Akhal-Teke
Introduction: The Akhal-Teke is the world's mystery horse and one of the oldest surviving cultured breeds! I know nothing about this breed except what I have learned in books. What I have found there, I will share with you here. If you have anything you would like to add to or suggest about this page, please click here. This page was written before I began citing dates for my sources, so I do not know for sure when "today" or "now" is. I would guess it would be the 1970's or 80's, since that is when most of my sources so far have dated from.
Names: Akhal-Teke,
Achal-Tekkiner, Turkmene. I have chosen to use Akhal-Teke
throughout this article as this seems to be the predominating name. In the
case of the Turkmene horses, I am
inclined to believe that the Turkmene is the same thing as the Turkoman,
and the Akhal-Teke is a strain that has become a separate breed; similar to the
case of the Arabian
and the Shagya
Arab. One source
that seems to partially
support this idea states that the Akhal-Teke is
the only remaining pure strain of ancient Turkmene horse, a breed whose common
ancestors bear a succession of different names over time: Masseget, Parthian,
Nisean, Persian, Turkmene and finally, Akhal-Teke!
The name "Akhal-Teke," however, dates
back only to the end of the nineteenth century. It consists of two words:
"Akhal," the long oasis nestled in the foothills of the Kopet Dag
Mountains (once a part of the kingdom of ancient Persia, now present-day
Turkmenistan), and "Teke," after the Turkmen tribe, the dominant
nomadic people who inhabited the oasis and for centuries raised the Turkmene
horse. (I have found the name written two ways--Akhal-Teke and Akhal Teke.
I use the first because I have found it more often.)
On a side note, please excuse the fact that I don't bother
with accent marks; I have seen the breed name listed with various accent marks
over different letters depending on the source, but don't have the time to go
tracking all of them down! Just plain Akhal-Teke is hard enough for me!
Origin: The
Akhal-Teke is from Turkmen, in the
southern region of the modern country of Turkmenistan. There is some
conflict as to its relations in the horse world but it is generally accepted to
be a very ancient breed, with evidence of its existence in that area over 3,000
years ago. It appears to be the modern equivalent of Horse Type 3, and it
epitomizes the thin-skinned, fine-coated, and heat-resistant desert horse.
Some say there could be a relationship between the Akhal-Teke and the Arabian Munaghi
racing strain. Many believe that the Akhal-Teke is the ancestor of the
Arabian horse. Most agree, however, that the
Akhal-Tekes are direct descendants of
the horse that the Scythians of Persia so cherished - the Turkmenian, supposedly
one of the four original horse types. In that case, they have a rich
heritage, for these are the horses that provided the cavalry for King Darius of
Persia and took part in races 1000 to 2000 years BC.
Notable breeding areas in a 1963 source were U.S.S.R.,
Russian Turkestan; studs from the same source were Ashchabad, Merr, and Serach.
(Consider this an excellent sample of the difficulty in translating the names
over from a different alphabet!)
Breeding: The
Akhal-Teke was originally bred by tribes of Turkoman. Now it is bred
around the oases of the Kara Kum desert, the principal breeding center being at
Ashkhabad. In the Soviet Union, Akhal-Tekes were bred at special
collective farms and kept in 'tabuns' of ten to twelve mares per stallion, under
the care of a herdsman. The Akhal-Teke has contributed to many breeds but
has been influenced by none. One unsuccessful attempt was made to cross
the breed with the Thoroughbred. The Akhal-Teke has
remained relatively unchanged up to the present, and efforts are being made
today to keep it that way.
1963 source
again: Blood renewed by Timur Lenk and Nasr Eddin, through Oriental
mares. Since last century (1800s, at time of writing!), especially since
the Russian Revolution, planned breeding and systematic improvement.
Description: Their
conformation is original, distinctive and unique. Some say that the
Akhal-Teke's conformation can be favorably compared to the Persian Arab and that
it is among the most elegant of the world's horses. It has been called
exotically beautiful and extravagantly graceful; a natural athlete and equine
aristocrat. However, according
to most sources, it hardly conforms to Western ideals of
conformation! One source says that they bear a striking
resemblance to the Arabian
horse, although it goes on to say that they have an angular
build, the last description I have ever found for a pure Arabian! The
majority seems to be of this latter mind - an angular appearance. I have
not even been able to draw a fair "generalization" from pictures I
have seen of them!
Yet another source says that this is a small horse, with the
overall impression similar to the Thoroughbred, elegant,
pure-bred with plenty of "blood."
This last is vague enough to be fairly accurate, though I suppose it depends on
your definition of the word small! What
follows is what I have gathered from my research.
Action: Magnificent. Free, flowing, and comfortable. Superb natural gaits with a soft, gliding, elastic stride in all paces. Noticeably long stride covering much ground. Excellent galloping ability.
Body: Described as high, narrow, long, lean, sinewy, even tubelike with flat ribs. Sturdy; carries saddle well. The muscling is well defined, but smoothly hugging the bone. Back and loin straight and long; chest narrow and deep (but not too deep, whatever that means!); hindquarters sloping. Croup wide, long, straight, pronounced, and with a normal sloping angle. Shoulders excellent and long with good slope and very clean shoulder bed. Withers high, long, clean, very prominent, and well muscled.
Color: This is the crowning glory of the Akhal-Teke! It is said to be golden chestnut, bay, black, or gray, usually with a metallic sheen. Another source says that it is often dun in color, with a pale, golden coat preferred. The metallic, golden-dun coloring does seem to be the particular feature. Several colors are possible, however, and white markings on legs and heads are prevalent. One older source stated that it has unusually fine colouring--mostly coppery, iridescent golden red.
Ears: Narrow, high-set, relatively long, beautifully shaped, and mobile. (How does this relate to a source that says the ears are small, pointed, and turned inwards? Is that contradictory, and if so, is someone talking about a different breed and they just don't realize it?!)
Eyes: Large, bright, intelligent, expressive, sometimes almond-shaped, often hooded; having a proud, fiery gaze.
Face: Long, tapering and aristocratic, with good width between the ears; the profile is straight or convex.
General: The impression is of a spare, long-muscled, sinewy horse. One source said they have the overall effect of the long, lean grace of a greyhound. They are extremely light and narrow in build. In fact, the girth appears to lack depth, due to the exceptional length of the legs. To those used to the rounded dimensions of most American breeds, these horses may appear at first as "leggy" and uncomfortably narrow.
Hair: Both skin and coat are described as exceptionally fine and thin. The mane and tail are described as short, thin, and silky, with the tail low-set.
Head: It has been described as similar to the Arab's, but is more commonly said to be long and light, as well as proportional to the body. Other terms used are: dry, elegant, fine, straight, chiseled and wedge-shaped. The head carriage is characteristically high, and they are said to have a bold and very alert expression. Lips and nostrils are thin and fine; nostrils wide. Another source stated the head is fairly large, but never heavy, often with a Roman, or at any rate straight, nose.
Hooves: Small but regular, with low set heels. Very hard (or hardy) and well-formed, with a thick wall of strong horn.
Legs: The legs are fine, long, slender, dry, dense, and very hard; clearly revealing the strongly sculpted tendons. The bone is light and strong, and the joints are set high off the ground. Pasterns long, flexible, and elastic, without softness. Little to no hair on the fetlock.
Neck: Long, straight and thin (or slender, depending on your preference!); set very high and carried almost vertically to the body; the head joins it at a 45 degree angle.
Size: The figures
below are quite detailed, so I will give you a quick figure here. The
first measurement shows that the stallions stand about 15 and a half hands at
the withers. Other sources give widely varied answers--from 15-15.1 hands,
to 15.2, to 14.2-16 hands! I
would think upwards of 15 hands, depending on climate, would be the most likely;
most answers seem to range from 15 to 16 hands.
They average 900 to 1,000 pounds.
In 1993, statistics for
stallions, based on an evaluation of 190 horses from 13 countries (including 88
from Turkmenistan, 51 from Russia and 21 from Kazakhstan), showed the following
average measurements in centimeters: 159.2 (height at withers), 160.0 (body
length/barrel, measured on the diagonal), 177.5 (chest circumference), 19.18
(cannon bone circumference). Mares tend to be slightly smaller.
Figures broken down by country indicate that horses in Western Europe are larger
than the average, while those from America, often bred for endurance riding,
tend to be smaller.
Temperament: Quiet, but easily aroused. They are described as: courageous, intelligent, trainable, bold, and alert. They are said to have a gentle nature and sensitive personality. One source states that Akhal-Tekes often bond closely with their human partners; they are usually sensitive to the way they are treated. Responsive to gentle training, they can be stubborn and resentful if treated rudely. Another source stated they have an outstandingly tranquil temperament and are highly intelligent.
Features: The
Akhal-Teke has extraordinary physical powers. It
is said to have boundless stamina and endurance. A key to the Akhal-Teke's stamina is its diet which is low in
bulk but high in protein. Some of the items on this breed's menu have
included: Butter and eggs mixed with barley, alfalfa, pellets of mutton fat, and
fried dough cake! Akhal-Tekes are desert-bred and raised, and have less
need of water and food than other horses. They are hardy, fast, and versatile,
and able to stand extremes of heat and cold. According to recent trials
they are only a little
slower than Thoroughbreds. Most sources call the Akhal-Teke a
hotblood; some call it a
warmblood, but I am inclined to
believe the former!
Exceptionally nice steppe breed, solely for riding, unusually
long stayer. Very even breed, whatever that means!
Uses: These horses have been renowned as cavalry mounts and racehorses for some 3,000 years. The Akhal-Teke is the outstanding sporting horse from its area. The Turkomans used it for racing, preparing it with great care. Today they are used in jumping, dressage, racing, and long-distance riding, in addition to daily use under saddle. Owners of Akhal-Tekes acclaim them as being exceptional riding horses.
Accomplishments:
Horses
of this breed have performed unequaled feats over exceptional distances and in
desert conditions. They have been known to cover 900 miles of waterless
desert.
Probably the Akhal-Teke's most important accomplishment was famous
trek from Ashkhabad to Moscow in 1935, meant to test their suitability for the
cavalry. The distance was about 2,600 miles, and
they covered it in 84 days, on minimal rations of food and water. There
were 28 riders on Akhal-Tekes, the related Yomud breed and Anglo-Teke
crosses. They covered a broad range of terrain, including a severe,
three-day, 215 mile test under the scorching sun of the Kara Kum desert.
From the desert, which though stressful, was familiar terrain, they then rode
through mosquito infested swamps, over rugged, stony footing, through heavy rain
and huge forests. The purebred Akhal-Tekes, arrived in significantly
better condition than the Anglo-Teke crosses, impressive evidence for the
superiority of the purebred Akhal-Teke for hardiness and endurance.
Another story goes that three Akhal-Teke stallions covered the
distance of 663 miles between Chiva in Uzbekistan to the Caspian Sea in seven
days - in spite of the fact that they had not had one drop of water for two of
those days!
In 1988, Turkmen riders on Akhal-Tekes rode 1,987 miles
from their home towns to Moscow and it took them only 60 days!
In another
category of achievements, the Akhal-Teke named 'Absent' won the Prix de Dressage
at the Rome Olympics in 1960.
Curiosities: Chosen
for the bodyguards of caliphs of old, Akhal-Tekes have often been given as state gifts.
In
Chinese legend it was known as the "heavenly horse" and the
"horse that sweats blood." Such was their reputation that in 126
BC, the Chinese attacked Bactria to obtain some!
One
source said that the Byerly Turk, one of the three founding stallions of the
English Thoroughbred, is thought to have been an Akhal-Teke!
These horses were
already famous at the time of Alexander the Great. Marco Polo traced their
pedigree back to Bucephalus (Alexander's horse)!
Profiles: Arab and Alsakar - two of the purebred Akhal-Tekes that were on the test ride from Ashkhabad to Moscow; they arrived in notably better condition than the others; Arab subsequently proved his exceptional talent in eventing and jumping, as well as prepotency as a breeding stallion. Absent - a son of Arab; won the gold medal in individual dressage at the 1960 Rome Olympics, with an astounding score of 82.4%, at only eight years old; he went on to a bronze individual medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and in 1968, was a member of the gold medal Soviet team in Mexico. Melekush - the bright golden-dun stallion presented to Queen Elizabeth by Nikita Khrushchev; he left the other royal horses standing as they galloped up the wide grass verge of the Long Walk at Windsor Castle; he had a gentle nature and prowess at jumping; the story goes that the grooms tried to clean off what they thought was an unnatural polish, but Melekush glowed even more with a wash!
Conclusion: As I said in the introduction, I know very little about this breed. However, I find what I do know very interesting and I am eager to learn more! It is my hope that this breed remain as unique and special as it has always been, and that I will have the joy of seeing it. If you own an Akhal-Teke, I hope it is as good as I have heard it described, and I wouldn't mind if you gave me your opinion on this page.