Our Story · Arcana Akhal-Tekes

Arcana Heritage Horses is a mother-daughter venture founded by a shared love for the rare and remarkable horses of history, and the dream to help preserve their legacy.

It is a dream that began from untold time spent exchanging, combing through, considering, and memorizing horse stories and records together; and it is a journey that has been inexplicably aided along by treasured guides, some of which have been horses. It has always been horses for us. They hold space where the real magic lives, especially breeds who have held this space since the beginning of our horse-human story. They carry our origin story—your origin story—and we invite you to discover it with us.

Our mission is to breed and develop intelligent, beautiful, and versatile partnership horses with a rich ancestry and harmonious qualities.

We raise our horses with holistic excellence, blending progressive care and horsemanship with a focus on natural diets, movement, and partnership to nurture the mind and body.

Our focus breeds are the enduring Akhal-Teke and the sacred Chaar Appaloosa Horse. Both breeds carry with them a distinct heritage and extraordinary stories that emerged from ancient Central Asia, and spread along the Silk Road.

The Akhal-Teke

The Akhal-Teke has captivated people for millennia with their timeless elegance, deep intellect, swift bodies, and ethereal spirit. Developed in the nutrient-rich Fergana Valley, these horses forged a new chapter in equestrianism—one that would ultimately shape the world as we know it—and created the genetic foundation for most modern horses. We strive to perpetuate the magic of the Akhal-Teke through strategic breeding that emphasizes the strength, intelligence, and beauty which inspired their fame. With less than 7,000 worldwide—and less than 250 in N America—attention to genetic health, sound conformation, temperament and type is paramount. Our goal is to maintain the unique qualities that make the Akhal-Teke truly special, while producing versatile performance horses capable of going the distance in modern equine sports. We also aim to create a network of breeders and riders to share and exchange breed opportunities with the ultimate goal of improving the breed's quality, presence, and accessibility in North America.

The Chaar Appaloosa Horse

The Chaar Appaloosa Horse was almost lost to time, surviving only in folklore until its recent rediscovery. Shaped by the Celestial Mountains, these hardy horses developed alongside nomads and live in harmony with the land. As a unique Central Asian genetic reservoir of the Leopard Spot and Indian Shuffle genes, this breed challenges the narrative of the horse as we understand it. With less than 100 genetically tested Chaar Appaloosa Horse, our involvement with the breed centers on sharing its story and helping it build a vibrant future. We work closely with the Chaar Appaloosa Horse Association, based in the Chaar's homeland of Kyrgyzstan—the only stud farm dedicated to this breed in the world. Together, we have helped further their genetic research and continue to build international awareness.

The Immortal Mare

From the very first meetings, this mare captivated mother and daughter forever, sparking a lifetime journey into Akhal-Tekes—and ultimately heritage horses. Little did we know at the time: the view between this special mare's shiny, silky, blonde ears would change our world forever.

The ears belonged to a 14-year-old purebred Akhal-Teke mare named MV Fergazel, Gazel for short. One of three mares in 2017 at Magic Valley Akhal-Tekes, a place that would quickly become like a second home for Yorke. Gazel was owned and bred by Yorke's now very dear friend Jas Shearer-McMahon, who has been a guide and mentor for horses, endurance riding, and All Things Teke.

We both felt an immediate, undeniable connection with Gazel. Yorke fell in love at a flat out gallop when she went out for her first ride on this Akhal-Teke, and Stephanie fell in love when Gazel proved her fighting spirit to overcome what others thought impossible.

In 2019, Gazel gave birth to Yorke's first horse who would become the start of her legacy with us, a red bay colt named Kerkav ("tree of life"). One year later, she foaled a chestnut colt Algushbai who eventually found his home with us too.

Today, we consider Fergazel to be the foundation and heart of Arcana Akhal-Tekes and Heritage Horses, and our namesake pays tribute to where it all began—a nod to the "magic" of Magic Valley.

Meet the Team

Yorke McGillivray

More coming soon.

Stephanie McGillivray

More coming soon.

Discover the magic of our two unique endangered heritage breeds from the Silk Road. The Akhal-Teke, a horse that has shaped the world and endured since the dawn of equestrianism, and the Chaar, a Central Asian originator of the appaloosa leopard spot and shuffle gait genes.

Your origin story starts here.

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