Akhal-Teke horse: color, photo. Breeding Akhal-Teke horses. Origin of the Akhal-Teke horse Horses of the Akhal-Teke breed

"When nature created

In some inspired moment

Snake, cheetah and eagle

Single alloy -

Then arose

Tekinets, you!

Whose gaze is deep,

As if he remembers Mithridates.

Whose neck is a quivering stream

Living silver and gold.

Whose step is even, slightly ringing

Stones of ancient decoration...

Half a kingdom for a horse! ...

But where are the worthy half of the kingdom?

(Irina Khienkina, hereditary veterinarian and hippologist)

Tekinets, Argamak - these are just a few of the common names for a representative of the purebred Akhal-Teke horse breed. And what epithets are awarded to these horses by their fans - “golden horse”, “heavenly argamak”. There are so many legends about no other breed of horse. And this is not surprising. After all, the Akhal-Teke horse breed is the oldest in the world, it is at least five thousand years old. Among the purebred horse breeds, the Akhal-Teke rightfully takes first place, because the other two purebred breeds - the Arabian and the thoroughbred horse - were bred with the participation of Akhal-Teke. What are they, these “heavenly” horses?

How different are the breeds of dogs! You will never confuse a St. Bernard and a dachshund, even if you are not a dog handler. Distinguish between cats - say, Siamese and Persian.

Not so in hippology. Some breeds and specialists do not always distinguish. Except one. Her name is Akhal-Teke. The exterior of the Akhal-Teke is so unique and so different from the exterior of most riding horses that once you see a typical representative of this breed, you will no longer confuse it with any other.

What are the exterior features of Akhal-Teke horses? Firstly, they are incredibly beautiful, sophisticated and elegant. We can say that this is a horse in the “modern” style; its lines are reminiscent of the so-loved representatives of this “Silver Age” style.

The silhouette of the Akhal-Teke horse is clear, complete, and elegant. Everything about him is extraordinary: a refined dry and light head, long and thin ears, beautiful and expressive eyes of an elongated shape, a supernaturally long, thin and flexible neck, delicate thin skin through which the relief of blood vessels appears, short satin hair. Thanks to the clearly defined withers, the long back of the Teke looks slightly inclined forward. The legs of the Akhal-Teke are long and excellently strong with “perfectly beaten”, as horsemen say, that is, prominent tendons. The tail and mane are thin and sparse; It happens that the bangs and mane are almost completely absent.

The colors of these horses are also unusual. Such diversity is not found in any other breed in the world. All the colors that people have named and described in domestic horses over thousands of years of breeding are found among Akhal-Teke horses. And for many suits even names have not been invented! Black, bay, red, and gray are found among representatives of other breeds. Akhal-Teke horses are distinguished only by the extraordinary metallic shine of their “shirt”. But now you rarely see dun, nightingale, or game horses among horses of non-Teke origin. I'm not even talking about the rare Isabella color - these are horses of various shades of pink with blue eyes. Turkmen often give their Akhal-Teke nicknames containing the name of the color. For example: - a black bird, Melekush - a dun bird, Dorsekil - a bay with a blaze, Kirsakar - a gray one with a bald head.

And here’s another characteristic feature of the Tekin native noticed by livestock specialist K.I. Gorelov, a famous researcher of this breed:

“The neck of the Akhal-Teke horse is set high, and the head is set to the neck at such an acute angle that no other breed has. The Tekin horse carries its head at an angle of no less than 45 degrees to the horizon, and often more vertically; and yet, thanks long neck and a small head, a horizontal line drawn at the level of the horse’s lips often passes above the highest point of the withers...”

Anyone who has ever seen an Akhal-Teke horse cannot help but admire its beauty and grace. And after talking with a well-bred Teke from a decent family, you will become his convinced fan. This is if you are not a horseman. Equestrian athletes, and even livestock specialists, hippodrome workers, and equine veterinarians often have a wary attitude towards these horses. Why? In order to understand this, we will have to start from the distant, distant past.

The origin of the Akhal-Teke horse is lost in the depths of centuries, and even millennia. Today no one can reliably explain where these divine horses came from. There is even a version that they are of alien origin. Their history goes back more than three thousand years. Portraits of horses, repeating in detail the characteristic appearance of the “heavenly argamak” (as even strict hippologist specialists poetically call the Akhal-Teke horse), can be seen on the walls of ancient Egyptian temples and on Scythian gold vases. Many researchers believe that the famous horse of Alexander the Great, Bucephalus, was an Akhal-Teke. Ancient authors left us surprisingly accurate descriptions of these horses. One of them was the well-known Herodotus:

“In Media there is an endless plain where majestic horses live.”

His Roman colleague, who lived after the Nativity of Christ, but also a very long time ago, Appian seems to continue the quote:

“These are horses worthy of powerful kings, beautiful in appearance, easily performing under the rider, easily obeying the bit. They carry their proud, hook-nosed heads high, and their golden manes soar in the air with glory.”

The “Endless Plain in Media” still exists. This is the territory of modern Turkmenistan. There you can still see the ruins of Nysa, the ancient capital of the Parthian kingdom. Not far from them (you can get there on horseback) there is a breeding center of the Akhal-Teke breed - the Niyazov stud farm, called Komsomol in Soviet times.

The modern name of the Akhal-Teke breed was formed in the 19th century after the name of the oasis “Akhal” and the warlike “Teke” tribe that lived there, which preserved this breed in purity to this day. Actually, the whole of Turkmenistan is engaged in horse breeding. There's a horse there - national symbol, and even on the coat of arms there is a silhouette of a horse. This is a very specific horse, the wonderful stallion Yanardag, who became the 1999 world champion among Akhal-Teke horses and belonged to the first president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov.

Now we already know that the history of the Teke is very long. During this time, everything happened to him. But one thing was constant - this was a breed of war horses, the glory of which resounded throughout Eurasia, right up to the Celestial Empire. They were literally worth their weight in gold. Chinese emperors they equipped military expeditions for them if they could not buy them.

What qualities did ancient warriors value in the Akhal-Teke?

Firstly, agility. Nowadays there are faster breeds of horses, but in those days a horse that could outrun a falcon - and this is what the Akhal-Teke is - was, of course, of great value.

Secondly, gaits that are comfortable for the rider. They are very elastic - a springy step, a soft flat trot, a powerful gallop, and in those days when they rode without saddles (even when the saddle was invented, they did not immediately figure out how to attach stirrups to it), the convenience of the gaits was not the least important thing.

Thirdly, extraordinary endurance, comparable only to the endurance of a camel. A trained argamak was capable of carrying its owner away from pursuit for several days, with minimal feeding and lack of water. However, why “was capable”? Modern argamaks, running thousands of kilometers across the desert, even today prove that they have not lost this quality. These horses can gallop for several hours, only occasionally breaking into a trot or walk. Such races are still held in Turkmenistan.

Fourth is a wonderful attachment to the owner, developed over centuries. These are truly faithful horses, loyal to their own and distrustful of strangers. The Akhal-Teke is a horse of one owner, a quality that is not so common in modern horses, which are handled by one person, ridden by another, and often owned by a third. Therefore, what was an advantage of a war horse becomes a disadvantage in a modern stable.

There is one more quality, valued by warriors in the old days, but inconvenient for the horseman of our days. In character modern horses unquestioning obedience is welcomed, but the argamak is capable of making decisions on its own, thinking for the rider. In ancient times, this could save the lives of both - after all, a horse has a much more subtle hearing and sense of smell than a person, and sometimes foresees natural disasters, such as earthquakes. They say that before the Ashgabat earthquake, the horses at the hippodrome were very worried.

All of the above advantages in the modern equestrian world become, at a minimum, useless, and often turn into disadvantages. Modern horsemen have an opinion of Akhal-Teke horses as uncontrollable, easily excitable, capricious, angry and often even dangerous. Therefore, athletes do not very often choose partners among representatives of the Akhal-Teke breed.

But if the Akhal-Teke horse ends up in good, confident hands...

Absinthe under the saddle of Sergei Filatov

Did you know that it was the Akhal-Teke horse that brought the first victory at the Olympics to Soviet horsemen? This happened in 1960 in Rome. The handsome black Absinthe under the saddle of the great horseman Sergei Filatov stunned the imagination of both judges and spectators. Documentary footage of this performance has been preserved, and today it is breathtaking with delight, although more than half a century has passed since then and the art of dressage has gone far ahead. It is in dressage - a kind of figure skating on a horse - Absinthe specialized. He took first place in the following Olympics, and his achievements have not been surpassed by anyone to this day. He is called the best sports horse of the century abroad, although he is credited with a different, non-Ahal-Teke origin.

Absinthe, Olympic champion 1960 dressage

Yes, everyone knows Absinthe. But his father, Arab - alas. And the history of this horse is so unique and unusual that it’s time to write a novel about him.

The Gray Arab was born in 1930 on one of the Turkmen collective farms; his father was a horse well known in those years. At the age of five, Arab (who had often won horse races himself) became a participant in the legendary Ashgabat-Moscow race, when Turkmen horsemen on horseback covered a distance of more than 4,300 km in 84 days, with a day's journey reaching 120 km! The Arab was presented to Stalin, placed in one of the Moscow arenas and became an athlete, performing in various disciplines. Arab achieved particular success in overcoming obstacles, was a champion several times, and at the age of sixteen (for a horse this is not youth) he set a record for high jumping, overcoming an obstacle of 2 meters 19 centimeters! Subsequently, Arab was sent to the Lugovskoy stud farm (in Kazakhstan), where he became the father of Absinthe.

Akhal-Teke stallion Arab, father of Absinthe

Now is the time to talk about the history of the Akhal-Teke breed in Russia. From historical documents one can learn that from time immemorial “Russians loved Argamaks immensely.” The highest prices were paid for such horses; in the royal stables they were forged onto silver horseshoes. There is information that Lisette herself, Peter the Great’s favorite horse, was of Tekin origin, in any case, her exterior, depicted in an ancient engraving, suggests that this is the case. Take a look at the portrait of Lisette: the favorite of Peter I holds her beautiful head so high that the line of her lips is above the level of her withers. Isn’t it true, a characteristic detail noticed by K.I. Gorelov, visible in this engraving?

Excellent qualities the oldest horses world were celebrated abroad. Modern hippologists believe that there is no horse breed in the world that does not have Teke blood flowing in its veins. With the participation of the Tekins, the famous Arabian breed, the fastest purebred English breed in the world, and the Trakehner breed, beloved by athletes, were created. As for Russian horse breeding, they could not do without argamak when breeding the famous Don Cossack breed, the ceremonial Russian horse breed, and the now almost lost Karabakh breed. According to Professor V. Witt, the Akhal-Teke breed

“represents a gene pool of incomparable value..., the last drops of that source of pure blood that created the entire horse breeding of the world.”

This is what these horses are like, this is their wonderful history.

What about today? Currently, the number of purebred Tekins without admixtures of other breeds throughout the world does not exceed three thousand heads. Wild animals with such numbers are included in the Red Book. But it’s good that there are people among horsemen who are concerned about the preservation of this priceless breed. In our country, thanks to the efforts of the All-Russian Institute of Horse Breeding (located near Ryazan), strict records of these horses are kept, stud books and annual certificates on the breed are published. There is an International Association of Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding (IAAC), which includes many equestrians, scientists and cultural figures, even prominent politicians. The Association holds wonderful holidays, the so-called Akhal-Teke Rallies. These meetings bring together Akhal-Teke enthusiasts not only from Russia, but also from other countries, including Germany, Italy, Sweden, France, and the USA. Wonderful equestrian festivals, in which only Akhal-Teke horses participate, attract many spectators. And once they see the “heavenly horses,” people become their ardent fans for life. So the “Tekinist regiment” is growing year by year.

Despite their small numbers, Akhal-Teke horses are very popular among foreign buyers, second in price only to Arabian horses. In many countries of Western Europe, the USA and Canada, there are associations of Akhal-Teke horse lovers, and the breeding stock, although small and inferior in quality to that available in the CIS countries, already represents a good foundation for the future.

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Akhal-Teke horse- an eastern breed of riding horses. From the description of the breed you can find out that it is one of the most ancient that has survived to this day. These horses are few in number and therefore very expensive.

They are highly valued not only due to their relative rarity, but also due to their exceptional appearance and high performance.

The breed was named after the Turkmen Teke tribe, which bred the best representatives of the breed, and in honor of the Ahal oasis, which had the most horses.

History of the breed Akhal-Teke horses

The breed originated from local horses that belonged to the nomads of Central Asia. These horses were known 3500 years ago. Even then, Akhal-Teke horses differed sharply from other horses due to their high stature, lean physique and grace.

By origin, the Akhal-Teke breed is close to the Arabian breed. It is even assumed that these horses may be the ancestors of Arabian horses, but most likely these breeds developed in parallel.

In ancient times, Akhal-Teke horses were bred in the Parthian kingdom, and later they began to be bred in Turkmenistan and Persia. And only the Turkmens managed to preserve the breed in the country. This was facilitated by the fact that horses were highly valued by the Turkmens, since they were the only means of transportation; the lives of riders during wars depended on horses. Horses were grazed in oases, fed with grain and cakes, and in winter they were brought into tents and covered with blankets. The best horses were kept not in a herd, but near the home, and the owner devoted a lot of time to training, as a result of which the horses bit and kicked the opponent’s horse in battle, helping the owner gain the upper hand.

Thanks to this maintenance of Akhal-Teke horses, they developed a special character and external characteristics. Over the centuries, the external characteristics of Akhal-Teke horses have not changed; today they look the same as in ancient times.

Appearance Akhal-Teke horses

The height of Akhal-Teke horses at the withers ranges from 147-163 cm. The body is lean, there is not a drop of fat, muscle mass redundant.

The head is large, also dry, with a curved profile. The ears are thin and relatively large. Almond-shaped eyes. The neck is set high, flexible and long. The chest is not very wide, but deep. Legs are strong and long.

The skin is thin, and the relief of the subcutaneous vessels stands out on it. The coat is short, not thick, silky. The tail and mane are quite sparse, sometimes there is practically no mane at all. There is an anomaly among this breed, due to which foals are born almost bald; as a rule, they die in the first months.

The wool of Akhal-Teke horses is characterized by an unusual shine. The most common colors are golden-red, golden-fawn, golden-bay, dun and black, and the isabella color is rare. There may be white markings on the legs and head.

Characteristics of the breed

The walk, trot and canter of this breed are smooth and high. This method of movement was developed by Akhal-Teke horses when moving through the shifting sands of deserts. Although these horses look very elegant in appearance, they are distinguished by increased endurance: they can go for long periods of time without water and food, make long journeys, tolerate hot climates well, they are not very well adapted to frosts, but tolerate them better than other southern breeds.

This breed is a riding breed, therefore it is adapted to walking under saddle. The character was formed as a result of special conditions of detention. Since horses were often kept alone, in close proximity to housing, Akhal-Teke horses developed a high attachment to people. They are called one-owner horses because they have a hard time surviving a change of owner.

They require a subtle psychological approach. Akhal-Teke horses are very smart, they sense the rider very well, but at the same time they are independent, and if the rider fails to establish contact with the horse, the horse will decide for itself what to do. That is why Akhal-Teke horses are considered difficult for sport. But they are very loyal. Like all southern breeds, they have a “hot” disposition; they get excited quickly, but do not show excessive aggression.

ApplicationAkhal-Teke horses

Most often, this breed was used as war horses, as well as for falconry. They were used less frequently for regular trips. And they were never harnessed to carts at all; they were not beasts of burden.

Today they most often participate in smooth racing and distance running, and less often in dressage and show jumping. Although these horses are very playful, in terms of speed they are inferior to horses of the English riding breed. In Turkmenistan, special prizes have been organized for the Akhal-Teke horse breed.

Akhal-Teke horses are perfectly suited for horse riding competitions. They also perform well in circus training, where their smooth movements and subtle intelligence are very appropriate.

These horses are late maturing - the best sports uniform They reach maturity at 4-6 years old, so keeping them is quite expensive.

Population declineAkhal-Teke horses

Over the course of a thousand-year history, the Akhal-Teke horse breed has remained unchanged. This became possible thanks to folk selection methods. The pedigree of horses was not kept in a stud book, but was passed down from generation to generation of Turkmens. But in the twentieth century, the breed began to experience decline. Factory breeding caused significant damage to the breed.

In the 70-80s, Turkmen stud farms received a directive to reduce livestock. As a result of this thoughtless law, the best breeding individuals were sent to slaughter. It is worth noting that the Turkmens themselves did not eat horse meat sausage, since horses have always been the national treasure of Turkmenistan.

The population has not only declined, genetic diversity has been lost. The breed began to be bred again when its status became dangerous. The largest population is in Turkmenistan; Russia is in second place in the number of Akhal-Teke horse breeding populations. There are also small livestock in the USA and European countries, where this breed is also valued and enjoyed great love for its uniqueness and beauty.

In horse breeding, there is no more graceful and more elegant breed of horse than the Akhal-Teke. These horses, with a long history, have retained all the original features inherent in the breed.

Akhal-Teke people come from Turkmenistan. About five thousand years ago, this breed was developed, and since then it has not been crossed with any other breed. Thus, the Akhal-Teke became the standard purebred breed.

Conditions for rock formation

The Akhal-Teke horse was originally from the desert regions of Turkmenistan. People needed hardy, light and fast horse. In addition to these qualities, the Akhal-Teke breed had to be brave and smart.

They took care of these horses and considered them family members. The animals were groomed, cared for and treated with great care. Thus, it was possible to obtain very hardy, fast, graceful and courageous breed. Akhal-Teke horses are famous for their eccentric and desperate character.

The endurance of Turkmen horses is fantastic. They can withstand air temperature changes from +50 to − 30 degrees. At the same time, animals do not lose their working qualities.

Naturally, in uncomfortable climate conditions, it is necessary not to subject animals to overload unless absolutely necessary. The Akhal-Teke breed is hardy, but Turkmen horses should not be subjected to unnecessary overload. Turkmen horses very active and mobile.

Gallery: Turkmen horse (25 photos)

History of the name

The name “Akhal-Teke” comes from the merger of two words “akhal” and “teke”. “Ahal” means the name of the oasis where these horses were distributed, and “Teke” is the name of the Tekin tribe, which distributed these horses.

Turkmen Akhal-Teke horses have become an adornment of the Turkmen ethnic group. The Tekin people were very fond of horse racing, so the Akhal-Teke horses were famous for their speed. The participation of Akhal-Teke horses in the races gave good results. In Russia, in the old days, Akhal-Teke were called "Argamak"».

Exterior of the Akhal-Teke

general characteristics different from other breeds. The Akhal-Teke horse is tall and has a lean constitution. Some compare the Akhal-Teke to a greyhound dog or a cheetah. They muscular and light.

The entire appearance of the Akhal-Teke horse is elongated. Long graceful neck long slender legs . The Akhal-Teke have one characteristic feature: Some individuals of this breed do not have a mane.

The rest of the individuals have a less luxurious mane. This is due to the fact that argamaks lived in a hot climate; in addition, excessive vegetation could negatively affect the speed of the horse.

Use of Akhal-Teke in the modern world

The Akhal-Teke horse is not an easy horse. The cost of elite horses is very high. Therefore, keeping these beautiful animals is not a cheap pleasure.

In addition, Akhal-Teke horses require special care. Despite their endurance and unpretentiousness, Akhal-Teke horses need care carefully and carefully. The Akhal-Teke horse breed is expensive, but it justifies and pays for itself, with correct use.

Akhal-Teke horses are used mainly V sports . Naturally, such a horse will not carry a team, but Akhal-Teke horses give good results in horse racing. Akhal-Teke horses can also be trained to play polo.

Some athletes use Turkmen horses - Akhal-Teke horses in dressage competitions. The slenderness and grace of graceful animals gives them an advantage over other participants in beauty and elegance.

These animals active and assertive. Argamaks are distinguished by their courage and determination, so they will be in demand in equestrian games.

Variety of suits

Akhal-Teke horses come in a variety of colors. The most popular is the Isabella color of horses. Isabella is the color of baked milk, which changes its hue depending on the lighting.

Akhal-Teke may be silver and pink and blue. The difference in colors, combined with the blue eyes of these beauties, make the Akhal-Teke the most elegant and unusual animals of the equid order.

The hair of the Akhal-Teke horse is distinguished by its delicate softness. The animal's fur has a satiny sheen. The horses are very tall. Horse height reaches a meter at the withers. Huge animals, nevertheless, are distinguished by grace and elegance.

Tekin's eyes are slightly slanted. Located on the head perfect shape ears. Akhal-Teke horses cannot be found in the wild. People are breeding them. These horses are bred for use in equestrian games, racing, and dressage.

Features of caring for the Akhal-Teke horse

When keeping an Akhal-Teke horse, one must take into account their wayward character. The fact is that these horses have long been bred as horses for one owner. Therefore, they listen little to the grooms and staff caring for the Akhal-Teke horses.

This is an independent animal. He has a well-developed feeling as a rider. If the rider has no contact with the horse, he can do with it as he pleases.

It is advisable to entrust the education of the Akhal-Teke professional groomer. Peak physical development among Tekins it comes quite late - at 4–5 years. Caring for these Turkmen horses includes the following:

• feeding;
• daily bathing;
• cleaning;
• long walks.

Akhal-Teke diet

Feeding the Akhal-Teke horse breed differs little from feeding other horse breeds. These animals appeared in hot climates, so they are able to do without water for a long time.

These horses are very love fresh grass, therefore, it is necessary to use every opportunity to feed them fresh grass or turn them out to free grazing. It is advisable to feed them selected hay to avoid problems with digestive system.

If a horse is exposed to high physical activity, you shouldn't feed her oats or barley. It will be much healthier to include beets, carrots and potatoes in her diet. Additionally, for muscle development, give alfalfa or soybeans.

The fiber they contain will make bones and muscles strong and teeth strong. Vitamins should be given when absolutely necessary.

Akhal-Teke horses are excellent for riding. Their rapid power and lightness will come in handy in this area. Athletes also appreciate their soft, smooth gait.

People also like to use them for dressage. The horse will give elegance and grace more positive points when assessing abilities and appearance.

When raising an Akhal-Teke horse, one should take into account their freedom-loving and independent character. These horses will not allow themselves to be used under duress. Only love and affectionate treatment can raise an Akhal-Teke horse.

Varieties of Akhal-Teke horse breed

Akhal-Teke breeding

Akhal-Teke horses reproduce naturally in stud farms. But horse breeders prefer artificial insemination, since this method is more productive.

The mare's pregnancy lasts eleven months. Usually, one foal is born, it is very rare for a mare to give birth to two foals. In the first minutes, the foals are somewhat clumsy, but after several hours, they begin to actively move and fall to their mother's teats.

Soon they are moving freely on their own. Foal feeds on mother's milk for six months. Later, he is transferred to plant foods.

Akhal-Teke horses are a rather expensive breed of horse. But it is actively bred in Turkmenistan, Russia, and America. True horse connoisseurs value their horses very much. They keep them in royal conditions and surround them with affection and care. Akhal-Teke people today are the property of an entire people, carefully stored and protected by horse breeders.

Attention, TODAY only!

In this article we will talk about one of the most graceful animals, namely the Akhal-Teke horse. This breed is one of the most ancient. There are many tales and legends about them, they are called differently. Let's look at what the Akhal-Teke horse breed is.

History of the breed

The Akhal-Teke horse is already about 5 thousand years old. This rather ancient riding breed appeared thanks to the inhabitants who occupied the territory of modern Turkmenistan. An excellent horse was created, from which almost all breeds of the Western world originated.

Akhal-Teke horses became in demand in Rus' and Central Asia, and Europeans and Arabs made do with local horses. At that time, almost no one monitored the purebredness of animals, and Russia’s conquest of Central Asia saved them from extinction.

At that time, purebred individuals were only found in the Ahal-Teke oasis (hence the name). During the Soviet era, selection work was carried out to modernize this breed.

Efforts were aimed at eliminating defects in the appearance and increasing the growth of the animal. The unique characteristics of the ancestors were retained, but the horse became taller and more athletic.

general characteristics

Nomads needed horses that had endurance and were able to endure long journeys without food or drink. This is exactly what the Akhal-Teke people are. They look fragile and graceful, but have excellent characteristics: endurance and strength.

Exterior

The external data of this handsome man are as follows:

• weight about 400-500 kg;
• height at withers – 1.50-1.60 m;
• lean body about 1.60 m long;
• the head is dry and elongated;
• the neck is straight, thin and very flexible;
• the back is not very muscular, with a arch (sometimes with a sunken lower back);
• the croup is wide, muscular, slightly sloping;
• chest oval, with short ribs;
• legs are dry, long, with well-developed joints;
• characterized by underdeveloped hair, the coat is shiny and silky;
• the mane is sparse (many people don’t have it at all);
• the tail is sparse, set low;
• thin skin with translucent blood vessels;
• blue eyes (any color).

Suits

In Rus', it was customary to call all eastern horses Argamaks (including the Akhal-Teke breed). A distinctive feature of Argamaks from other horses is considered to be not only their elegant structure, but also the variety of colors.

Did you know? The wool of all Tekins has a specific metallic tint. It is explained by the original structure of the hairs.

Gray hair is characteristic of all horses, but the gray color of the Akhal-Teke has a gene for early graying.

Character

The character of the horse fully corresponds to its appearance. He has a southern temperament, he is not used to complete submission. They say that these are aggressive and wayward horses, but this is not so. They never show excessive aggression.

They become very attached to their owner and react painfully to the new owner. They can only be tamed with care and patience. Under no circumstances should you use force or rudeness. When a common language with the horse is found, it will be obedient (otherwise the animal will do whatever it wants).

Advantages and disadvantages

The Akhal-Teke horse has many “advantages”, but, unfortunately, not all of them are relevant in our time.
Among the advantages we list the following:

• this is one of the most playful and fastest horses;
• the animal is able to cover long distances without stopping;
• has endurance comparable to a camel (it tolerates lack of food and thirst);
• with complete mutual understanding with the owner, he becomes a very devoted friend (he is called a one-master horse).

Did you know? There are only about 3 thousand purebred Tekins in the whole world, and 50% of them belong to Turkmens. They revere this horse very much: books are written about it, the animal appears on banknotes, and even a beauty contest has been established for such horses.

• loyalty to the owner and distrust of others are problematic, since previously the horse had basically one owner, but today it’s like this: one owns it, another rides, and a third takes care of it;
• in ancient times, a horse’s ability to disobey and make its own decision could save the rider’s life (for example, animals sense an earthquake in advance), but today disobedience is regarded as a “minus”;
• due to their nature, argamaks take a long time to adapt (get used to) to athletes, and therefore are not particularly popular;
• late maturation: they are most active only at the age of about 5 years (this reduces the likelihood of use in sports due to the inappropriateness of their long-term maintenance).

Scope of use

In ancient times, argamaks were used in battles and hunting. They were never used for pack work or harnessed to carts.

Nowadays, despite their unusualness, Akhal-Teke horses have great potential, and therefore their applications are different:

• they are excellent horses (thanks to their exceptional endurance, they cope well with both short and long races);
• These horses have no equal in dressage (graceful movements; thanks to years of training, they give excellent results);
• in show jumping (overcoming obstacles): the record for this breed is 2 m 12 cm, and the world record is 2 m 47 cm;
• in popular in last years distance races, where the endurance of these horses is very important;
• horses are excellent at circus tricks and horse riding;
• it is possible to use them for tourism, despite the myth about their bad character (with skillful selection, they are quite suitable for these purposes).

The main purpose of these horses is riding and exhibitions.

A horse is a herd animal, and to keep it healthy, it needs walking.

In addition, to keep horses you need:

• stable;
• hay storage room;
• shed for other feed;
• a place to keep tools, harnesses and various equipment.

Conditions in the stable

Animals spend most of their time in the stable, where they should have everything they need:

Cleaning and hygiene

The animal and the room in which it is located must be kept clean. Otherwise, it will affect his health and life expectancy.

To prevent this from happening, you need to:

Proper feeding

The Tekin diet consists of the following foods:

• green grass;
• hay, straw or other roughage;
• carrots, potatoes, beets (you can give cabbage, apples or watermelons, but not much);
• oats, wheat, corn and bran;
• silo;
• table salt in the form of a briquette;
• vitamin and mineral supplements (if necessary).

A horse weighing about 500 kg eats per day:

• oats - about 6 -7 kg;
• dry grass – up to 10 kg;
• bran - about 2 kg;
• vegetables – up to 6 kg.

It is advisable to divide the daily intake of oats, wheat or corn in equal parts into three doses. It is preferable to give hay 5 times a day. You can sprinkle it with salt water before serving. Before each meal, the horse must be watered.

Roughage makes up almost half of the total daily diet. It is better to use meadow or cereal-legume hay. First they give dry food, and then succulent food. Half an hour before and after eating, the animal should not be overloaded with work. Was this article helpful?