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In order to know the breeds of Iraq, one has to know
the history of the region. During Cleopatra's days, Iraq was a part of
Persia.
Turkaman Horse
Akhal-Teke
A rare riding horse from Turkmenistan, east of the Caspian Sea and north of
Iran. This breed is one of the oldest horse breeds, almost for 3000 years.
Although the Akhal-Teke and related types of horse have provided a base for
the horse breeds of Asia and Europe, this breed is all that remains of the
original fountainhead of horse breeds. An ideal horse for the desert, it is
also known for its phenomenal powers of endurance. The breed became a modern
legend in 1935 when several Turkamans completed an 84 day, 4128 km trip from
Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan, to Moscow, Russia. This incredible journey, which
included 966 km of desert with minimal rations of feed and water, has never
been equaled.
The Akhal-Teke
stands about 157.5 cm high at the withers…Its long, narrow, tube like body
has the fine, strong build typical of desert horses. The legs and back are
long, and the withers are high. The long, slender neck is carried unusually
high, joining the body at a 45 degree angle, a distinguishing characteristic
of this breed.
Large eyes and
wide nostrils give the fine boned face a bold expression. Large ears are set
wide apart. It has a distinctive metallic, golden sheen overlaying a fine
haired coat that can be colored dun (yellowish or bluish), bay (reddish),
gray, or black. Its mane and tail are silky but sparse.
It is ridden,
raced, and used for show jumping, dressage (guiding a horse through a series
of complex maneuvers with slight movements of the hands, legs, and weight of
the rider), and competitive long-distance riding.
Turkaman breed has 3 many strains: Akhal-Teke: it is a pure turkman horse.
Yamout: shorter and stronger. Chenaran: it is a hybrid of a Turkman and an
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Kurdish Horse
A small horse breed of Iran (with a high about
150 cm or lower). A strong and resistant horse ideal for mountainous roads.
This horse is an ancient breed with a long history in Iran. There is three
strains of this breed: Jaff, Afshari and Sanjabi.
Caspian
Research into the history and origin of this elegant horse proved the
ancient lineage of the Caspian. It was identified, as a royal breed
previously thought long extinct.
Through examination and research of ancient Persian archaeological
remains, along with blood type, bone structure and genetic testing, the
Caspian was found to be the forerunner of Persia's native wild horses. It
was used to develop the ancient Arabian by the Mesopotamians in the 3rd
millennium BC. Identification of the Caspian was aided by several of its
unique features such as its blood hemoglobin composition and its skeletal
structure.
The rediscovery of the Caspian and the archaeological and scientific
research it inspired have offered solid and convincing proof of the origin
of the hot blooded, Near Eastern horse. As Louise Firouz states, "Iran's
position at the crossroads of the earliest human in migrations with the lush
pastures of the Elburz and Zabros mountains and plentiful water, put her in
the unique position of having all the natural elements for being the first
to selectively breed horses for different uses and specific characteristics.
" With findings from cave diggings made in Iran in 1949, Carleton Coon
discovered remains, which proved that the horse was in Iran in the
Mesolithic period. This finding refuted the previously held belief that
horses were not native to Iran, but were introduced by Indo-Europeans in the
3rd or early 2nd millennium BC.
Small wild horses roamed the district of Persia around Kermanshah, now
known as Bakhatran, in west central Iran. The most common theory of the
horse's presence around Kermanshah is that many species were swept southward
before glaciers, retreating to warmer climates. After the glaciers melted,
many species returned to their former northern habitats, but some remained
within fixed geographical areas forming isolated breeding groups with
distinctive genetic characteristics. This would account for the very early
isolated pocket of Caspians in ancient Persia in the Zabras near Kermanshah.
Timotheas of Gaza, writing in the 6th century AD, stated that a small
breed of horse was then being raised in the area of Kermanshah: "The horses
of the Medes are of moderate size with small ears and heads unlike those of
a horse." The typical, ancient large horse to which he would have compared
this breed was substantially smaller than an average sized modem horse, and
was Roman-nosed. This horse of moderate size would have been a small horse
with a head unlike the Roman-nosed Nisaean horse, in other words, a small,
dish-headed horse, the Caspian.
The Caspian can no longer be found in the Kermanshah region, only in the
Elburz Mountains south of the Caspian Sea. A probable explanation of the
Caspians presence in the Elburz Mountains is suggested by the wanderings and
settlement of a native Iranian tribe. Noel, in 1921 Geographic journal
writes: "The natives of the Kaler Dasht are a tribe that originally brought
over from Kermnanshah and they breed ponies." It is noteworthy that no true
"ponies" have been located in the Kaler Dasht, a foothills region of the
Elburz Mountains, only small horses, the Caspian.
So the Caspian found refuge in the Elburz Mountains at the southern
Caspian seashore (as did a few blue-eyed Circassian Zoroastrians). The
preservation and purity of the breed was due to this fortunate circumstance.
In the intervening centuries, the small Caspian horse ran wild or was
captured and bred as a workhorse in this remote mountainous region. Local
villagers referred to these horses as "Mouleki" or "Pouseki".
Upon her discovery and survey of the Caspians in the region, Louise
Firouz commented: "That they are so distinctively peculiar to one small
region leads one to believe that they were systematically bred for a purpose
at one time. Their remarkable characteristics come through so clearly that
they are probably throw-backs to a strongly dominant breed." Archaeology can
help understand the purpose for which the Caspian was systematically bred as
a pureblood breed.
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Tazi
(Persian-Arab) (Asil) Horse
It is said that
origin of the Arab horse is Persia. In Iran we call this breed az Asil, Tazi
or Arab Horse. …the word Tazi in farsi has 2 different means: (Arab and
Galloping), and it's sure that what we mean about these 2 animals is a dog
or a horse that gallops. But in the world and specialy in Western countries
people call this breed az Arab Horse. This Horse Arab is known as the most
beautiful and famous horse in the world which in actually it is the father
of all oriental or hot- blooded horses. Asil Horse divides to some strains
that the most important of them are: Kehilan, Hamdani,
Saglavi, Obyan, and Hadban.
It comes in
various colors Like: Bay, grey and white. Primary Uses of Asil Horses are:
Cross-breeding and Riding. The center of Iranian Arabs in Iran, is Kerman,
Khouzestan and some Tribes in southwest of this country.
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