This video is an exciting find of Louise Firouz, an American-Iranian known worldwide for her rediscovery of and preservation work for the Caspian horse, viewing Turkoman horses with an interviewer at Jargalan Turkman Stud, Iran in 2002. Breeder presenting his horses was Dr Abdol Jalil Ghiadi, who purchased Turkoman horses from Louise and focused on […]
A “Turkish Horse” of the Ottoman Empire in a 16-century illustration from the depictions and documentations of German farrier, spur, and bit maker: Hans Kreutzberger. This illustration is a particularly fascinating find as you can clearly see hallmark traits of the Turk, later Akhal-Teke, including the longer back, elegant swan neck, tapered head, long legs, […]
We had the wonderful pleasure today of speaking with Dr. Timothy C. Winegard about human-horse history! Dr. Winegard is a multi-time best-selling author, exceptional historian, and beloved professor. One of his latest publications (2024), “The Horse: A Galloping History of Humanity”, covers the sweeping story of the horse’s emergence on the world stage and the […]
“In the period between the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Turkish argamak (thoroughbred) emerged from the nexus of nomadic horse trade and empire to become an expression of the equine ideal. Under Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566), the Argamak became the horse of royalty in the Ottoman Empire. Turkoman horses circulated as prestigious diplomatic gifts between […]
“Akhal-Teke Horses: Heavenly Creatures”: A film on the Akhal-Teke, the culture surrounding them as a national emblem in Turkmenistan, and an overview of their history–currently available to watch online with English subtitles. In addition to showing the beauty contests and racing of Akhal-Tekes in Turkmenistan, it gives an inside look of the practice and significance […]
Akhal-Tekes, also called Argamaks by hippologists, have been given as royal and political gifts throughout history. We now know from genetic research that they were likely brought to England either pure or as crossbreds for development of the English Thoroughbred horse–a breed that was once only for the aristocracy. However, the first purebred Akhal-Teke gifted […]
The story of the Ashgabat-Moscow trek is a famous one that really marked the precedent for preservation efforts of the purebred Akhal-Teke horse. This telling of “The Ashgabat-Moscow Horseback Ride” was shared online by Elena Panyushina (Елена Панюшина) originally in Russian here. It has been translated into English below. First there is an overview of […]
An archival video of Gudrat’s elegant grandsire Arbalet (Amelit 12 x Abrai) at his first competition in Monterey, Mexico with only 3 months training. Documented and shared by Ulrike Ruppelt. Gudrat shares his ease of training and quick learning! Gudrat also had a very nice first jumping competition as a young horse, earning 1st and […]
The study “Genome Diversity and the Origin of the Arabian Horse” (Cosgrove et al., 2020) is one of the most fantastic recent genetic findings revealing the true narrative of the Akhal-Teke of antiquity, the Turk horse, and their significant role in founding the Thoroughbred. In history, Turks and Arabians were often linguistically “grouped” together in […]
Alfalfa has been an important animal food crop for over 3,000 years and it is attributed to providing the nutritional demands necessary for ancient Turkomans (Fergana or “Heavenly Horses”) to develop their legendary tall and muscular frames. On the Nisean Plains south of Media in Central Asia, the ancestors to the Akhal-Teke grazed on fields […]
