Novokirghiz
Encyclopedia
The Novokirghiz horse is a breed of horse
developed in the 1930s in Kirghizia (Kirghistan). It was developed by breeding the Old Kirghiz with Thoroughbred
, Russian Don
, and Anglo-Don horses. It is also known by the name Novokirgizskaya (Russia
n).
. Novokirghiz horses have small, neat heads; muscular necks; sloping shoulder; pronounced withers
; long backs; sloping hindquarters; and the legs are usually straight, hard, short, strong, and muscular, without any feathering. Sickle hocks
may frequently be seen. These horses closely resemble Don horses. They have been known to be able to cope with almost any kind of terrain. They have good stamina, endurance, and an energetic temperament.
These horses are usually bay, brown (a type of bay), gray
, or chestnut
, though they can be almost any solid color. Their height ranges from 14.2 to 15.2 hands high.
s were imported to the Issyk-Kul stud in Kirghizia (Kirghistan) and were bred with Old Kirghiz mare
s. This breed became fixed during the 1930s and 1940s. Since then, it has largely replaced the Old Kirghiz breed, which had descened mainly from Mongolia
n stock in the high mountain
s of Kirghizia and Kazakhstan. Because of breeding with the English Thoroughbred
, the Novokirghiz has become faster and more refined than the Old Kirghiz. Other breeds that were infused into the Old Kirghiz to develop the Novokirghiz are: English Thoroughbred
, (Russian) Don, and half-bred Anglo/Don blood.
s are usually used for milk, which locals ferment and turn into kumis
, a major staple of their diet. These mares can give up to 20 kg of milk daily. Speed records of this breed are: 1600 m in 1 min 48 sec, and 2400 m in 2 min 44.2 sec. Presently, there are 56,650 in this breed, with 10,700 being purebreds.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
developed in the 1930s in Kirghizia (Kirghistan). It was developed by breeding the Old Kirghiz with Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
, Russian Don
Russian Don
The Russian Don is a breed of horse developed in and named after the steppes region of Russia where the Don River flows. Utilized originally as cavalry horses for the Cossacks, they are currently used for under-saddle work and driving.-Characteristics:...
, and Anglo-Don horses. It is also known by the name Novokirgizskaya (Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n).
Characteristics
The Novokirghiz is faster and more refined than the Old Kirghiz as a result of breeding with the ThoroughbredThoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
. Novokirghiz horses have small, neat heads; muscular necks; sloping shoulder; pronounced withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
; long backs; sloping hindquarters; and the legs are usually straight, hard, short, strong, and muscular, without any feathering. Sickle hocks
Hock (zoology)
The hock, or gambrel, is the joint between the tarsal bones and tibia of a digitigrade or unguligrade quadrupedal mammal, such as a horse, cat, or dog...
may frequently be seen. These horses closely resemble Don horses. They have been known to be able to cope with almost any kind of terrain. They have good stamina, endurance, and an energetic temperament.
These horses are usually bay, brown (a type of bay), gray
Gray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
, or chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
, though they can be almost any solid color. Their height ranges from 14.2 to 15.2 hands high.
History
In 1918, forty-eight ThoroughbredThoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s were imported to the Issyk-Kul stud in Kirghizia (Kirghistan) and were bred with Old Kirghiz mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
s. This breed became fixed during the 1930s and 1940s. Since then, it has largely replaced the Old Kirghiz breed, which had descened mainly from Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n stock in the high mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s of Kirghizia and Kazakhstan. Because of breeding with the English Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
, the Novokirghiz has become faster and more refined than the Old Kirghiz. Other breeds that were infused into the Old Kirghiz to develop the Novokirghiz are: English Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
, (Russian) Don, and half-bred Anglo/Don blood.
Uses
The Novokirghiz is useful for harness, riding, and agricultural work, as well as pack horses in the mountains. It is able to cope with almost any type of terrain. The mareMare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
s are usually used for milk, which locals ferment and turn into kumis
Kumis
Kumis, also spelled kumiss or koumiss in English is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk. The drink remains important to the peoples of the Central Asian steppes, of Turkic and Mongol origin: Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Yakuts, Mongols and Kalmyks...
, a major staple of their diet. These mares can give up to 20 kg of milk daily. Speed records of this breed are: 1600 m in 1 min 48 sec, and 2400 m in 2 min 44.2 sec. Presently, there are 56,650 in this breed, with 10,700 being purebreds.