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Lipizzan
Posted : 1/4/2010 12:37:10 PM
Divine horses, equine aristocrats, fabled steeds, effulgent diamonds - such flowery epithets have been lavished upon that unique equine breed - the Akhal-Teke. Prized by Alexander the Great, Darius the Great, Genghis Khan, Roman emperors, Marco Polo, and many others, the Akhal-Tekes have served people for over 3,000 years.
Absolutely everything about this horse is unique, outlandish and stunning. It is the most ancient breed on earth. It is one of the most beautiful, elegant and proud horses in the world. Its endurance and resistance to heat are second to none. Today#%92s Akhal-Teke is a race, sports and endurance horse, and a riveting circus performer. Smaller Akhal-Tekes make great Western horses because of their quickness. The Akhal-Teke takes its name from a Turmenian tribe Teke that lives at the Akhal oasis. It is one of the most distinctive horses in the world. Nearly everything about it is exotic and outlandish. Experience of Russians, themselves a race with an Asiatic mentality, shows that some Westerners have a difficulty perceiving the unusual nature of everything about that fiery steed born to challenge the wind of the desert and catch the fancy of Alexander the Great and a long line of historic figures of Greece, Rome, and the Levant.
But the horse is not exactly meant to grace with his presence fancy air-conditioned stables, and to be fed in a way that suits German or Swedish warmbloods. Russians will never understand the European possessors of ex-kings of the desert who proudly parade in front of them overfed underexercised creatures hot-ready for Hanover or Holstiner show rings.
Conformation The Akhal-Teke#%92s exterior makes it very different from other breeds. Some authorities maintain that the Akhal-Teke incorporates almost every conventional conformational failing... and, nevertheless, he is amazingly beautiful and divine, an arrogant equine aristocrat. This confusion comes from using conventional yardsticks to judge an extremely unconventional equine.
For a European or American horse expert to assess an Akhal-Teke requires a conversion. For Russians used to Dons, Orlovs, Kabardins, and an array of other Russian equine stalwarts, understanding Akhal-Tekes is no problem. They have admired those “divine horses” for centuries.
The Akhal-Teke#%92s conformation is ideal for the environment that produced it. Body Its body is tube-like; the *** is narrow; the back is long; the rib-cage is shallow; the loin is long and unpronounced. The quarters are narrow, and would be a nightmare in another horse, but they are spare and sinewy; the croup is quite long, muscular and with a normal sloping angle.
The withers are high, long and well muscled. The shoulders are long, with good slope and very clean shoulder bed. The coat is exceptionally fine and the skin thin, in character with a horse of desert origins. A feature of the breed is a short, silky tail. Head and neck The head is fine and elegant, in harmony with the body, with wide cheeks. The nose line is straight or slightly dish-like, and the big eyes give an impression of boldness. The nostrils are wide, thin and dry, and there is width between the long, beautifully shaped alert ears. The head joins the long, lean neck at an angle of 45 degrees. The neck is set very high and almost vertically to the body. The forelock and mane are not very long.
The line from the mouth is often higher than the withers, a feature peculiar to the breed. Legs and feet The legs are long, clean and dense with clearly defined sinews. The forelegs are usually set close together and are straight; the forearm is long. The hindlegs are long, the hocks are carried high off the ground. The feet are small but regular, the heels are set low, the hoofs are small and hard. Fetlocks have little to no hair.
The Akhal-Teke#%92s pasterns differ from those of other breeds. In other breeds the front pasterns are normally a little bit longer and are positioned a little less vertically than the rear ones. But an Akhal-Teke#%92s rear pasterns are not shorter than the front ones, and are positioned less vertically than the front ones. Probably, it is an unusually loose surface that made the Akhal-Teke horses develop a specifically shaped pastern. Movements The Akhal-Teke#%92s movements are unique, like the horse itself. The way he carries his body, turns his head, shifts his sensitive ears, rears, etc., is absolutely fascinating.
The Akhal-Tekes are products of the sand desert, and the style of their pace is ideal for sands. It is specifically “soft and elastic.” The Akhal-Teke#%92s desert cousin, the Arabian, comes from a stony desert, and he usually walks lifting a leg high, with his body shaking.
Though the Akhal-Teke#%92s pasterns are somewhat more upright, he walks in a much smoother manner, sort of sliding over the ground in a flowing movement without swinging the body, which is better balanced. The push is “elastic” but powerful.
The trot is also free-sliding, and the gallop is easy and long. The jumping action of the Akhal-Tekes is cat-like. Temperament and attitude towards humans The Akhal-Teke horses are vigorous, excitable, and restless. Thousands of years of selective breeding have left their mark not only on their physical appearance and efficiency, but also on their behavior. These horses are not only sensible but also very sensitive; they are even able to respond to mental suggestions of humans. Their intelligence is not comparable to any other breed.
They are essentially one-master horses. Some Tekes may be difficult when ridden by strangers. With them you cannot achieve obedience by shouting or punishment. A glance, a small gesture, or a soft-spoken word are sufficient. A punishment not understood by the horse can cause them to be in a defensive mood for weeks. They are horses with character, outspoken individuals.
Says Sue Waldock, President of the Akhal-Teke Association of GB: “They respond best to daily love and attention, a bit like a dog. If you ignore a dog it will misbehave too. Bonding with a human owner is in their blood.” They are not suited to nervous or irritable humans. They not only need a sensitive rider, but a human being who can share their feelings when they gallop over vast areas just for the joy of movement. They are not suited to the limitations of modern stables, which kill their spirit. They are horses belonging to wide open spaces. Colors Hardly any breed can compare with the Akhal-Teke in variety of colors, which include chestnut, bay, gray, palomino (isabella) , raven black, dun. All the colors, except for raven black, are gold iridescent (the gray ones are silvery). This makes the Akhal-Teke horses very attractive.
The percentages of colors within the breed according to a survey made in 1978: black — 11.7%, dark-brown — 1.9%; sorrel — 10%; dun — 17.1%; palomino — 6.1%; and white — 10.2%. Light palominos were previously excluded from breeding because their eyesight is poorer in glaring sunshine.
During the past few years a certain shift occurred due to a decrease in gray-white horses, which was caused by their being more susceptible to melanoma. As a result of this, there are more bay horses of all shades now, including perlino and dun. This in turn can be accounted for by the increased demand for horses with special colors (gold and silver shine), especially in international markets.  
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