Karabakh

Karabakh is a mountain steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, part of which is under Armenian military control. The horse was originally developed in this region. These horses are noted for their good tempers and speed. In 2004 a Karabakh horse named Kishmish from Agdam stud in Azerbaijan made a record in speed by running 1000 meters in 1 minute, 9 seconds and 1600 meters in 1 minute, 52 seconds.

The breed is thought to be a cross-breeding of Akhal-Teke, Persian, Kabardin, Turkoman Horse, and Arabian horse. It also influenced the development of the Russian Don horse in the 19th century. At present, the Karabakh is bred mainly in Azerbaijan, but most of the horses are Karabakh-Arabian crosses, not pure Karabakh horses. Currently the breed numbers below 1,000 and is threatened with extinction.

Breed characteristics

The breed is hardy, strong, tough, and sure footed.The horse is not large, 14-15 hands high or 145-150 cm. They have small clean-cut heads, straight profile with broad foreheads and nostrils very capable of dilation. Their neck is set high, average in length, muscular and elegant. They have compact bodies with well defined and developed muscles. The shoulders are often quite upright. The horses have a deep chest, a sloping croup, and long, fine, but very strong legs.

They have thin skin and soft and gleaming hair. The colors of the breed are chestnut and bay, with characteristic golden tint. They can also be gray. White markings are allowed.The horses have a deep chest, a sloping croup, and long, fine, but very strong legs, although the joints are small. The horses are narrow, not very deep through the girth, due to the Akhal-Teke influence.As well as being fast and agile, Karabakh horse is reputed to have good temperaments: calm, willing, and brave.

Breed history

Karabakh has close links to Akhal-Teke, bred in Turkmenistan, Central Asia and the Turkoman Horse bred in Iran. Some historians believe that in ancient times these horses were of the same strain and had significant influence in developing of the Arabian breed. Some historical sources mention that during Arab invasion of Azerbaijan in VIII-IX cc. tens of thousands of horses with golden-chestnut coloring, which is characteristic colors for Karabakhs, were taken by the conquerors.

The breed got its ultimate shapes and characteristics in 18th-19th centuries during Karabakh khanate. There is some evidence that Karabakh ruler Ibrahim-Khalil khan (1763-1806) possessed a horse herd numbering 3,000-4,000, mostly of Karabakh breed. From 19th century this horse breed became increasingly popular in Europe. Thus, in one of the first massive sales in 1823, an English company purchased 60 pure Karabakh mares from Mehdi-Kulu khan, the last ruler of the Karabakh khanate. Karabakh numbers were initially hurt in 1826 during Russo-Iranian war, but the breed remained intact.

After Mehdi-Kulu khan, his daughter Khurshud Banu Natavan took care of the breed. In a series of successes her Karabakh stallions received highest awards in various exhibitions in XIX c. Thus, in an international show in Paris in 1867 the Karabakh horse named Khan received silver medal. In second All-Russian exhibition in 1869 the Karabakh horse named Meymun won a silver medal, another stallion Tokmak won bronze medal and while the third Alyetmez (pictured) received a certificate and was made a producer stallion in Russian Imperial stud.

Karabakh has played an important role in formation of the Russian Don horses. In 1836 Russian general Madatov's heir sold all his horses, including 200 Karabakh mares, to a horse-breeder in Don. Karabakhs were used for improving Russian Dons' characteristics up to the 20th century.

In early the the 20th century the Karabakhs sharply decreased in numbers once again, mostly because of civil and ethnic wars in the Caucasus in general and in Karabakh in particular. The horse breeding enterprise established by Karabakh khans and developed by their heirs was destroyed in 1905. Many pureblood Karabakhs mixed with other non-pure horses, and this resulted in loss of some characteristics, namely the Karabakhs reduced in size.

In 1949 the breed was revived in Agdam stud in Azerbaijan, which assembled most characteristic Karabakhs. In 1956 Karabakh stallion named Zaman, along with an Akhal-Teke Mele-Kush was presented by the Soviet government to the British Queen Elizabeth II.

Karabakh horse breed suffered another setback during Armenian-Azeri conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. In days before the occupation of Agdam by the Armenian forces in 1993 most of the Karabakh horses were salvaged from the Agdam stud. These horses are currently bred in winter pastures in lowland Karabakh plains between Barda and Agjabadi provinces.