Mongolian horses are stocky creatures, with short legs, strong hoofs, and large heads suited to harsh weather conditions of -45⁰C to +40⁰C as they stay outdoor year-round, self-feeding.
The half-wild Mongolian horses are native to the land, domesticated around 4000 years ago, and are a solid breed without human influence or artificial insemination.
The mature Mongolian horse withers vary from 123 to 142 cm (48 to 55 inches). Mongolian horses weigh 296 to 400 kg (657 to 880 pounds). Body length (from the point of the shoulder to the hop point) is between 130 cm and 140 cm (51 to 55 inches), have chest circumferences of 155 to 170 cm (61 to 67 inches).
There are 4.09.3000 horses in Mongolia, which outnumber the human population of 3.350.000.
Mongolian horse speed depends on if the horse is a racing horse or a regular riding horse/workhorse.
Let’s take the example of race stallion and regular stallion.
The regular Mongolian stallion can gallop 30 km/h, while the Mongolian race stallion can cover 46 km/h ridden by a child jockey.
Mongolian horses can carry 120 to 130 kilograms. Although, an appropriate weight limit for a rider is a maximum of 98 kilograms in long-distance riding. They bear a rider for 65 to 70 km in a day and could gallop with a rider for 25 to 30 km without slowing down.
Mongolian horses played significant roles during the world map changing invasion and expansion of the Great Mongol Empire, formed by Genghis Khan in the 13th century throughout his descendants’ conquest, followed by subsequent contribution and obligation in some historical periods.
Today, the horses are foremost for Mongolians as the horses are the national pride, particularly of men, the same as men in your country are happy with their nice cars.
The horses are used as riding animals for travel or livestock herding, provide raw materials, food and drinks. Mongolians ferment mare milk to make the famous drink Airag.
Horse racing is a national sport. Therefore, the owner of a fast racehorse is famous in Mongolia and considered rich.
However, modernization is changing the nomads’ lifestyle. Cars and motorcycles replace the horse duties in areas closer to the towns and cities.
Western and Mongolian horses are poles apart in terms of care by their owners.
Allowing the horses to graze free in the wild, keeping them less around their home, and riding the horses for a few days in turns are ways Mongolians are caring for horses. Thus, the horses remain spiritual, gain weight and strength to survive in harsh winters or the hotness of the Gobi Desert. For Mongolian nomads, it is almost not possible to feed the horses and other animals with special food or fodder because one family owns too many animals. Mongolians do not use blankets for the horses unless the horses are too skinny or weak through and after the harsh winter with excessive snow cover or ice cover over the forage.
On the contrary, Mongolians are proud of their racehorses and nice-looking spiritual horses. Some people prefer the body shapes while the others prefer some colors or appearance such as spotted horse, a horse with white forehead, yellowish horse and so on depending on one’s feeling.
Mongolians groom the horse mane cutting short and erecting and thinning the tail.
The horse hooves are trimmed naturally while the horses are grazing on the different surfaces.
When you visit the nomads’ home, you will see horse main and tail hair tied in rope, hanged between the ger top window center and roof poles. Mongolians retain mane or tail hair as a reminder when they sell, trade, or slaughter a horse.
The distinction of Mongolian horses is their strength, stamina, and endurance suited to the continental weather and high altitude (approximately 1400m above sea level). Mongolian horses, so-called ponies, always correct the underestimation of the riders or visitors to Mongolia because they could carry riders for long-distance on the steppes, valleys, forests, stony surfaces, swamps, and rivers, sometimes enduring unpleasant weather.
Without the Mongol horses, the Mongol warriors’ success in history or the existence of the country could be questionable.
One might not argue with the contribution of the Mongol horse to the Mongol conquer in the 13th century.
Copyright © 2008-2024. Virgin Nature LLC
