365 Days in Horse Country – The Akhal-Teke
The national horse of Turkmenistan, the Akhal-Teke, is an ancient breed that developed from the horses used for raiding. The breed hasn’t changed much since the eighteenth century, and it is the purest living descendent of the ancient Scythian horse. Some experts believe the breed is even older than the Arabian, which is usually considered the oldest living pure breed. Some also believe the Akhal-Teke contributed to the development of the Thoroughbred.
Akhal-Tekes were notably kept by the Terkemenes, a nomadic people who still live in the deserts of Turkmenistan. Because of the Terkemenes’ lifestyle, the horses they kept needed to have considerable stamina and sturdiness. The breed became valued as both a rugged warhorse and fiery mount. Bloodlines were maintained through oral tradition for thousands of years. The Akhal-Teke lived mostly in Central Asia, but they also found their way to Russia where they were kept by royalty.
In 1935, the Turkmeme people made a great effort to call attention to their very special breed. They sent a group of riders on Akhal-Teke stallions over 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashkabahad, to Moscow in eighty-four days. The trip included a segment with a 225 mile (362 km) desert crossing. The trip across the desert took only three days, and the horses managed with little water. The same ride was repeated in 1988.
The Akhal-Teke’s conformation is long and lean, making it a natural for this kind of endurance. The average Akhal-Teke stands 15. 2 hands, although the horse has a taller appearance because of its upright neck and greyhound-like appearance. Horses of this breed can be found in buckskin, bay, black, chestnut, palomino, cremello, perlino, and gray. They are known for having a distinct metallic sheen to their coat.
Akhal-Tekes are considered a rare
breed, and they are listed as “critical” in the American Livestock Breed
Conservancy annuals.
Michael