MOST preschoolers would prefer dolls, cars, trucks, action figures, teddy bears and the like.
But for Awang Shamsi Jamih, his passion has always been horses. The retired civil servant, 64, said he remembered sitting on a log as a boy and pretending it was a horse after seeing other adults riding in his village. When he was 5, his father bought him his first pony.
Awang, a Bajau from Kota Belud in Sabah, said most locals were skilled horsemen known as the “Cowboys of the East”.
“My father saw how much I loved horses when I was a boy, and he bought me a pony that cost about RM100 at that time,” he said.
Riding the animal, he said, came naturally for him.
“I watched how other riders did it and picked up from there.
“Over the years, I had broken my right wrist and had several other injuries, but they didn’t dampen my interest in horse-riding.
“Besides being my childhood companion, I would occasionally ride my pony to school.
“From my house to school, the native Voluntary School Kota Belud, I had to cross three rivers. There was a time when I injured my leg and had to ride my pony to go to school for a few weeks.
“Some of my friends came to school on foot or by car, so I was quite embarrassed to be seen with a pony.
“At that time, I had to hide the pony away from the school compound,” he said, adding that the pony would usually be hungry by the time he finished school.
During a minor flood in the district, he relied on his herbivorous companion to move about.
Awang became the youngest jockey at the Kota Belud turf club when he was 13 years old, when most jockeys at the time were in their 30s.
“For three months, I had one of the most exciting life experiences. I learned how to ride and even dabbled in horse-racing.
“Then, my mother found out about my activity and scolded me pretty badly.”
As he grew up, Awang also helped the villagers tame water buffalos and train them to plough padi fields.
Awang’s love for horses continued even after he retired as the Tuaran district officer.
“On night, at a government house on the hill, my horse delivered a foal, which unfortunately fell down the hill.
“It was 3am and very dark outside, but I went to find it and carried it back over my shoulder to the house compound.
“There was blood all over my shirt, but I was glad I took it home.”
Awang now owns a few New Zealand thoroughbred and crossbreed horses, which he keeps at Sabandar Leisure Rides in Tuaran, where he is working as the manager.
Sabandar Leisure Rides, a horse-riding centre, began operating on Jan 1.
With the facility, he hopes more people will have the opportunity to learn about horses.
“People have asked my help to get horses for them, something which I don’t do unless they convince me that they can take really good care of the animals.
“A horse is usually priced between RM4,500 and RM45,000 each. Keeping a horse is a full-time job and you need to give it a lot of time and attention. You also need a proper stable that is maintained daily.”