turkmenistan
Turkmens have always been horsemen. The horse was a friend,
family member. From their ancestors, the Parthians, the Turkmens
have inherited not only the love for horses, but also the famous
Akhal-Teke breed, worldwide known for its grace, speed and
endurance. Akhal-Teke is the national symbol of
Turkmenistan. The central part of the state emblem is decorated
with a silhouette of the legendary horse breed. The horse, as
you know, always leaping forward.
The name Akhal Teke derived from the name of oasis Akhal
and tribe Teke who lived in Alkhal oasis. The
Akhal-Teke's most notable and defining characteristic is the
natural metallic bloom of its coat. This is especially seen in
the palominos and buckskins, as well as the lighter bays,
although some horses "shimmer" more than others. The color
pattern is thought to have been used as camouflage in the
desert.
The Akhal-Teke has a fine head with a straight or slightly
convex profile, and long ears. It also has almond-shaped
eyes. The mane and tail are usually sparse. The long back is
lightly muscled, and is coupled to a flat croup and long,
upright neck. The Akhal-Teke possess sloping shoulders and thin
skin. These horses have strong, tough, but fine limbs. They have
a rather slim body and ribcage (like an equine version of
the greyhound, with a deep chest. The conformation is typical of
horses bred for endurance over distance. The Akhal-Tekes are
lively and alert, with a reputation for bonding to only one
person.
Because of the genetic prepotency of the ancient breed,
the Akhal-Teke has been used for developing new breeds, most
recently the Nez Perce Horse (Appaloosa x Akhal-Teke). The
Akhal-Teke, due to its natural athleticism, makes a great sport
horse, good at dressage, show jumping, eventing, racing,
and endurance riding.
The
International Association of Akhal-Teke horse has recently been
established with headquarters in Ashgabat
Newspaper “Neutral Turkmenistan” cites the
fact that in the course of excavations conducted by the
Turkmen-Russian expedition led by Professor Victor Sarianidi
there were received sensational evidence that the population of
Turkmenistan domesticated the horse earlier than others. In
the royal tombs of Gonur, archaeologists found the remains of
carriages with bronze rims, a stone statue of a horse with
a clearly defined saddle, small signal tubes for the
restructuring and the movement of riders, but most importantly -
the oldest in Central Asia and the
Middle East, sacrificial burial foal. This is an indisputable
fact that local elite was familiar with the house trained
horse already at the end of III - the beginning of II century
BC.
During your trip to
Turkmenistan there is an opportunity to visit hippodrome for
horse riding where Akhal-Tekes will also participate. If you are
interested in horse riding in Turkmenistan then it is possible
to visit on Sundays in Ashgabat the capital city of
Turkmenistan.
