History of the Akhal-Tekes

History of the Akhal-Teke

Akhal-Teke
125 KARA KUSH

The Akhal-Teke is descended from the Turkmene horse, thought originally to be an ancient Scythian type. The Scythians were nomadic people who migrated from Central Asia to southern Russia in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. The Scythians were among the earliest people to master the art of riding. They were admired for their prowess in war, and in particular for their horsemanship. As early as 700 BC they had huge cavalries. The Scythians founded a rich, powerful empire that survived for several centuries before succumbing to the Sarmatians during the 4th century BC.

Akhal-Teke horses were originally bred as war and raiding horses. The breed was named to identify with the Teke tribe from the Akhal oasis, located in the arid plains of Turkmenistan on the Northern slopes of the Kopet-Dag Mountains. The nomadic Teke people, descended from the Scythians, regularly traveled between summer and winter ranges. They frequently conflicted with other tribes, leading the Tekes to invade to take what was necessary and then quickly leave on their swift horses. Building on the natural qualities of the Turkmene horse, they bred animals of incredible stamina and fiery temperament in order to withstand the long distance raiding journeys. The fame of the Akhal-Teke in the ancient world spread very far, and they became highly desired. One Chinese emperor in particular, Emperor Wu Ti of 141 B.C., sent an expedition carrying large amounts of gold to exchange for these horses, but his offer was refused. Several years later, he sent an expedition of 60,000 soldiers, and was finally presented with 10 elite horses.

The Tekes horses’ lineage and breeding was kept pure, through an oral tradition of maintaining bloodlines, and also due to their relative isolation. The pride the Tekes had in their horses became intertwined with their reliance upon them to support their way of life. The Teke people revered their prized horses and were highly devoted to them. Horses were valued as the single measure of true wealth thus their horses were brought into the family tents, blanketed against the cold desert nights and winter winds. They were given the best foods that could be found, including grains, animal proteins and fat. The Akhal-Tekes are lively and alert, with a reputation for being "one-rider" horses due to the way in which they were raised, but also they seem to have an intuitive nature to be close to their owners more so than other breeds. The breed is tough and resilient, having adapted to the harshness of Turkmenistan lands, where horses must live without much food or water.

When Russia took over Central Asian areas and prevented customary raiding, the Turkmene focused on racing their prized Akhal-Tekes. One of the darkest periods in the history of the breed came as a result of the Bolshevik revolution and Communism. Thousands of horses were slaughtered. It goes without saying that this campaign tore at the very soul of the Teke people. Rather than allow their prized horses to be slaughtered, many Tekes disappeared into the deserts with their horses or turned their horses loose.

One of the most outstanding exhibitions of equine endurance ever recorded occurred in 1935 with the Akhal-Teke horse. The Turkmoman people took a group of Akhal-Teke stallions over 2,500 miles from Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, to Moscow in 84 days to demonstrate to Joseph Stalin their formidable strength and what a rare, valuable breed of horse the Akhal-Teke was; worthy of preservation and devotion to keep pure in the hopes that he would grant his permission for their continued breeding. The campaign was a success. 225 miles of the journey crossed the KaraKum desert, which was covered in 3 days with little water available. This endurance ride was repeated in 1988. Since that time, the Akhal-Teke has been bred for purity, while still contributing its outstanding qualities to cross-breeding efforts. Today, racing Akhal-Tekes and maintenance of the breed itself is a principal source of national and cultural pride.

Today Akhal-Teke horses are bred throughout America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and other parts of the world. Here in the USA they number several hundred and are becoming more numerous. They are competing in Endurance, Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Western events, as well as being used as pleasure horses. More and more people are enjoying partnerships with the unique Akhal-Tekes.