Bhimthadi

[2] Later in the period also the heavy war horses, sought by the Mughals and the Sultans of the Deccan, were always imported, especially from Iran.

[4][5] These horses proved excellent for Maratha forces in fighting the Mughal army in the hilly terrains of Western Maharashtra.

[8] According to local oral tradition from early 19th century, the breed was crossed with 500 Arabian horses and mares, obtained by the Nizam and nobles of Hyderabad directly Arabia.

The best Bhimthadi horses were reputed to come from the valleys of the Bhima and Nira rivers in the present day Pune district.

In 1898, the British could no longer find these ponies for their regiments and therefore replaced them with mules, because the race was decimated during the second campaign of Afghanistan.

In 1907, the race horse breeder, Sir Humphrey Francis De Trafford reported that the Deccani breed lives "bad days".