 Kabardin stallion | |
| Other names | Kabardin |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Russia |
The Kabarda, Kabardin or Circassian horse is a breed from the Caucasus, originating from Eastern Circassia, currently part of the Kabardino-Balkaria region of Russia. These horses are noted for their endurance and ease to adapt in difficult environments.
The Kabarda has been bred since the 16th century by mountain tribesmen in the northern Caucasus, and is the product of centuries of selective breeding for the ability to survive in harsh conditions.[ citation needed ] The Kabarda breed was formed from a combination of steppe horses, the Karabakh, the Arabian and the Turkoman. The breed are usually kept in herds, and are moved between mountain pastures in the summer and foothills areas in the winter. [1] A theory exists that Kabardian and Cleveland Bay breeds may have common origins. [2] [ dubious – discuss ]
At the beginning of the 20th century, Count Stroganov began a program of crossing Kabardas with Arabians, and the results were considered satisfactory.[ citation needed ] After the 1917 Russian Revolution, the numbers of Kabarda were hugely reduced, and during the 1920s efforts were made to re-establish the breed.[ citation needed ] Between 1935 and 1953, the purebred population averaged 446 stallions and 3272 mares. During early half of the twentieth century, a new breed, called the Anglo-Kabarda was formed by crossing Kabardas with Thoroughbreds, and in 1966 the new breed was recognized. By the late 1980s the number of purebred Kabarda breeding mares had dropped to between 400 and 450, concentrated mainly at the Malokarachaevski and Malkinski studs and other breeding farms in the Kabardino-Balkaria region, including the Krasny Partizan collective farm in the Stavropol territory. [1]
The Kabarda stands 14.1 to 15.1 hands (57 to 61 inches, 145 to 155 cm) high, with a coat that is bay, black, or gray. [3] They are a solid, cleanly built horse with a clean head, a well-muscled neck, medium-high withers, a deep chest, long, sloping shoulders, a short, solid back, and a muscular, slightly sloping croup. Their legs are correctly set, with clean, well-developed joints and hard hooves. [1] The Kabarda's blood has a heightened oxygenating capacity, useful for work high in the mountains. The breed also is an easy keeper, that is, it has a tendency to accumulate fat quickly, which helps when the horses are exposed to extreme conditions on a regular basis, but can be a hardship for owners when the horses are kept stabled.[ citation needed ]
There are three main subtypes of the Kabarda breed:
The Kabarda horse has been bred for stony and mountainous terrain. The breed is usually fast and has good endurance. [1] They are often used as a sport horse outside of Russia, and for the creation and improvement of other breeds, such as the Anglo-Kabarda, the Tersky, [3] and native stock in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Although they are mainly used as a saddle horse, they work well in harness and as a pack horse. The mountain tribesmen of the Caucasus make hay on steep slopes by hitching Kabardas to horse-drawn mowers.[ citation needed ]
The Akhal-Teke is a Turkmen horse breed. They have a reputation for speed and endurance, intelligence, and a distinctive metallic sheen. The shiny coat of the breed led to their nickname, "Golden Horses". These horses are adapted to severe climatic conditions and are thought to be one of the oldest existing horse breeds. There are currently about 6,600 Akhal-Tekes in the world, mostly in Turkmenistan, although they are also found throughout Europe and North America. Akhal is the name of the line of oases along the north slope of the Kopet Dag mountains in Turkmenistan. It has been inhabited by the Tekke tribe of Turkmens.
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest modern breeds. Although modern DNA cannot trace breed purity in the modern population beyond 200 years, there is archaeological evidence of horses in the Middle East with landrace characteristics that resemble modern Arabians dating back 3,500 years. Throughout history, Arabian horses have spread around the world by both war and trade, used to improve other breeds by adding speed, refinement, endurance, and strong bone. Today, Arabian bloodlines are found in almost every modern breed of riding horse.
Kabardian may refer to:
The Kabardians or Kabardinians are one of the twelve major Circassian tribes, representing one of the twelve stars on the green-and-gold Circassian flag. They are also commonly known by the plural terms Kabardin, Kebertei, or Kabarday. Along with the Besleney tribe, they speak a distinctive dialect of the Circassian. Historically the Kabardians lived in Kabardia, a region of the north Caucasus. In modern times the Kabardians live mostly in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, which partly corresponds to the historic region.
The Cleveland Bay is a breed of horse that originated in England during the 17th century, named after its colouring and the Cleveland district of Yorkshire. It is a well-muscled horse, with legs that are strong but short in relation to the body. The horses are always bay in colour, although a few light hairs in the mane and tail are characteristic of some breed lines. It is the oldest established horse breed in England. The ancestors of the breed were developed during the Middle Ages for use as pack horses, when they gained their nickname of "Chapman Horses". These pack horses were cross-bred with Andalusian and Barb blood, and later with Arabians and Thoroughbreds, to create the Cleveland Bay of today. Over the years, the breed became lighter in frame as they were employed more as carriage and riding horses. The popularity of the Cleveland Bay has greatly fluctuated since it was first imported to the United States in the early nineteenth century. Despite serious declines in the population after the Second World War, the breed has experienced a resurgence in popularity since the 1970s, although only around 550 horses existed worldwide as of 2006.
The Russian Don is a breed of horse developed in and named after the steppes region of Russia where the Don River flows. Utilized originally as cavalry horses for the Cossacks, they are currently used for under-saddle work and driving.
The Karabakh is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse breed. It is named after the Karabakh region, from which the breed originates. The breed is noted for its good temperament and speed; in 2004, a Karabakh horse named Kishmish from an Aghdam stud farm covered 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in 1.09 minutes and 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) in 1.52 minutes.
The Criollo, or Crioulo, is the native horse of the Pampas with a reputation for long-distance endurance linked to a low basal metabolism. The breed, known for its hardiness and stamina, is popular in its home countries.
The Württemberger, Baden-Württemberger or Württemberg is a Warmblood horse breed originating in Germany. They are primarily riding horses, and are selectively bred for dressage and show jumping.
The Budyonny is a breed of horse from Russia. It was bred as a military horse after the Russian Revolution of 1917; in the twenty-first century it is used as an all-purpose competition horse and for driving.
The Haflinger, also known as the Avelignese, is a breed of horse developed in Austria and northern Italy during the late 19th century. Haflinger horses are relatively small, are always chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, have distinctive gaits described as energetic but smooth, and are well-muscled yet elegant. The breed traces its ancestry to the Middle Ages; several theories for its origin exist. Haflingers, developed for use in mountainous terrain, are known for their hardiness. Their current conformation and appearance are the result of infusions of bloodlines from Arabian and various European breeds into the original native Tyrolean ponies. The foundation sire, 249 Folie, was born in 1874; by 1904, the first breeders' cooperative was formed. All Haflingers can trace their lineage back to Folie through one of seven bloodlines. World Wars I and II, as well as the Great Depression, had a detrimental effect on the breed, and lower-quality animals were used at times to save the breed from extinction. During World War II, breeders focused on horses that were shorter and more draft-like, favored by the military for use as packhorses. The emphasis after the war shifted toward animals of increased refinement and height.
The Kustanair is a breed of horse developed in Kazakhstan in the former U.S.S.R. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are used mainly for under-saddle and light draft work.
The Lokai, a mountain horse bred in Tajikistan, is used as a riding horse, a packhorse, or even sometimes a light draft horse. Although small, the breed is agile and hardy. The breed was developed by crossing native mountain horses with a mixture of Central Asian and European bloodlines.
The Malopolski is a Polish horse breed developed in the 19th century in Lesser Poland, Polish Małopolska, hence the name. It is versatile breed, used today for light draft and under-saddle work. It was developed mainly from native Polish horses crossed with Thoroughbreds and Arabians, and a 2006 study shows a strong genetic presence of Thoroughbred bloodlines within the breed today. Population numbers have been in decline since the late 20th century, but genetic studies show little danger of inbreeding at this time.
The Tori is a horse originating in continental Estonia.
The Kazakh Horse is a horse breed of the Kazakh people, who live mainly in Kazakhstan, but also in parts of China, Mongolia, Russia and Uzbekistan. It is used mainly as a riding horse, and is known for its hardiness and stamina.
The Anglo-Kabarda or Anglo-Kabardin is a breed of horse that is a cross between the Kabarda and the Thoroughbred.
The Karachay is developed in the Northern Caucasus. It comes from highland Karachay at the rise of the River Kuban. They were developed by crossing regional horses with eastern stallions. Karachay horses are summered in rugged mountain country where there are wide changes in temperature and humidity, and wintered in the foothill and plains with some hay feeding. These conditions make the Karachay horse strong-limbed and sturdy.
The Chernomor is a Russian breed of saddle horse originating from the Krasnodar Krai and Rostov Oblast, near the Black Sea in Russia. The Chernomor was originally bred from crosses between the mounts of Zaporozhian Cossacks and Kazakh nomads in the late 18th century. The breed was then influenced by crosses with various saddle horses, such as the Russian Don and the Karabakh. After the World War I, Chernomor breeding was weakened and merged with that of the Budyonny breed.