Yes, the horse is a political animal! He wasn’t born that way. In fact, he may never have been one. He may have no clue to how he became a political animal or when he became one. That is a man- made wonder. We turned the horse into a political animal!

Man not only assigned political connotations to the horse but also dragged his stable into politics. We can trust our lexicographers to do that and more!

Whether there is an election or a political crisis, the horse is omni-present. Why else would we talk of horse-trading when there is no horse involved in the trade? Actually, horse-trading simply means hard bargaining. But, for some reason, we use it only in the political context. Similarly, how could we talk of stable governments if we do not have horses to put in there?

Man is guilty of sexual discrimination. But, we do not keep that to human beings alone.
We have carried that discrimination to horses as well. Somehow, the mare has no place in politics!

Now, ‘dark horse’ is a term we use to describe a candidate who appears on the scene out of nowhere. So, Mayawati became a dark horse when she was elected to the post of the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh winning absolute majority because nobody thought that was possible. Please take note: she became a dark horse. Not a ‘dark mare!’

And, we talk of reservations for women candidates in parliament? Sexual discrimination is in our blood!

When we want to verify the truth in statements—political or otherwise—we do not want to hear it from a man’s mouth. Or, from a woman’s mouth. We want to hear it from the horse’s mouth!

I do not know who first lead horses into politics. But, they have come to stay. When it comes to politics, we decide everything for them. We do not even let them neigh. Maybe we fear that they may neigh a protest!

The way we are obsessed with horses, I would not be surprised if someday our elections turn into a horse race!