Horse-breeding of the Oasis of Surkhan

Since ancient times in Uzbekistan, special attention has been paid to horse breeding. We can see this in dastans and traditions, where poets and bakhshis sang about mythical horses. And most importantly, the horse was very much appreciated as a companion of a horse. As in other regions of the republic, special attention was paid to the development of horse breeding in the Surkhan oasis. Several breeds of horses were bred in the oasis, they were called ‘adobe’, ‘jiyran’, ‘turik’, ‘buz’ and others by color. Uzbeks mainly bred ‘Karabair’, ‘Lakay’, ‘Turkman’, and sometimes Arab ones. For breeding local breeds of horses ‘Karabair’ were used breeds of Turkmen, Arab and Mongolian horses. By breeding horses such breeds of ‘Karabair’ horses as ‘Uzbek’, ‘Miyenkul’, ‘Urgut’ and others were bred. Also, horses were named for their age. A newborn horse was called a ‘kulun’, up to one year a foal, from a year and a half to two years a strigunok, a two-three year old foal, a third year a gunan, a three-four year old dunan, a male after four years a stallion, a female mare. In the Surkhan oasis, Turkmen horses were widely used as a vehicle, they participated in horse racing, racing and kupkari (equestrian competition in which the participants of the competition rip out goat carcass from each other). Responsible for the conservation and reproduction of horse breeds were men. They promptly gave horses food, took them for a walk. The horses that took part in the races, kupkari were raised according to special methods and customs. Such horses were fed from spring to late autumn, with the arrival of autumn they were walked and prepared for competitions. Horses were considered not only a vehicle; they were the most expensive and valuable commodity. At that time, the best horses were estimated from 400 to 600 rubles, and Turkmen horses to 1000 rubles. In a word, horses were not only expensive goods; they were considered the best friend and helper of a horseman.