Kambarbay, photo by Solaris Sport Horses Ltd. 38 AKHAL-TEKE the heavenly horses of central asia

By Akhal-Teke Horse Association asbl

39 OUT OF THE MISTS OF PREHISTORIC TIMES, A BREED OF HORSES APPEARED IN CENTRAL ASIA THAT HAS MAINTAINED ITS CONFORMATION AND PURITY UP TO THE PRESENT DAY. IT IS AN EASILY RECOGNISABLE TYPE, THAT OF AN ELEGANT, LONG-LINED HORSE, SOBER AND COURAGEOUS, ENDOWED WITH GREAT INTELLIGENCE AND STAMINA, AND A LOYAL, MAN- ORIENTED CHARACTER. THE ANCIENT CHINESE DESCRIBED THEM AS HEAVENLY HORSES LONG BEFORE THE RISE OF WESTERN CIVILISATION; THE GREEK HISTORIANS KNEW THEM TO BE UNWAVERING IN BATTLE AND ATTRIBUTED THE ANCESTRY OF BUCEPHALOS – ALEXANDER THE GREAT’S FAVOURITE HORSE – TO BE, AT LEAST IN PART, FROM THE STEPPES OF CENTRAL ASIA.

Throughout history these horses 4,000. wandered from Central Asia south have been named after diverse into Arabia some 3 to 5,000 years peoples who bred them but since The reputation of this horse that ago. Through battle, raids and gifts, the 19th century they have been above all was bred for its qualities as both breeds have had some later known as Akhal-Teke, Teke being a fast, hardened cavalry horse, and influence on each other. the principal tribe that bred them and the fact that the Turkmen nomads Akhal, the oasis in the Kopet-Dag - when not engaged in raids and The subjugation of the independent Mountains of Turkmenistan, where tribal wars - hired themselves as Turkmen princedoms by the Russian they were based. The Akhal-Teke’s mercenaries to foreign potentates, Empire in the 1880’s and, half a original homeland lay – long before caused mares and in particular century later by the establishment maps delineated national borders – breeding stallions to find their way of the Soviet authority, gravely in the barren area of steppes and to foreign lands: to the Middle threatened the existence of the Akhal- desert, more or less in what is today East, Turkey, and from the 17th Teke. Tzarist Russia forbade raids Turkmenistan and northern Iran. century on, to Europe. Of the three and tribal wars, robbing the horse The isolation of these lands from founding stallions of the English of its main raison d’etre; the Soviets the outside world guaranteed the Thoroughbred, the Byerly Turk and forbade private ownership even of purity of a breed that weathered the possibly also the Godolphin Barb, horses, herded the nomads into centuries with little or no immixture were Akhal-Tekes. Turkmainatty was apartment buildings and designated of other breeds. It is in this area that an Akhal-Teke imported to improve cooperatives and State farms as the largest number of genetically the Trakhener horse in Germany. As Horse Meat Production Units. On the pure Akhal-Tekes are to be found, for the Arab, both breeds come from other hand, individual horse lovers out of a world population of 3,000 to the same gene pool, the Arab having during both regimes introduced 40 the discipline, administration and In spite of variations between the The character of the Akhal-Teke is science needed to establish a sire lines, the Akhal-Teke has a strongly oriented towards humans creditable and reliable studbook distinct conformation that puts it and its pronounced intelligence along modern lines. No more word- apart from other breeds. It is a makes for easy training and of-mouth from father to son, from long-legged, long-backed horse handling. However, these horses generation to generation, but since between 1.54m and 1.64m in tend to be one-man-horses and will 1912 a well-documented studbook height; its head is finely moulded not quickly forget or forgive rough bolstered by scientific research, with intelligent almond-shaped gives insight into the bloodlines of eyes, set on a neck that is long and and unfair treatment. They will the Akhal-Teke founding sires and carried high. Their gaits are light- form a very strong bond with their their progeny, and lays down the footed and flat, carried forward by rider/handler and become a loyal standards for conformation and strong hindquarters, which makes friend for life. In times of warfare, if performance. them not only comfortable to ride a horse returned to camp without but eminently suited for a variety of its rider the tribe knew the man to The Akhal-Teke is bred from a sports: endurance and eventing in be dead because the Akhal-Teke system of about 18 sire lines, a few particular but also for dressage and would never leave his wounded of which are rare and little known. jumping. In 1960 the Akhal-Teke master in the field. The object is to breed horses that stallion Absent won the Gold Medal strengthen the characteristics of the for dressage at the Olympic Games After the breakup of the Soviet foundation sires and basically fall in Rome. He went on to win the silver Union, Turkmenistan claimed sole into three categories of conformation and bronze medals at subsequent and type: Games, which no other horse has authority over the Akhal-Teke ever done. The Akhal-Teke have dry Studbook but then soon gave the 1.Gelishikly, Kaplan, Posman, and legs and hard hooves, exceptional administration back into Russian Peren known as long-lined, tall sport stamina and quick recovery after hands. MAAK was founded, the horses. heavy workouts. A special feature international arm of the VNIIK is the golden, metallic sheen to which is the Russian Association 2. El, Fakir Pelvan, Kalrlavach, Skak, their coat, no matter what the of Akhal-Teke Breeding and and Ak Sakal; a bit smaller but known basic colour. This is caused by the Research. MAAK issues for speed and ability as jumpers. unusually small nucleus of the hair, international papers for horses leaving more space for the medulla, exported or born abroad, based 3.Arab, Dor Bairam, Toporbai: of a the glassy material that covers the on blood typing, and is slowly slightly heavier conformation, valued nucleus, thereby reflecting more making the transition to DNA for their stamina over long distances. light from its crystals. The breed allows for a wide palette of solid typing. Representatives of MAAK By maintaining awareness of colours and has a widespread – usually the Director Mrs. Tatiana these separate lines, and in view occurrence of the light factor, giving Nikolaevna Ryabova – regularly of the relatively small population of buckskin, palomino, cremello and travel to foreign breeders in order broodmares, unavoidable inbreeding perlino as well as the basic black, to grade their horses according to is kept to a minimum. bay and chestnut in all its varieties. MAAK standards. 41