|
The Kabardian (Circassian) breed of
horses and the institution of the horsemanship has its history which
comes up to 2000 years. Caucasian, Karabakh, Mongolian and Arabic
breeds effected greatly a formation of the Kabardian (Circassian)
horses. Besides that climatic conditions, Alpine meadows, mountain
fresh air , and spring water of the Caucasian glasiers had a great
influence on them.
The Kabardian (Circassian) horse breed
has been highly appriciated for its incompetable merits such as
specific endurance, unpretenciouness, strong hoofed horn and special
character good for military activities. The
Kabardian (Circassian) horse is the best in highlands because of its
ability to keep balance while moving up and down along the slip
rocky roads. A developed physical power and endurance allows it to
make 100 km a day loaded up with 150 kg.
The Kabardian (Circassian) horse
was tested in several distant races. One of the outstanding race in
the history of the horsemanship was a horse race round the Caucasian
mountain ridge on a distance of 3000 km in winter 1935-36. It was
the itenarary through Pyatigorsk - Sukhumy - Nalchik - Kutaisy -
Tbilisy - Baku - Makhachkala -Grozny - Vladikavkaz - Nalchik -
Pyatigorsk. This very difficult way, when one had to get over
Sulamski and Klukhorski passes, had been made for 47 days. After
that the participants of the race have covered 600 km from
Pyatigorsk to Rostov for 5 days. In 1994 in Saint-Petersburg within
the program of Russia fair "Russia farmer-94" a race
Moscow-Saint-Petersburg was held. On three horses of the
Kabardian (Circassian) breed 700 km were made for 6 days. In 1991
within the Ecological program "My friend- horse" 2063 km
were made by the rout Moscow-Novgorod-Ivanovo-Frankovsk.
There were horses of the Kabardian (Circassian)
breed. Traditionaly the Circassian breed have been raised in
Kabardino-Balkarian and Karachai- Circassian Republics. But nowadays
the horsemanship in Kabardino-Balkarian as well as in Russia was
decayed. Many local breeds including Kabardian (Circassian) one is
likely to disappear. For the last 15 years nobody attended to horse
selection. The breed have been changed for worse as in quality so in
quantity. Only less than 500 horses of 2000 in the Republic meet the
breed characteristics.
Today just innumerous enthusiasts try
to save the breed. There is a farm "Guaran"-the owner is
Ibragim Yaganov- where such horses are raised. The herd of horses
consisted of 150 mares is pastured on the territory of 34 hectares
and the farmer has all necessary facilities.
The Kabardian (Circassian) breed can be effectively used for the
military purposes , in horse police, tourism, hunting and horse
racing. Inspite of the high results we have no possibility to take
part in distant horse racings and other events because of the
financial problems and taking into account that the State doesn't
support this branch.
We would like to contact with
all who will take interest in this information in order to save,
develop and use this precious breed.
|
