Iranian horse

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The majority of Russian hippologists (Witt, Liskun), according to archeological documents, hold Iran as the oldest domestication center of the eastern horse type Tarpan. From here already domesticated, this horse spread in the beginning of the second millennia B. C. to other ancient civilized regions of Asia Minor, Assyria, Babylon and then further into Egypt.

In those days, the horse was consecrated to the Sun God, who was depicted as driving in the sky a wagon pulled by golden horses, whose manes shined like blinding sunlight.

For this reason the Persians sacrificed horses with shiny gold like hair “golden chestnuts”. Greek historian Herodotus wrote about them: “From the gods they worship the Sun God the most, and as food (sacrifice) they bring him a horse. The reason for this immolation is, that to the swiftest of gods the swiftest of all animals aught to be sacrificed”. The “horse cult” was not practiced only by the Iranian nations (Old Persia and Media) but by other nations further north as well.

In later days from this sacrificial animal, the horse became a source of meat and milk and till this day the Iranian nations believe these to have a special life giving powers.

Breeds belonging to the Iranian subgroup:

  • Achaltekin (or Akhal-Teke) ахалтекинская лошадь (rus. Achaltekinskaya loshad’)
  • Yomut (rus. Yomootskaya loshad’)
  • Karabair (rus. Karabairskaya loshad’)
  • Lokai (or Lokay) (rus. Lokayskaya loshad’)
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