Altai horses are one of the most ancient breeds of horses found in the world, unique to the Altai region of Siberia. In ancient times these tough-as-nails breeds would scale the mountains in the depths of a Siberian winter with the full load on its back. This breed is a testament to the Russian spirit and a natural marvel of Siberia’s fauna.
The Altai horse’s origins may be traced back to nomadic times, making the Altai horse one of many oldest breeds of horses in the world. Nomadic tribes would extensively breed and raise this breed of the horse while surviving in the hilly elements of Eastern Europe. These regions were subjected to harsh weather conditions along with extreme terrain, requiring a powerful workhorse to labor the mountains.
The Altai horses needed to be extremely strong and have immense endurance capabilities to survive in the Siberian climate. These horses adapted themselves to the harsh climatic conditions of Siberia and other mountain regions with time https://nomadific.com/, becoming an indispensable part of the landscape and the lives of the nomadic people.
Through their relative physical isolation, for many years, the Altai remained a natural breed. In the early 20th century, different kinds were introduced to develop larger and stronger breeding lines providing more capacity for work in the area. While there’s been mixed horse breeding for years, the pure ancient bloodline has remained stable over time. There are still bands of indigenous breeds high in the Altai Mountains that retain qualities of the Altai horse ancestors.
A healthy horse has very well toned lungs, muscles, tendons, and heart to aid them in traversing the mountainous region with ease. These developments are significantly noticed when in comparison to a modern-day horse of similar size and stature. The head of the Altai horse is more significant than usual and includes a shorter fleshier neck. The average-sized horse is around 13 hands high, slightly shorter in contrast because of their shorter legs, which prove more powerful at racing over the mountain terrain. Their short legs and sure-footedness allow them to easily maneuver through the rock-cut trails and fast-moving streams, which will be essential for the rider or the valuable cargo traveling across Siberia.
The Altai horse is a testament to the potency of the Russian and Siberian spirit. The power of the horses that carved paths throughout this rugged land is forged in history and remains active to this day. Russian horses have a resounding component of endurance, proven to biologists on a global scale.
If you’re enthusiastic about a Russian adventure on horseback or need to carve your path on through the natural beauty of Russia, then follow this link and learn about further discoveries in Russia and Siberia:
