Lokai and Tersk Horses
The Formmer USSR consists of large areas of forest, steppe land, and high, remote mountains where the climate is harsh and life has not changed for hundreds of years. In the early 20th century the Soviets encouraged the breeding of local horses suited to the environment and the local economy and then improved them by outcrosses and selective breeding, using performance tests as a means of evaluation. Breed standards were laid down detailing body measurements. Breeding stock is chosen from those conforming most closely to the specified standard. Two standouts from this program, are the Lokai and Tersk Horses
The LoKAI HORSE
The Lokai is a mountain horse bred in Tajikistan on the western edge of the Pamirs, just south of the Tien Shan range. It was developed in the 12th century by the Lokai people, a sub-tribe of the Uzbek, when they moved eastward from the shores of the Aral Sea. Initially a mix of Central Asian blood, the Lokai was more specifically improved by Iomud (Persian) blood, and by the Karabair the main Uzbek breed and a true eastern horse with Arab and Turkmene antecedents.
More recently there have been outcrosses to Tersk, Arab, and Thoroughbred stallions. The result is a lightly built, wiry, tough horse, with very hard feet. The nbs are sometimes malformed, particularly in the hocks and the spllayed forefeet. Even so, the Lokai n carry a rider 80 km (50 miles) a day over mountain tracks at an average speed of 8-9.5 km/h (5-7 mph). It is raced, used under pack, and is an excellent mount for the national game of kokpar, the fight over the goat carcase. The herds are kept at pasture all through the year, moving up into the mountains in spring. The mares are milked in accordance with nomadic tradition.
THE TERSK HORSE
The Tersk was created between 1921and 1950, at the Tersk and Stavropol Studs in the Northern Caucasus, when the Soviet agricultural ministry was concerned to re-establish the horse population. The new breed was planned to replace the Strelets Arabian, which had virtually disappeared in the early 1920s. Only two stallions, both silver grey, and a few mares survived. These horses were sent to Tersk in 1925 and were used as foundation stock for the new project.
No attempt was made to preserve the original Strelets, since the survivors were thought to be too in-bred. However, three pure Arab stallions were introduced and a number of cross-bred mares: Arab/Don, Strelets/Kabardin, and a few cross-bred Hungarian Gidrans. The breeding of the Tersk was incredibly successful and, indeed, the breed is probably even more beautiful than its predecessor the Strelets and is highly regarded. Tersks are distinctly Arabian in appearance, and are characterized by a particularly light, elegant movement. They are good dressage prospects, having clean, defined paces; they are excellent jumpers and bold cross-country horses, and they race very successfully against Arabs. Their beauty, intelligence, and gentleness also make them popular in the great circuses, which play an important part in Russian culture.
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