Turanian Horse

The Golden Horse Of Central Asia

The legend says that in the high valleys of what are today the Tien Shan Mountains, on the eastern edge of the Turan Flats, there stood an oasis, a spring which supported the valley's grass. The grass supported a herd of wild steppe mares; smallish in stature, but slim and elegant, and untouchable. Every night, the mares would travel from their pasture to the oasis to drink; and each night, from the water of the oasis, a magical stallion would appear--tall, and strong and fast, the color of liquid fire. He flew from the oasis to the clouds, and back to the earth, and stayed with the mares until daybreak, when he disappeared into the water once more.

One night, hearing of this stallion, a young nomad--in some stories a young boy, in others, a young Amazon--set out to see this magical stallion, and--in some stories, through stealth, and in others, through understanding--this young nomad was able to approach the stallion, to speak to him, and at last to bridle him, and to ride to the stars on his back. Brought back to earth, it is said that this stallion became the ancestor of all the Central Asian Thoroughbreds--the Golden, Heavenly Horses of the Turan Flats.

The Turanian Horse was probably first domesticated by the Scythians; the Pazyryk group buried one Turanian Thoroughbred and up to two dozen of the smaller, closely related working horses known today as "yabous," in graves with their kings, their great warriors and warrioresses, their priests and shamanesses, where they have been found today intact, frozen after twenty-five centuries. The history of the Turan Flats area of Central Asia is a history of continual conquest, occasionally from the west but usually from the Altai region of Mongolia. First by the Scythians, then the Ywati or Yüeh-Chih, then the Parthians, the Huns, the Turks, the Mongols, and the Turks again. The area changed languages, cultures, ideals and arts, but one thing remained the same--every culture which came into contact with the Turanian Thoroughbred recognized him for what he was; a horse of unsurpassed speed and nearly unbelievable endurance; a horse of keen intelligence, an abiding loyalty to its keeper, and almost complete fearlessness in battle. Every culture which took over Central Asia, no matter what else they changed, carefully preserved the Turanian Thoroughbred, breeding him pure and training him with such devotion that he became the standard of wealth, the means of livelihood, and the most enduring source of pride for all those whose lives he touched.

Thanks to this dedication, we are granted today the presence of one of the true Wonders of the Ancient World. Now he is known by many names: the Akhal-Teke and Iomud in Russia; the Tekke, Yamoud and Goklan in Iran; all are strains of the Turkoman horse, just as the Seglawi, Muniqi and Kuhailan are all strains of the Arabian. After some decline in numbers, due to the changes inherent in a world which no longer depends upon the horse for war and transport, this magnificent horse is making a comeback, and showing that its skills are not only those of a classical war horse. Today this wonderful animal dances in the dressage arena; follows the hounds; twirls around with the best of them in reining and polo; and demolishes all competition in endurance. Few in number but ever increasing, read on and enjoy, and learn why even today, this ancient thoroughbred attracts the same unwavering devotion among everyone whose lives he touches.