Akhal-Teke

The Akhal-Teke ( or ; from Turkmen Ahalteke, [axalˈteke]) is a Turkmen horse breed. They have a reputation for speed and endurance, intelligence, thin manes and a distinctive metallic sheen which led to their nickname, "Golden Horses". These horses are adapted to survive in severe climatic conditions and are thought to be one of the oldest existing horse breeds. There are currently about 6,600 Akhal-Tekes in the world, mostly in Turkmenistan, although they are also found throughout Europe and North America. The first part of their name, "Akhal," is the name of the line of oases along the north slope of the Köpetdag mountains in Turkmenistan, inhabited by the Teke tribe of Turkmens. There are several theories regarding the original ancestry of the Akhal-Teke, some dating back thousands of years. The Akhal-Teke is probably a descendant of an older breed known as the Turkoman horse, which some claim is the same breed. The tribes of Turkmenistan selectively bred these horses, recording their pedigrees orally. The breed was used in raiding, and in the losing fight against the Russian Empire where it was subsumed into the Empire along with its country. The Turkoman has influenced many other breeds, including modern warmbloods, and recent research confirms that Turkoman stallions made significant contributions to the development of the Thoroughbred. However, there also exists the possibility that all Akhal-Tekes today have a Thoroughbred sire line. The studbook was closed in 1932. The Soviet Union printed the first breed registry in 1941, including over 700 horses.