Akhal-Teke breed of horses: photo and description, characteristics, colors, history

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The name of this breed in the Turkmen language sounds like Ahak-tekeaty. Today, no one can name the exact date of its appearance. However, experts believe that it is already 5 thousand years old. This breed is considered one of the oldest. Like the Arabian, it is considered a purebred, that is, it has never crossed with others. The Akhal-Teke breed of horses perfectly tolerates heat. If the horse gets into other conditions, he will be able to quickly pass the acclimatization period. In our review, we will consider the main features of this breed.

How the breed appeared

Let's look at this issue in more detail. Many today like the beautiful Akhal-Teke horse breed. But not everyone knows the history of its occurrence. First, it is worth mentioning the place where she appeared. In the Akhal oasis there was a tribe of Turkmens. This oasis was located on the territory of the settlements of Artyk and Beherden. Now it should be clear where the name Akhal-Teke came from: a horse from the Teke tribe that lives in the Akhal oasis. OneAt the time, Turkmenistan was part of the Russian Empire. The breed of Akhal-Teke horses is so called in Russian. The name sounds similar in other languages. For example, in English it is Akhai-Teke, and in German it is AchalTekkiner.

Features of the breed

To understand what the Akhal-Teke breed is, you need to remember the history of its origin. The Teke tribe had its own way of life, led a nomadic lifestyle. The horse in those days was required to be fast and hardy to cope with long transitions and work.

The Akhal-Teke horse breed has the following specific features:

• No excess fat.
• Toasty.
• Stamina.
• Fast.
• D.
• Undemanding to food.

With all these advantages, it is worth saying that the Akhal-Teke breed is more sensitive to grooming errors than all the others. These animals should be treated with special trepidation. If properly trained, a horse will produce excellent results.

How does the Akhal-Teke horse breed show itself? The description of the features of this species allows us to conclude that it is best suited for riding. The conditions of detention made it possible to form a suitable character in the horse. These animals are strongly attached to people, they are having a hard time with the change of owner. It is believed that the Akhal-Teke breed was created for sports. These horses are very trainable. However, they have a hot temper, in some cases they canshow excessive aggression.

Key Features

It is believed that the very distant ancestors of the Akhal-Teke were wild horses living in the Kara-Kum desert. There were quite harsh living conditions in the sands, so the Akhal-Teke breed of horses is quite hardy. Animals tolerate the lack of water well. Due to the high viscosity of the sands, the representatives of the breed developed a special gait. Although these horses have thin skin and short hair, they tolerate a wide range of temperatures from -30 to +50 degrees. This allows you to grow them in different climatic zones.

Externally, representatives of the Akhal-Teke breed look very fragile, but they are distinguished by great strength. There are cases when a stallion wounded by a saber carried two horsemen from the battlefield.

How the Akhal-Tekes appeared among the Turkmens

This is a very interesting question. Although everyone knows that Akhal-Teke horses are horses from Turkmenistan, they were not the founders of the breed. According to some researchers, they began to breed them in ancient Parthia, and the Gods themselves gave these animals to the Parthians. The Turkmens liked frisky graceful animals, with the help of which it was possible to move quickly and effectively fight battles, which happened very often in those days. So they started breeding them too. A caring attitude towards horses allowed them to preserve and increase their livestock, but in other countries there are no such horses left.

Mention of the Akhal-Teke breed of horses is found in the annals of Alexander the Great. He is with hiswarriors discovered white and golden horses when he entered the Turkmen lands. On the territory of the Russian Empire, this breed was called Argamak. Don and other species have already been bred from it. During the Soviet Union, Akhal-Teke horses were bred in many areas.

Today in Russia there are several stud farms where this breed is bred. Despite considerable difficulties, it was possible to keep it in its pure form.

Characteristic

What characterizes the Akhal-Teke breed of horses? Photos do not convey all the beauty of these animals. You will never confuse this breed with other horses. Akhal-Teke horses are tall (the stallions reach 1.6 meters at the withers) and have a dry physique. Horses are very graceful. Because of this, they are even compared to greyhounds and cheetahs. In the appearance of the rock, one can notice the predominance of elongated lines. Horses have long and high withers. The chest is deep enough and the croup is muscular. It is also worth noting that the neck and head of the animal have an unusual shape. Their profile is straight or hook-nosed. The forehead may be slightly convex. The front part is slightly thin and long, the ears are thin, long, widely spaced. Representatives of the Akhal-Teke breed have incredibly expressive and large eyes. They have a slightly elongated slanting shape. The neck of these horses is set very high. She is long and thin. The occiput is strongly developed.

A distinctive feature of the Akhal-Teke horse is its thin skin. Through it, you can see the system of blood vessels. Akhal-Teke breed of horses of isabella colorhas quite an interesting coat. It is short and quite rare. It is this difference that is the most significant for this breed. Also, animals have a rather ardent temperament.

Suit

What do you need to know about this? There are several colors of the Akhal-Teke breed. In addition to the classic ones, there are also quite rare ones, for example, karak, nightingale and brown. Of particular interest is the fact that all these colors have a characteristic silver or golden hue of wool. In addition, the hair of horses in structure shines like satin. Those who were lucky enough to see the Akhal-Teke breed always admire this feature. The most common are m alt, karak, dun, isabella and brown.

Use

For what purposes can the Akhal-Teke breed of horses be used? The history and description of the animals suggests that they were usually used for riding. Now they are used in equestrian sport. Races are held in Tashkent, Ashgabat, Krasnodar and Moscow.

Akhal-Teke people are known all over the world for their high achievements. During the run from Ashgabat to Moscow, the stallion Arab arrived second. A foal named Absinthe won the gold medal at the Rome Olympics. He was also European champion.

Turkmen are very fond of horse racing and take a responsible approach to the preparation of horses. They pass on the experience of training horses from generation to generation. The training system developed by specialists from Turkmenistan is very different from the European one. Perhaps that is why Akhal-Teke horses are the fastest in the world. Turkmens idolize their horses. From the first days of life, they surround them with affection and care. Since once horses were the only means of transportation for them, they were cherished as the most precious value, grazed in oases, fed with cakes. In winter, the animals were covered with blankets and kept in tents. It was customary to keep the best horses near the dwelling. A lot of time was devoted to training. The horse was brought up in such a way that it would bite the opponent in battle and help the owner win.

Breeding

The Akhal-Teke breed of horses is considered elite today. Experienced breeders probably know about the Boynow stallion. One of the lines of this breed comes from him. Nikita Khrushchev presented the son of this stallion to Elizabeth II. Also known is the branch coming from the foals of Fakir Sulu - Fakirpelvan and Gelishikli.

Today, the Akhal-Teke horse breed is also used in various shows. Sometimes they are shown at exhibitions, for example, Equiros.

Interesting facts

What else is the Akhal-Teke horse breed known for? Features of appearance and excellent physical characteristics made her a real symbol of Turkmenistan. This horse is even depicted on the state emblem. The image of a horse is also found on banknotes.

American film company made a documentary about the Akhal-Teke. French reporters have succeeded in creating a series of reports about the horse breed in question.

It is believed that the Akhal-Teke Arab took part in the 1945 victory parade. He was not just an ordinary horse. Marshal Zhukov opened the Victory Parade on it. In the paintings and in the cinema today there are images of the marshal on this horse. A descendant of Arab (a stallion named Gyrat) took part in the parade in 2010.

Breed in art

Where can you find them? The Akhal-Teke horse breed is so popular that it is even immortalized in monuments. For example, in Kazakhstan, a monument to Absinthe was erected. A large number of monuments to horses of this breed can also be found in Turkmenistan. Since 2012, beauty contests have been held among individuals. The best artists and photographers are creating images of this breed.

Legends

There are many myths about the Akhal-Teke horse breed.

Just a few of them:

1. When the Akhal horse first took part in the races, he had no equal. So the people decided to release the falcon and see if it would overtake the bird. The horse was faster. Since then, the Akhal-Teke has been called the names of birds.
2. So that the horses of the described breed did not trust strangers, they were trained in a certain way. The foal was left in the paddock with the owner. All the people began to throw stones there, and the owner stroked the foal, gave him food and drink. So the Akhal-Teke people learned that the owner is the best, that you need to obey him and be devoted to him.
3. There is a legend that a long time ago there was a spring in the mountains. The horses used to come there to drink. From time to time therethe sea horse appeared. He showed interest in mares, and they gave birth to extraordinary foals, which became the ancestors of the Akhal-Teke breed.

Conclusion

We introduced you to the Akhal-Teke breed of horses. The history of the species contains many interesting facts. Thanks to the use of traditional breeding methods, the breed was kept almost unchanged. The pedigrees of all horses were kept in memory by Turkmens and passed from mouth to mouth.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the decline of the breed was observed. Here breeding played a big role. The bureaucratic management of the process did not justify itself. In the 70s of the last century, an order came to reduce the number of livestock. As a result, the world almost lost such a miracle as the Akhal-Teke breed of horses. Breeding resumed only when the number of individuals fell to record lows.

The largest population of horses of this breed today is in Turkmenistan. The second largest is in Russia. A small number of Akhal-Teke horses are also found in the US and Europe. This species is especially appreciated for its unusual beauty. Why did everyone like the Akhal-Teke breed of horses so much? The photo can partly answer this question. There is no similar breed with the same grace and shimmering coat in the sun.

How much is a horse like this today? From most breeders, a half-breed can be purchased from 150 thousand rubles, and a thoroughbred horse at a price of 600 thousand rubles. In sports disciplines so farThe Akhal-Teke breed of horses remains in demand. Her productivity is quite high, so if you wish, you can start breeding and selling stallions to participate in equestrian competitions. However, do not think that you can earn a lot on this. The market is quite small and specific, and working with thoroughbred horses requires a lot of effort.