Mordovian stud farm. Breed phenomena

The pride of our horse breeding is the Soviet heavy draft breed. These stunning beauties, heroes of the equestrian world, have a number of unsurpassed characteristics and are considered the most massive draft horses in our country. The breed was registered in 1952, but work on its breeding began back in Russian Empire, in the 19th century.

This breed is the pride of Russian horse breeding, whose representatives are considered the most massive draft horses in the country.

It was at that time that Nizhny Novgorod horse breeders began to import from Europe the Belgian heavy horse - Brabançon (or Brabant) - to replace the Russian bityugs. These horses - muscular, thick-legged, with strong bones - did not take root well in Russia in their pure form. Firstly, having a more southern origin, they did not tolerate our difficult climate very well - they suffered from biting midges and suffered from other problems with their legs. Secondly, the exterior of the Brabant seemed “uncouth” to the Russian eye.

Very soon the process of spontaneous crossing of Brabançons with local horses began. The mestizos turned out to be strong, harmoniously built, viable and had excellent working characteristics. It became clear that Brabant dogs could be used in breeding work to develop their own improved draft breed.

The First World War and the Civil War hit Russian horse breeding hard. After nationalization, the remnants of the breeding herd were concentrated at the Pochinkovsky and Mordovian stud farms. The breed finally took shape only in the middle of the 20th century. Its creator is considered to be the animal scientist Dmitry Andreevich Kislovsky.

The ancestors of the Brabançons are the Flanders horses who took part in the Crusades. Thus, the Soviet heavy truck is a distant descendant of medieval knightly horses.

The Belgian draft horse - Brabançon (or Brabant) is considered one of the ancestors of our draft horses.

Exterior

In all respects, horses of this breed are superior to their ancestral forms. While maintaining developed muscles and powerful wide boned, they acquired a drier constitution. Soviet "heavies" are tall: some individuals grow up to 170 cm at the withers, and on average - 159-161 cm. Their weight can reach a ton.

An important exterior parameter for heavy trucks is the structure of the croup, loin and hind legs. According to these items, the Soviet heavy truck has decent characteristics. His loin is wide, his croup is drooping and forked. The thighs are muscular, slightly short. The hooves are wide, well shaped, and the metacarpus have a large girth. The brush growth is moderate.

It happens that the position of the legs fails - clubfoot may appear. Such shortcomings do not affect working qualities, but such horses are rejected from breeding.

The chest of the Soviet “heavies” is wide, the back is flat, sometimes soft, which allows horses of this breed to be used under saddle. The neck is strong, maned, of medium length, the crest merges with the withers. The head is small, with fleshy cheeks and widely spaced ganaches, thanks to which the horse’s breathing is not restricted while working.

Character

By temperament, Soviet “heavies” are quite calm and energetic. According to employees of the Pochinkovsky stud farm, these horses cannot be called absolutely good-natured. When breeding the breed, the main emphasis was not on kindness, but on massiveness, strength and endurance.

However, Soviet “heavies” are quite obedient, balanced and rarely show their character.

These horses are calm and energetic, obedient and balanced, but occasionally they can show their temper.

Breed varieties

Elite breeding stock today is concentrated at three stud farms:

Pochinkovsky (Nizhny Novgorod region);
Ichalkovsky (Republic of Mordovia);
Perevozovsky (Nizhny Novgorod region).

The Soviet heavy truck is bred cleanly at these enterprises along different lines. Therefore, two types have formed within the breed today. IN Nizhny Novgorod region the traditional massive type, descended from purebred Brabançons, is maintained.

In Mordovia, when crossing, not only Brabant horses were used, but also the English Suffolk horse. Soviet heavy trucks from the Ichalkovsky plant are more compact and lean.

Feeding

The working qualities of any horse are better demonstrated with proper feeding and care. If norms are violated, animals cannot replenish energy reserves and lose weight, and muscle growth and bone tissue young animals are disturbed.

An approximate daily diet for an adult draft stallion should include:

oats – 4 kg;
barley – 3 kg;
bran – 1 kg;
cake – 1 kg;
table salt - 40 - 45 g;
premixes – 100 g.

The diet should be supplemented with mixed-grass hay and dried grass. You can add raw carrots and sugar beets. Molasses has a good effect on intestinal motor functions.

Horses have a relatively small stomach, so it is necessary to organize split meals for them. The daily amount of feed is divided into 4 - 8 meals.

Breeding

A draft foal grows very quickly and by the time it reaches a year it weighs half a ton.

The Soviet heavy truck is a precocious breed. During the suckling period, foals gain about 2 kg per day and by one year reach a weight of half a ton. Young animals are put into work from the age of 2.5 years, and are allowed to participate in breeding from the age of 3 years.

Soviet “strands” are not distinguished by high fertility. For example, at the factory in Pochinka, which currently houses 90 queens, the foal yield is about 50%. In the best case, this figure can rise to 75%.

The breeding period for Soviet heavy draft stallions and mares is limited to 16 years. Although in some cases, queens are capable of giving birth at an older age - 20 years.

Productivity

Soviet heavy-duty horses are not only a living burden. This breed has high performance meat and dairy productivity. All-Russian Research Institute of Horse Breeding on its kumys farm received from one of the mares record number milk per lactation – 6173 l. The average figure is over 3 thousand liters from each mare.

Precocity and large mass horses of this breed make them promising for meat breeding. In addition, Soviet heavy trucks are involved in improving the local livestock in many regions. First generation crossbreeds, as a rule, have excellent working qualities.

Records

Competitive testing of heavy trucks began in 1957. Horses are tested from the age of 4 years. According to the rules, each horse must trot 2 km with a load of 1.5 tons, then the same distance at a walk with a load of 4.5 tons, and then pull a load of 9 tons as far as possible.

The record holders of such competitions were often Soviet heavyweights:

1957 – stallion Force. He pulled a couple of carts with a total cargo weight of 23 tons for as much as 35 meters.
1971 – stallion Zubr. He covered 2 km at a walk in 11 minutes 51 seconds.
1968 – mare Rusalka. Dragged 9 tons to 2131.17 m.

The list goes on for a long time. All prize-winners were widely used in breeding work, thanks to which the quality of the breed was preserved and improved.

Current situation

The Pochinkovsky stud farm is one of the few where elite heavy draft horses are bred.

The progress of the breed was stopped by the crisis. The breeding stock of Soviet draft horses has sharply decreased, and the conditions of housing, veterinary care and feeding have deteriorated. By the early 2000s, stud farms were close to disaster. In Pochinka, out of 150 queens, only 70 remained; at the Ichalkovsky plant, out of 50, 30 were preserved.

Today market conditions are more favorable. The demand for Soviet heavy trucks is gradually increasing. The best horses regularly participate in international exhibitions: for example, at the annual fair-conference “Equiros”.

The same Pochinkovsky plant manages to fully sell young stock. The stallions are put on sale, but the fillies are kept, gradually increasing the breeding stock. There is every chance to improve the situation.

Summary

Soviet heavy breed horses, without exaggeration, can be considered our national treasure. The intensification of agriculture, which is so much talked about, can contribute to the preservation and development of stud farms. After all, certain production processes still require the use of this strong and intelligent animal.

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The legendary Mordovian stud farm, founded by Count Orlov, continues to amaze the world with its pupils

In the Ichalkovo village of Obrochnoye there is one of the largest stud farms in the Volga region. It was here that the famous Soviet heavy trucks were bred in 1952. Local horse breeders also raise Moksha trotters, Arabian horses and charming ponies. “Unfortunately, today people have lost interest in horses,” says the head of the stable, Sergei Streltsov. “But these animals help children suffering from cerebral palsy and can bring a lot of benefits in battle with the enemy.” Local historian Sergei Bakhmustov is confident that the well-being of the regions is directly related to the attitude of the authorities towards horse breeding. Anna Opravkhat and Zhanna Lartseva (photo) visited the legendary enterprise, learned its history and met good-natured handsome people.

In late autumn, among the variegated foliage, huge Soviet heavy trucks look impressive. Admiring their beauty, it seems as if you are not in an ordinary Mordovian village, but in a real fairy tale. The feeling that an epic hero is about to appear, jump on a huge beauty and gallop off into the distance. But dreams are dreams, and the fact that the employees of the Ichalkovsky plant were able to breed this breed, rare for our country, cannot be called anything other than a miracle. “The Lord does not allow every nation to raise thoroughbred horses,” says Sergei Streltsov. - In pre-revolutionary Russia, no one was breeding heavy trucks. This was the prerogative of European states. They were brought to us exclusively from abroad. And then the Soviet authorities instructed local horse breeders to breed their own breed. In 1952, our mare gave birth to a heavy foal for the first time from a Finnish horse...” Many years have passed since then. Today the enterprise houses hundreds of representatives of the “powerful” breed. The Brazil mare is the pride of local workers. She has repeatedly taken part in various exhibitions and competitions. Has many awards. In addition, the animal produces high-quality offspring with enviable regularity, which is very rare. “It’s even incredible a beautiful horse can give birth to freaks, while some frail one is capable of producing thoroughbred stallions,” continues the horse breeder. - We are very lucky with Brazil. She is both a beauty and a great mother. Her children often win All-Russian and international competitions. But our star does not give birth to any stallion... Yes, it all depends on feelings. Horses also know how to love. There is no need to think that they have no intelligence. People simply unreasonably consider themselves the smartest creatures on Earth. But that's not true. Perhaps we are even stupider than these graceful animals.”

Brazil looks at the guests in surprise. The interlocutor explains that she is waiting for treats. Corr. “S” takes a piece of bread and brings it to the horse’s massive lips. She greedily eats it and begins to laugh loudly. For common man standing next to a giant 169 centimeters tall at the withers is, to put it mildly, rather scary. “Don’t be afraid, she’s kind and affectionate,” Streltsov reassures. - In general, the character of a horse directly depends on the character of the groom who serves it. Nervous and angry people are not able to instill in their charges good qualities. But, thank God, everything is in order with our personnel. The company employs 17 employees, each of whom loves their job.”

A century ago, the fate of the stud farm was under threat. Its history began more than 200 years ago, when Count Alexei Orlov received as a gift from Catherine II 100 and 120 thousand acres of land near the villages of Ichalki in the Saransk district of the Penza province and Khrenovoe in the Bobrovsky district of the Voronezh province. In 1770, the Empress awarded the count the rank of admiral and appointed him commander of the Russian fleet on the Black Sea. During the battle in Chesme Bay, our sailors burned all the Turkish ships, and Orlov was awarded the title of Chesme and the Order of George, 1st degree. The Count had a passion for thoroughbred horses, so he decided to start breeding them.

“Local peasants did not like the empress’s favorite,” says local historian Sergei Bakhmustov. - The fact was that he loved his pets so fanatically that he would flog his workers for any swear word about horses. But Orlov was far from alone in his tender feelings for horses. At that time, every fourth landowner was engaged in horse breeding. Horse racing was very popular among the nobles. They experienced insane delight watching the trotters rush. Every self-respecting gentleman certainly had to know how to ride a horse. Many landowners even ordered portraits of their pets from artists and hung these works of art in the most prominent place in their homes. Just think: a horse could cost up to 10 thousand rubles, when the labor of one worker was valued at only 140 rubles! This is the attitude we used to have towards these animals.”

After the revolution of 1917, peasants rushed to plunder farms and destroy stables. But representatives of the new government pacified the rioters in time, realizing that the stud farm was necessary for the state. Soon the enterprise was restored, and employees began to work on breeding new breeds. “By the way, Patriarch Kirill himself participated in the formation and development of the plant,” notes Streltsov. “As a boy, he came running here to help his mother, who worked here. So we can be proud of such a famous worker.”

After the breakup Soviet Union the plant became private, but the authorities continued to support it. “I noticed one very interesting thing,” says Sergei Bakhmustov. - The richer the region, the more stud farms it has. In developed European countries and the USA, this direction is given Special attention. Horse breeding is also popular here, but, unfortunately, not everywhere.” “Yes, today people have lost interest in horses,” agrees Sergei Streltsov. - But these animals help children suffering from cerebral palsy. It has long been proven that hippotherapy has a beneficial effect on their muscles and nervous system. Unhealthy children even come to us from neighboring regions. Of course, we understand that the modern world is full of technology, and horse labor is no longer so popular. You just need to remember that in a battle the tank may run out of fuel and it is the heavy horse that can quickly deliver the fuel. We all know that horses contributed to the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Then 9 thousand animals were sent to the front, 7 thousand of which died the death of the brave. We always welcome guests. It’s a pity that the younger generation is gradually losing interest in horses. Parents are now too actively protective of their children. All the guys know how to do is stare at computers and phones. But we need to instill in young people a love of nature and animals...”

In 1985, in Lvov, the mare Vyatka set a record for maximum pulling force - 28 tons! Other breeds are also raised at the stud farm - Moksha trotters, Arabian horses and charming ponies... A total of 150 heads. Many horses bred in Mordovia serve in the Kremlin Regiment. These are mainly sons of the magnificent mare Triad. Streltsov leads us through the yard to the stalls. Here we are met by young stallions. Many of them don’t even know what love is yet, but they can already become fathers. The Brazilian trotter is being raised by a short, fragile woman, Natalya. She deftly brings out the handsome man, who proudly poses in front of the camera. The rest of the horses, trying to attract attention, neigh loudly and beat their hooves. The employees feed them sugar.

“Taking care of a horse is difficult,” our interlocutor continues. - But it's worth it. As the writer Alexander Kuprin said, you can quit drinking, smoking, women will leave you, but if you fall in love with a horse's neighing, then it will last for life. We are always very worried when our pets get sick. We try to give love and affection to each of them. We pay attention to the selection of partners. Before crossing, we thoroughly bathe the mare and tie her to a special stall. Sometimes you have to help during childbirth. This is a very dangerous activity, because at such a moment the animal thinks that we pose a danger to its future offspring - it may kick with its hoof or even bite. Not every horse is capable of giving birth on its own. The fact is that entire generations thoroughbred horses bred in captivity, so their reproductive system may fail. In nature they simply would not survive. After a couple of months, we send a blood sample of the foal for analysis to establish paternity. It’s rare, but it happens that a broodmare mates with another male. Anything can happen, of course. Only a dedicated person can work with a horse. None of our grooms dare look at horse meat. I admit, I myself tried horse sausage, but it was made from a horse that was unfamiliar to me. And I don’t eat my friends on principle!”

Ponies are a cute decoration of the Ichalkovo enterprise. They were brought here in 1984. Currently, local horse breeders are raising 10 individuals. Ponies love to frolic in the straw. From the outside it looks very touching. They are friends with preschoolers and are always happy to give the kids rides. All year round“kids” harnessed to carts give rides to children in the parks. These animals are unpretentious: to live they only need a warm nook and very little food. “We are proud that in all the years of our existence we have not lost a single individual,” says Sergei Streltsov in parting. - How many of them were there? better times, that's how much remains. I hope the authorities will continue to help our plant. And be sure to come again. Look how our pets look at you. I feel like they are inviting you to visit too. It’s beautiful and soulful here at any time of the year.”