding. The passion motivated them to get involved and open their own horse riding school. “Owning horses and spending time with horses was a childhood dream for us,” expressed Sadat.

With no precedence before them, Buraq Horse Riding School relies on its founders’ experiences in managing horses and maintaining their health and well-being in order to provide quality service. Sadat shares his own and his partners’ experiences quite proudly. “We are trained and backed by British equestrians. One of us founders has more than 20 years of experience working with horses and is a member of an equestrian society in the UK. I personally have certificates in Horse Body Linguistics, Horse Training, and Equestrian Training.”

Programmes offered

There are programmes for both beginners and advanced-level riders. People can book weekly classes, and there are also options for riding ponies for children. There are three distinct courses:

Basic Riding Course: Weekly 2-day course of 30 minutes per session, covering basic horse riding, commanding, handling, and controlling.
Advanced Riding Course: Along with the basic riding course, additional aspects such as horse grooming/care and horse nature & behaviour are covered. This is also 30 minutes per session, twice weekly.
Private Riding Course: People wanting a personalised touch can enrol in this programme, with a dedicated trainer catering to personal development. It is organised for 10 consecutive days, 30 minutes daily.

To understand which programme may be best suited, they also provide joy rides and trail runs which help determine one’s level of comfort. “We provide helmets, chest vests, first-aid facilities, and trained and experienced guides while training the riders. Moreover, we use well-trained and friendly horses for the students, and we introduce the precautions to our riders before starting,” says Sadat.

In the past, the school partnered with Canadian Maple Leaf International School and Glenrich International School for short workshops and summer camps.

Challenges

Finding land was the biggest challenge, according to Sadat. He expressed his gratitude to Swadesh Properties Limited for sponsoring the school from day one and providing land to make this happen.

Another concern is the healthcare of the horses. In the veterinary field, there is a very low number of expert doctors to care for horses. A lack of proper medications is also a matter of great concern.

As for climate, the weather in Bangladesh is suitable for the horse breeds at the school. Still, in summer, extra care is needed.

Despite the challenges, the joys gained are well worth it. The horse riding community is still quite small, and the shared passion provides a boost of encouragement for the school to keep pushing forward. “Many people are learning horse riding properly, enjoying the moment, representing us outside of Buraq, creating networks and work opportunities. These are the most rewarding aspects we are having right now.”

Looking ahead

Sadat expressed his ambition to expand the school and its courses further. “We want to see Buraq Horse Riding School providing all sorts of equestrian facilities, including sports, to our riders down the line of 5 to 10 years. We would love to see our riders on the international podium as well,” a gleeful Sadat shared.

Having greater ambitions in international sports will surely require more facilities and better equipment, along with a general level of passion for the sport at large. Moreover, the constant influx of new passionate riders is providing the school with hope that equestrian sports will one day take their rightful place as one of the most popular sports in Bangladesh.