Akhal-Teke Horse Day in Turkmenistan

In Turkmenistan, horses are considered family members along with others. This is not surprising, because love for them is absorbed from childhood. The ancestors of the Turkmens, a nomadic people, natural horse breeders and riders, could not imagine their life without a thoroughbred horse. But the Akhal-Teke horses remain the best and especially valuable for this people. Fast as the wind, graceful and resilient, they have become the national treasure of the Turkmen people. Since 1992, Akhal-Teke Horse Day has also become a national holiday approved at the state level. The date may change each year as it is the last Sunday in April. This breed is so unique and unlike others that the ancient Turkmens believed that it originated from heavenly horses. And it is so revered by modern Turkmens that its image can be found everywhere. There are monuments in every city, they are on banknotes, and even the country’s coat of arms was awarded to the Akhal-Teke. It depicts the Yanardag, which became the world standard of the breed in 1999. The events dedicated to this day are so colorful and unusual that tourists from European countries come to them with pleasure. The indispensable attributes of the holiday are horse shows, horse riding (horses with elements of acrobatics and stunts), and festive concerts. One of the traditional ones is a 60-kilometer race with the participation of horses of this breed. They differ from traditional ones in one thing: the winner is not the stallion that came first, but the most enduring one. Winning this race is considered a great honor. This breed was valued not only in Turkmenistan; the Akhal-Teke was the favorite stallion of Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, and Peter the Great. Often stallions served as gifts for high-ranking people. For example, of the five horses presented to Khrushchev, he decided to present one to Elizabeth II. When she saw it, she decided that it was painted with gold paint, because the wool of a pure Akhal-Teke horse always has a characteristic satin tint.