The Akhal-Teke horse, also known as the “golden horse,” is a breed that originated from Turkmenistan.
Here, it is celebrated as a national symbol, being one of the oldest and most unique horse breeds. This breed is named after the Akhal oasis and the Teke tribe, which are both significant in this region.
This horse is revered as a national symbol for many reasons. (Photo: ohman).
This is a rare horse breed, with only a few hundred individuals left in the world, including those that have entered legend with their shimmering golden coat and blood-red sweat.
The Akhal-Teke is considered one of the rarest horse breeds in the world, known for its endurance and incredibly fast running capabilities. This is indeed the horse that sweats blood in legend. Akhal-Teke, the lord of the Karakum Desert.
The golden horse is a breed that seems to have stepped out of legend. (Photo: I’m rubish)
Akhal-Teke is one of the most purebred horse breeds in the world. They were domesticated about 3,000 years ago and were brought to China several times, but they could not survive.
According to records by Sima Qian, a Chinese historian who lived during the early Han Dynasty, after an initial failed military expedition, Emperor Wu of Han sent about 300,000 troops to attack the Dawan Kingdom in the Western Regions in 104 BC. After a victorious return, the Han army brought back dozens of superior horses along with over 3,000 medium-quality horses to build an unbeatable cavalry.
The Akhal-Teke horse also appeared in the martial arts novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong and accompanied the Persian emperor Xerxes and Alexander the Great of Macedonia. Alexander the Great (Greek) rode a horse named Bucephalus (a Thessalian breed, more specifically an Akhal-Teke). This name means “bull head,” due to its features: wide forehead, concave muzzle, and long nostrils. Bucephalus had a magnificent black coat, with a white star on its forehead and mismatched colored eyes (one blue), contributing to its uniqueness. Historians recount that it was Alexander’s father, Philip of Macedon, who purchased Bucephalus at a very high price at that time; however, no one could tame this horse except Alexander.
The Akhal-Teke horse also appeared in the martial arts novel “The Legend of the Condor Heroes.”
The Akhal-Teke has a swift gait like a hunting dog, with bulging chest muscles, a prominent face, and eyes that seem to blaze with fire when facing an enemy.
With a neck as graceful as a swan’s, the Akhal-Teke is often regarded as a magnificent creation of nature.
