Lobzang Ishey, a Horseman

By Jigmat Lundup, 2022

Lobsang Ishey is from Rumbak. In his early 60s, he lives of tourism, through his homestay and his work as a horseman. Like for so many people in Ladakh, Covid has critically affected his income. Over the years, Lobsang Ishey saw many people in Rumbak selling their animals because there is nobody to take care of them. Since the Covid pandemic, some families have also sold their animals to earn a bit of money. Lobsang Ishey has 9 horses and although caring for them can be hard work, he has no intention of selling any of them. They have been helping him to make a living for close to 4 decades now. Before working as a horseman, Lobsang Ishey went a few times to Daulat Beg Oldi, or DBO, with his horses, to bring army supplies from Leh. When he went for the first time, he was only 17 years old. He went along with his brother, and he remembers that the journey was very long. Along the way, there were many mounts of bones, which he believes were probably from the caravans of the earlier times. Bones were even used as signage, to show the path to the border. Just before DBO, there is the Depsangla pass. Being there felt quite impressive: Lobsang Ishey remembers how once on the pass, the mountains around would feel so much lower. Lobsang Ishey thinks that no matter how strong a person is, one would for sure get altitude sickness on that pass. He is convinced that the horses also experience altitude sickness. Maybe this is why there are so many bones of animals along the way…