European Women Trying Equestrian Sports In British India, 1890 Photo
This rare 1890 photograph from British India captures a group of European women and men engaging in equestrian sports, most likely pig-sticking or wild boar hunting. The image shows European riders mounted on horses, some holding long lances, preparing for a hunt, a popular and thrilling pastime during the British colonial era in India. Boar hunting, or “pig sticking,” was introduced and popularized by the British, who always conducted the sport on horseback, emphasizing speed, precision, and courage.
The wild boar, known for breeding rapidly and being highly destructive to crops and trees, was considered an agricultural menace across India. These animals were fearless and would often attack humans or livestock when provoked. Hunting them was both a necessary measure for pest control and a test of bravery and horsemanship. The sport was extremely fast-paced and perilous — only the toughest and most skilled riders dared to take part, and even fewer women participated due to the inherent danger, as seen in the photo.
Pig-sticking clubs became popular across colonial India, drawing participants from the British military, civil services, and plantation communities. Prominent regions known for the sport included Poona (Pune), Allahabad, Mathura, and the Nilgiris. These hunts were often social events as well as displays of valor and riding skill, making them a significant part of the British sporting culture in India. Click image to enlarge.
Read more Pig Sticking in India.
Did you know- before pig-sticking, it was bear-sticking because the bears became scarce, the sport turned to hunt down wild pigs.
From the collection- Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” Oleograph 1894., View of Elephanta Caves Bombay – 2 Old Postcards 1910., Making Of The Mullaperiyar Dam – Old Print 1895., 24 Choice Views Of Bombay – Photogravure Book 1915
