Akhal-Teke Horse Breed 

Country of Origin: The very old Akhal-Teke horse breed originated in Turkmenistan – a region to the south of Iran and east of the Caspian Sea. 

Blood Type: The Akhal-Teke is in the hotblood group. 

History: The Akhal-Teke is a descendant of the Eastern warriors’ horses known as the Turkoman breed of 2500 years ago. The Akhal-Teke is similar to a type of horse bred around 1000 BC in Ashkhabad, and also the Munaghi Arabian horse breed. It is not known which breed came first. The Akhal-Teke is raised to withstand the extremes of heat and cold in a desert climate. They were originally bred for racing and have always been known for their natural powers of endurance and stamina. In 1935 they traveled 2580 miles on an endurance ride that took them from Ashkhabad to Moscow in 84 days. They crossed 235 miles of the Karakum desert in 3 days and without water during the ride.  

Height: The Akhal-Teke is 14.2 – 15.2 HH. 

Colors: The Akhal-Teke horses are either bay, dun, palomino, chestnut, or gray. 

Description: The Akhal-Teke has a very distinctive golden sheen to their coats. Structurally, they have a very finely modeled head with large eyes; a very long, thin neck set high on the shoulders and high withers; a narrow frame, long body, and their back tends to be weak; a sloping shoulder giving them a soft gait; long muscles on their fine-boned legs which are tough and hard. They have a sparse mane and tail and thin skin.  The have the appearance of an equine version of a greyhound. They are not known for their good conformation by Western standards but their endurance is unequalled. Thoroughbred blood was introduced and they found that some of the endurance was lost.  

Temperament: The Akhal-Teke is courageous and lively and said to have a somewhat difficult temperament. An Akhal-Teke was known for its loyalty to its rider and that was seemingly achieved through inhumane training techniques not used today – a young horse was kept in isolation, fed and handled only by its rider, and stoned by all other people. Enduring those methods may also be the reason an Akhal-Teke horses’ personality can be of a rebellious nature. 

Uses: The Akhal-Teke is still used for racing, and some are used for general purpose riding, competitive endurance riding, show jumping, and in the development of other breeds. Due to their upright confirmation, they carry their heads high. Their mouth is above the level of the rider’s hands which is technically incorrect in competitive dressage and must be trained to carry their head and necks lower.