Horses in Kyrgyzstan

Originally a status symbol, the possession of numerous horses enables Kyrgyz nomads to carry out military operations, hunt and move around their mountainous country.

After a period of crisis in the 1990s, horse breeding and the consumption of mare milk are enjoying a revival, as are traditional equestrian games and festivals.

[5][failed verification] Like other countries integrated into the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan saw its equestrian traditions decline with the creation of kolkhoz and sovkhoz, due in part to the importation of motor vehicles.

This led to violent clashes between nomadic herders and communist supporters, some of whom preferred to slaughter their entire herds before fleeing the country, rather than donate them to the community.

[14] In early 2016, a British citizen working for a gold mine was arrested for referring to a traditional Kyrgyz sausage as a "horse penis".

Approved by a government decree on 22 May 2003, the aim of this program is to increase the quality and quantity of the herd, in order to obtain enough horses for the various outlets (meat, milk, work and sport).

[19] At the same time, a number of private individuals are attempting to reconstitute herds of pre-Soviet Kyrgyz horses, by collecting animals from remote regions.

[20] When Jean-Louis Gouraud visited the country's main stud farms in 1992, he noted the near-disappearance of the Kyrgyz horse and informed a minister.

[30] Herds that are not milked are generally much larger, and are kept in total freedom in the summer, with farmers checking for wolf attacks and theft every other day.

[30] During the cold season, depending on the intensity of the weather, horses are kept in open pasture or brought in and fed hay, or cereals for those who work hardest.

[36][failed verification] Tiyin ainmey is a competition of skill: a coin (now replaced by a cloth pennant in the modern form) is placed on the ground, and riders must bend down to pick it up as quickly as possible.

[37][failed verification] Eagle hunting is still practised by nomadic horse male riders in Kyrgyzstan, particularly the Berkutchi, and is a feature of traditional salburun events.

The hunting season takes place during the four winter months, when it is customary for the hunter to kill dozens of foxes and badgers, and even lynx and wolves.

[5] Traditional Kyrgyz equestrian harness and implements include the kamtcha (whip or riding crop), bridle and spurs of various shapes and sizes, which are not recommended for beginners.

[38][failed verification] During the second half of the first millennium, the Kyrgyz, like other peoples of southern Siberia, sought to develop shooting techniques, both on foot and on horseback.

[39] The basic Kyrgyz tactic was to harass the enemy with their mounted archers, avoiding close contact; their equestrian skill was unsurpassed.

[42][failed verification] Today, the rules have been codified; jamby atysh schools train riders in Central Asia, and championships are organized.

The development of this practice has led to an improvement in the welfare of the horses, as the Kyrgyz who rent out equidae strive to provide them with good care and proper harnessing.

Although the consumption of horses is on the increase overall (including in the south near Kara-Suu and Aravan, notably as part of festivals), it remains a secondary purpose for the animal.

These reservations have now been overcome, and it is now possible to buy mare milk in shops, as local companies have specialized in collecting and packaging this product.

[33] The nomadic culture of Kyrgyzstan lends itself naturally to the use of horses, which is highly valued in epics, poems and explorers' tales.

Kyrgyz epics and folklore abound with tales of horses transmitting "invincible strength" to its master,[4] as in the case of Tchal-Kouyrouk.

[51] In his travel notes (1960), Víctor Itkovich quotes others: "If you only have a day to live, spend half of it in the saddle", and "Only a horse and pleasant conversation can shorten a long journey".

[53] In the case of matrimonial compensation (kalyn), it is common to give a horse to the in-laws, and customary to provide them with horsemeat and offal during the wedding ceremony.

[61] Similarly, a forty-day rite must be observed after a death to appease the spirit of the deceased,[62] including animal sacrifices and the reading of the Koran.

[64] In 1912, just before the Soviet era, the Northern Kyrgyz organized a feast for 50,000 people on the death of their manap Shabdan, slaughtering 2,000 horses in the process.

[66] Although many different animals can be sacrificed and eaten (cattle and sheep, in particular), horsemeat is the obligatory ingredient of these funeral feasts (ash), the ceremony being recognized only if at least one horse has been slaughtered.

[75] According to Carole Ferret, the Kyrgyz authorities, like the Russians, Yakuts and Turkmens, have used horse breeds as instruments of identity.

The Russians have attempted to reappropriate the local Kyrgyz breed through the creation of the Novokirghiz: she sees in this process the desire to produce a "new horse for a new man".

The existence of a national horse breed became a criterion for defining the human community of Kyrgyzstan, on a par with language and territory.