Brigadier Advitya Madan recounts his experiences with horse riding during his training at the National Defence Academy and later at the Defence Services Staff College. Initially challenged by untrained horses like Edward, he learned resilience and balance through repeated falls, eventually earning recognition for his endurance. Years later, during a two-mile race in the Nilgiris, his jittery horse Marlboro threw him off early but continued the race alone, astonishing the crowd by winning without a rider.

This unexpected event underscored a vital lesson for Madan: while preparation is crucial, one must also gracefully accept and adapt to unforeseen circumstances. Marlboro’s independent victory symbolized how control can be an illusion and that sometimes events take on a momentum beyond one’s intentions, a truth especially resonant in military life.