Mongolian Horse Culture
Mongolia is famous for it's native horse breed, which has been largely unchanged since the days of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. Think of Mongolia, and you think of horses. The two are inseparable. There are indeed more horses than people in Mongolia, and it is also home to the “original” horse (one of the most ancient horse breeds) – Przewalski’s horse, still running wild on the steppe. Nowhere on earth does a nomadic horse culture exist as in Mongolia. Everyone has a connection with horses: the nomad using horses to manage his herds, the kids competing in the great horse races at the huge Naadam Festival each summer, art, music – it is impossible to escape horses. A Mongolian will tell you that Airag (fermented mare’s milk) is the best drink in the world. No trip to Mongolia is complete without sampling it. Mongolians could be considered the best riders in the world; especially given the difficulty of the horses they ride.
About Mongolian Horses
The horses are not coddled as Western horses might be: there are no stables, or fly blankets, or fences. Nevertheless, they are valued both in practical and cultural terms, and the horse’s health and welfare are of utmost importance. The Mongolian horses are small, tough, powerful, durable. The breed is said to be largely unchanged for the past 1000 years. They are capable of galloping at high speeds and carrying along for dozens of miles a day over any type of terrain. They are semi-wild: mares and foals running over the steppe with their stallion, geldings kept in roaming herds for riding. In winter they are protected from -50 degrees by their furry coats, scratching through the snow to the grasses below.