The Marwari is one of the premiere cavalry horses of India. It is not a large horse by modern standards, but it is a hot-blooded horse, extremely hardy, fast and agile. A notable feature of this breed is its extremely high-set ears, whose tips often touch or even cross. It is often said to have arisen from crosses of "Arabian" horses and local ponies, but the breed shares much more in common with the breeds of Central Asia than those of the Middle East. Today's Marwari is being bred for larger size, and has proven itself in dressage and as a very capable jumper and polo pony. The horse is said to be "born to dance," being refined in movements and craving attention; dressage suits it eminently. A few individuals are gaited. After being maligned and its numbers severely depleted during the British Raj and for some time thereafter, the Marwari is now considered a national treasure, and export of individual horses is granted on a temporary basis of no longer than a year. The Marwari horse comes in all horse colors with the possible exception of Champagne. Tobiano, sabino, white and white spotted are all extremely popular. Pure white horses are used on ceremonial occasions and are thought very lucky, although the studbook prohibits the registration of white stallions. It stands between 14.2 and 15.2hh with occasional individuals over and under.