Have you ever seen an animal so exceptionally beautiful, it looks like it’s out of a fairy tale? Well, you’re in for a treat, because we have just that beautiful an animal to share with you, but it’s no fairy tale. The Akhal-Teke horse breed is real, and the Akhal-Teke breed isn’t just beautiful. These horses have been carefully bred over hundreds of years to be a sturdy, exceptional horse. They’re not only fast, but have great endurance and are intelligent creatures. Their coats have a distinctive metal sheen that makes them look almost other-worldly, and they’ve adapted to the severe climatic conditions that exist in the part of the world where they’re commonly found.
Most of the 6,600 Akhal-Teke horses alive today live in Russia, although some can be found in North America and Europe. Theories regarding the original ancestry of this beautiful beast abound, and some of the theories date back thousands of years. However, most experts agree that the Akhal Teke is descended from the Turkoman horse, an older breed. Many people even claim that it’s actually the same breed. These gorgeous horses stand between 58 and 64 inches tall and can come in a variety of colors, including black, chestnut, bay, and grey. The color most commonly seen is the palomino or golden buckskin colors, which are the result of the cream gene that also produces cremello and perlino colors.
Our Breathing Planet, Flickr, Public Domain
People who study this breed believe that the unusual coloring serves to camouflage the horses in the desert, and that makes a lot of sense. Another thing that makes these horses look so regal is that they have a refined head that has a mostly straight or slightly convex profile, plus they have long ears and almond-shaped eyes. When it comes to the tail and mane, they’re usually fairly sparse, and their long backs are lightly muscled and coupled to a flat croup. Their necks are long and upright and they have sloping shoulders. These traits also make them great sporting horses and they’re great show jumpers. They also serve beautifully in eventing, racing, dressage, and endurance riding.
Because they were bred to thrive in the desert, this breed is tough and resilient for the harshness of Turkmenistan lands. In this region, horses must live with minimal need for water or food. In 1935, a group of Turkmen rode their Akhal-Teke horses 2,500 miles from Ashgabat to Moscow in 84 days. This included a three-day crossing of 235 miles of desert. Without water. A breeder named Alexander Klimuk says that, “There is no other horse that leaves such an unforgettable impression as the noble Akhal-Teke – lithe, light and springy, glistening with gold in the rays of the sun, with its smooth gliding trot and a ground-lining gallop.” This is indeed one unforgettable horse.
The beautiful metallic sheen of this breed is caused by a unique hair shaft. The Akhal-Teke’s hair shaft lacks the opaque center found in the shafts of most horses. The Akhal-Teke horse is so important to the country of Turkmenistan that it’s included in the country’s coat of arms and banknotes. You can also see this beautiful horse in other stamps around the world.
Emblem of Turkmenistan, Wikipedia
The country of Turkmenistan also has numerous monuments to these horses that are so important to them. Here is one of the most famous monuments, at the Ahal Velayat Equestrian Complex.
Here’s a video of an American man who visited an Akhal-Teke horse farm. The young man says that it was so surreal because they were driving through the desert and suddenly came across this herd of horses. According to him, they’re the most beautiful breed he’s ever seen and they’re incredibly thick and soft. He said, “if you compare horses to cars, this horse would be a Ferrari.” We can’t disagree with that. This is one beautiful breed of horses. Exquisite.
Featured image: Ahal-Teke.org
