Anusha
Masrani

Before the horse · 2021

The First Spark

2021 — February 2022

Before she owned a horse, Anusha was building one anyway — lesson by lesson at Forward Equestrian Centre in Kitisuru, Nairobi. She rode the stable horses: Pringle, Crackle, borrowed time on borrowed animals, learning position and feel and the quiet language of trust between a rider and something that could easily ignore her if it chose.

Her first competition was the Easter Show 2022, riding Pringle. She jumped well. The family started looking for a horse of her own. They found one in February.

First horse · Feb 2022 – 3 Nov 2025

Excalibur

February 2022 — 3 November 2025

Excalibur arrived in February 2022 — a Thoroughbred ex-polo horse with no jumping experience and a registration number (HAK No. 56) that had just been issued. Neither he nor Anusha had done this before. Isaac's message to the family three weeks in: "Have you seen the progress from both? Amazing." That set the tone for what followed.

For nearly two years she prepared on stable horses at shows — HAK rules meant she couldn't compete on her own horse until she turned thirteen. On 11 February 2024, she finally rode Excalibur in competition for the first time. The message that evening: "Well done!!! Great job first time!!! Thank you to you Isaac… this is your win also." Three weeks later, they competed together at Dagoretti 2024.

In January 2025, he came up badly lame from a fall — deep muscle trauma compounding degenerative joint disease that had been building quietly for years. Months of intensive care followed: Dr. Desmond at Forward EC, physio Anna, hot-towel therapy twice daily. On 12 February, Dr. Duncan Prinsloo flew in from Pretoria and examined him in person. The family sent video of him trotting six weeks later. Duncan's reply: "he is showing on the left front." He improved enough to retire gently, and the family found him a companion home. But the disease was progressive, and it won. On the evening of 2 November, Rupin messaged Isaac with the time. Isaac asked the family not to come — he knew what it would cost them. Anusha had already decided, had spoken to her therapist, and was going to be there. On 3 November 2025 at 8:30am, Dr. Desmond Tutu came to Forward EC. Excalibur passed peacefully. He was fifteen.

February – June 2025

The Search

February — June 2025

The timeline starts in January 2025 with Excalibur's fall. On 12 February, Dr. Duncan Prinsloo of Embriosem Equine Veterinary Services flew into Nairobi and examined him. Six weeks later, on 24 March, the family sent video of him trotting. Duncan's reply was four words: "he is showing on the left front." Shruti's response the next morning: "I guess we just have to retire him now." That was the day the search began.

Shruti created a new WhatsApp group on 27 February — before the diagnosis was even confirmed — and introduced Deana Boshoff, a Pretoria-based equestrian who sourced horses through word of mouth only. The opening message: "I will add my daughter later. I thought it best not to get her hopes too high. She's only 15 and overly emotional — she hasn't been able to ride for the past two months." Anusha stayed out of the chat while her parents and Deana built the shortlist. Then, on 31 March, Rupin messaged Deana privately: Anusha had felt left out. Could she call? Deana: "She is most welcome. I would love to have a chat with her."

Over three months, Deana rode dozens of horses across Gauteng. She fell off Tapenzee when he threw a buck and unseated her at a fence — she sent the video anyway, because she thought he had the right mind. She got double-barrel kicked in both thighs by another horse and later discovered a fat fracture in her quad from the impact. She sent updates from the mud. Dr. Duncan Prinsloo vetted five horses on the family's behalf. Tapenzee failed with kissing spine. Stella — a Warmblood mare that Anusha and Shruti had both quietly decided was the one — failed hers twice, lame on her left front. Urban Angel, nicknamed Twiggie, hobbled through hers. Sapphire, the most expensive, had a boxy hoof Duncan wouldn't pass. Carisbrook's owners withdrew at the last moment. Five horses, none cleared. Shruti: "Omg." Deana: "I know. I'm so sorry."

On 5 June, Shruti and Anusha flew to Johannesburg. Four days, six horses across Gauteng and Pretoria. Deana had the itinerary planned to the map pin. They arrived a little lost in the airport, found their Uber, and made the first yard by 1pm. On Saturday 7 June they drove to PTA East — to a mare who had been in the chat since April, ridden and approved by Deana as "something phenomenal… kind, big-hearted and so very willing." Anusha got on. That was the answer.

Duncan vetted Aerobatic on 18 June 2025 — full limb and back x-rays, lameness locator, the works. She passed clean. Rupin settled all of Duncan's invoices from Dubai on 19 June — six horses vetted across three months, every one of them necessary. On 24 June, Aerobatic was transported to East Rand Polo in a Barbie-pink halter Deana couldn't resist. On 25 June 2025 at 18:58, she was airborne — one of three horses on that flight, documented on the Kenya Revenue Authority import declaration as "Live Breeding Horses," 1,500kg total cargo, origin South Africa, port of discharge Jomo Kenyatta International. Freight handled by Roost Freight Services, Kempton Park — ZAR 71,495 including all vet formalities. Anusha's message to Deana the next morning: "She arrived around 1:30am. Tiny bit nervous, understandably — but she was okay. I just wanted to say a huge thank you. This whole thing could never have happened without you."

Present · June 2025 – Now

Aerobatic (SAF)

26 June 2025 — Present

A former racehorse from South Africa's Gauteng circuit, Aerobatic arrived at Forward EC on 26 June 2025 — 26 flat race starts and five years of show jumping behind her, including a World Cup qualifier weeks before the move. The family's first video that evening: "This is beautiful. She's so curious." Four days later, Anusha jumped her for the first time.

Two months after arrival, at HOTYS 2025, Anusha entered the 90cm class. She was the only clear round. She won it outright. Rupin sent the video to Deana in South Africa; Deana: "CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm so proud of them!!!" By November they were clearing 1.10m. Isaac's message: "110cm." Shruti: "WOW!!!! Amazing!" By December they were schooling 1.10m–1.15m in a single session — five months after arrival. In 2026 they have Northlands XC (Feb), Banda Interschool (14 Feb), stables training day (22 Feb), and Dagoretti (March) in their sights. She came knowing how to jump. Now they're learning how to jump together.