Bonding with my horse is the most beautiful part of Dressage for me: Asiad Bronze medalist Equestrian Anush Agarwalla

Anush, 23, and his horse Etro won the bronze at the TL Equestrian Center in Hangzhou becoming the first Indian to win a medal in the category.

Anush Agarwalla (L) and journalist G Rajaraman (R) | Image by Avishek Mitra

Speaking at an event in Kolkata recently, Anush shared how his "amazing" bond with Etro played a key role in his achievements.

Anush says, "I started riding Etro only in February this year. So we had a young partnership. I think the Asian Games was the seventh or eighth event and the fourth or fifth international show all together. We gelled really well from the beginning. I felt very safe with him. I am grateful to him.

"Our first show was really not good and it taught me a lot from the riding point of view as well as mentally. I just feel we shared an amazing bond and that's the most beautiful part of the sport for me."

Anush won the bronze after registering a score of 73.060 percentage points.

Days before winning bronze, Anush was a part of a 15-member Dressage Team which won the Gold in the Dressage Team event.

Anush Agarwalla | Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS

In an interactive session held in the city, Anush revealed his journey in this sport started not very seriously but as a hobby.

He said, "I did not have the typical riding journey like someone from Europe. I am the only one who is riding from my family. My parents used to take me to the Tollygunge Club (in Kolkata) at a very young age. It was more like a weekend thing to spend time with the family and slowly it started turned into a passion.

"I started taking lessons but it was all for a hobby. At the age between 11 and 16, I used to travel to New Delhi every weekend to get trained. At the age of 16, I decided to move to New Delhi completing my class 10 board examinations. It was then I realised my goal was to compete at the Asian Games and Olympics."

(From L to R) Journalist Boria Majumdar, Anush Agarwalla and G Rajaraman | Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS

"In early 2017, we realised as a family that I was nowhere near to the level where I had to be to be able to participate at such events and that's when we decided all together to move to Germany," Anush added.

(Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)