The Kyrgyz gave particular attention to grooming horses. In addition to being a means of displaying status, the Kyrgyz rode horses and used them for transportation. We can say that the horse was universal in every sense of the life of a nomad, and its meat and milk were widely used for food, from the skin and tail for making threads and ropes.
The Kyrgyz horse belongs to the ancient Turkic-Mongolian breed. The Kyrgyz breed was not very tall, but it was strong and hardy enough to ride very comfortably. This horse breed was calm and easy to train.
To make it easier to navigate and make certain preferences, the Kyrgyz used age names for horses, for example “Zhabagy” – a foal up to six months; “Kulun” – a foal up to one year old; “Tai” is a one-year-old stallion; “Kunan” is a two-year-old stallion; “Byshty” – at three years old (adults can ride at this age, earlier than three years old only children can ride); “Asy” – at four years (Starting from the fifth year, it is called one “asy”, then two “asy” and three “asy”. “Two-Asy” means “eight years old,” that is, two to four years. This is the age at which a horse can truly reach its full potential);
The mare is called “Bee” in kyrgyz
“Kunan Baital” – a two-year-old female horse
“Byshty baital” – a three-year-old female horse
“Baital” – a female horse from two years old, without a foal.
“Aygyr” is not a castrated male;
“At” – castrated male;
Also, the Kyrgyz distinguish horses not only by gait but also by character:
“Zhurmal” is the best and quietest horse that can ride a long way.
“Zhartak” – a high-spirited horse quickly gets under way
“Char” – aggressive, energetic, wild horse
“Chynkur” or “Zhataak” – calm, eats little, eats grass selectively, otherwise thin nag.
Often among the people, you can hear such names as “Argymak” – expensive, thoroughbred, Asian horses like Arabian, Akhal-Teke horses for riding. These are the horses with which and for which there were disputes, trade and bets.
Zhorgo – high-speed pacers move forward, lifting two legs of either side at once. 2 hoofs hitting the ground are clearly audible.
It is impossible to imagine the national game Kok Boru without the participation of horses. Specially trained hardy horses participate in a game where they need to have high speed, agility, physical strength to push the opponent out of the circle, and a sense of partnership with the rider. This whole set is reflected in the quality and entertainment of the Kyrgyz game Kok Boru (Ulak Tartysh).
Many guests arriving in Kyrgyzstan will definitely be acquainted with the local culture of nomads and, of course, with Kyrgyz horses in their usual environment in the Kyrgyz pastures “jailoo”. By the way, there is even the name of the village meaning the head of a horse “At Bashi” in the Naryn region, this region is distinguished by a large number of livestock in Kyrgyzstan.
While traveling in Central Asia, namely in Kyrgyzstan, you can ride horses along routes specially prepared for tourists. These tourist horse trails touch such places as the high-mountainous Son Kul Lake, which is located in the heart of the Tien Shan mountain range; The pearl of Kyrgyzstan is Issyk-Kul, the southern coast, especially convenient for horse riding, with its unusual varied landscape and hunters with tamed eagles.
Many people have visited Kyrgyzstan for the sake of interest in horse riding tours, but there are also those who consider Kyrgyz horses more than transport or entertainment. Researcher Jacqueline Ripart from France claims that the Kyrgyz horse is one of the oldest in the world and is well adapted to the highlands. She has worked with breeding horses in almost every continent where horse hooves have walked. For 6 years, she founded the Kyrgyz-Aty non-governmental organization in Kyrgyzstan, where local and foreign experts are working on the restoration of thoroughbred Kyrgyz horses.