Akhal Teke UK
©Black Fox 2007-2011
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In October 2010, a Russian rider Vitaly Andrukhovich and his Akhal-Teke stallion Makka
Shael arrived at Stal Sprengenhorst to spend three months with Rien and Inge Van Der Schaft
at their dressage training facility in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Towards the end of their stay, the
verdict from the trainers - some of the most respected in Europe - was: “We need two more
years for you to reach the Olympic standard.”
Shael arrived at Stal Sprengenhorst to spend three months with Rien and Inge Van Der Schaft
at their dressage training facility in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Towards the end of their stay, the
verdict from the trainers - some of the most respected in Europe - was: “We need two more
years for you to reach the Olympic standard.”
Rien and Inge take turns on alternate days instructing the pair who work in the covered arena
alongside one or two other horses. Needless to say, there are no behaviour issues.
alongside one or two other horses. Needless to say, there are no behaviour issues.
We are watching a session with Inge. They work on softness in the rider’s body: “Ride with
his movement, Vitali”, she says, “do not sit too stiff. Yes, sometimes we have to apply a
stronger aid but as soon as the horse responds, the rider must merge into the horse’s
movement and ride with the horse. In Dutch, we have two words: “Controleren [control] and
Beheersen [guide, direct]”. Yes, we must be in control of the horse but to ride dressage we
should guide the horse, not restrain it. After all, dressage is a kind-of dance.”
After teaching Vitali, Inge rides herself on one of their advanced Dutch horses and the
contents of Makka’s lesson unfold in front of our eyes.
his movement, Vitali”, she says, “do not sit too stiff. Yes, sometimes we have to apply a
stronger aid but as soon as the horse responds, the rider must merge into the horse’s
movement and ride with the horse. In Dutch, we have two words: “Controleren [control] and
Beheersen [guide, direct]”. Yes, we must be in control of the horse but to ride dressage we
should guide the horse, not restrain it. After all, dressage is a kind-of dance.”
After teaching Vitali, Inge rides herself on one of their advanced Dutch horses and the
contents of Makka’s lesson unfold in front of our eyes.
If Inge’s instruction is more about transitions, the overall flow and impression, Rien’s sessions
are focused on the quality of execution of specific movements. But this remarkable
husband&wife team is unanimous about the need to nurture “soft contact in the two reins”,
“keeping the horse moving forward” and “not shortening the neck”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=012OQ09NvTA
The Dutch have a reputation as “hard” dressage riders nowadays, yet we hear Rien repeat
time and time again: “Let go of your hands”, “Don’t fight him”, “Don’t use your strength”.
When he rides Makka himself, he intersperses demanding work with stints of rising trot and
emphases the need to relax the horse first: “I think it is important to let the horse loosen up and
settle into his natural way of moving, and then, from this natural movement, I try to make the
movement better”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTDtBokehPM
are focused on the quality of execution of specific movements. But this remarkable
husband&wife team is unanimous about the need to nurture “soft contact in the two reins”,
“keeping the horse moving forward” and “not shortening the neck”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=012OQ09NvTA
The Dutch have a reputation as “hard” dressage riders nowadays, yet we hear Rien repeat
time and time again: “Let go of your hands”, “Don’t fight him”, “Don’t use your strength”.
When he rides Makka himself, he intersperses demanding work with stints of rising trot and
emphases the need to relax the horse first: “I think it is important to let the horse loosen up and
settle into his natural way of moving, and then, from this natural movement, I try to make the
movement better”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTDtBokehPM
After the ridden session, Vitali rugs Makka for an hour or so and leaves him tied up, to stop
him from rolling while hot, then the stallion is unrugged (he is the only one without a rug in the
whole stable), let loose in his box and allowed to enjoy the view of the yard and fresh air from
the back window of the stable. At 12pm horses are fed while Vitali cleans tack, has lunch and
prepares for the 45-minute afternoon session in-hand, this time in the outside arena. He works
Makka in double bridle with a long schooling whip, practicing half-passes, piaffe and passage.
him from rolling while hot, then the stallion is unrugged (he is the only one without a rug in the
whole stable), let loose in his box and allowed to enjoy the view of the yard and fresh air from
the back window of the stable. At 12pm horses are fed while Vitali cleans tack, has lunch and
prepares for the 45-minute afternoon session in-hand, this time in the outside arena. He works
Makka in double bridle with a long schooling whip, practicing half-passes, piaffe and passage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6_O983r8cY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p9VqG7ndac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yYT-u1Jxtk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p9VqG7ndac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yYT-u1Jxtk
Afterwards, there is more grooming in store for Makka and more mucking out for Vitali, and
then it’s back to the hotel to “play back” in his head the lessons learned that day and watch
the grand masters of dressage on youtube.
Vitali Andrukhovich was born in 1969 in Moscow. He started riding at the age of four, while
visiting grandparents in the countryside. The village herd of cattle were looked after by
mounted shepherds and Vitali spent all day with them, from dawn to dusk. “My parents came
looking for me, threatening to thrash me with stinging nettles. I used to gallop past them so fast
that their heart would skip a beat”.
In 1980 an Olympic Equestrian complex was being constructed at Bitsa on the edge of the
Russian capital. Vitali was mesmerised watching the stable block go up. Then the first horses
arrived, the site gates were locked, so he had to climb onto the perimeter wall, to get closer to
the horses, until he succeeded in persuading a foreign rider to show him around the stables.
After the Olympics, he joined the riding school that was set up at the complex, with the
intention to develop the potential of young riders for future Olympic events. At 13, he gained
the Soviet sports qualification “Candidate to Master of Sports”, concentrating mostly on show-
jumping. “I knew nothing about riding then”, says Vitali, “I was just fearless”. He didn’t make
many friends at the school where success was obtained more through ingratiating oneself with
the school authorities than by actual equestrian achievements. He left and became a co-
founder of another riding school (set up on the grounds of a large poultry farm!), where he
started to event and obtained a higher-level Equestrian Diploma. In 1988 Vitali was
conscripted into the Army and after demobilisation came back to his original riding school at
Bitsa but this time as a riding instructor. Again, he couldn’t stick the authorities and in 1994
left to become freelance. It was then that Andrukhovich met with the Akhal-Teke breed. “I
was involved in organising riding holidays for foreign visitors at the Akhal-Teke Studfarm in
Dubna, we used to ride the Pontecorvo Tekes along the banks of the river Volga. That’s
when I first “noticed” this breed”.
“What was your main impression?”
“It was their brain, and the possibilities it offered to the rider. Then comes everything else:
excellent conformation, elastic movements, good work ethic, bravery. Since then I have been
committed to this breed – I worked with them in all disciplines: dressage, jumping,
eventing, even circus”. It was then that he decided to take a risk and buy one. “It was a large,
good-looking grey, I can’t even remember his name now.”
“Later on I had an offer from a wealthy businessman to create a “stallion collection”. The
intention was to gather talented horses of good breeding potential, peformance-test them and
make them available for breeding to the best studfarms in Russia. Amongst that collection
were Gazyr, Gayaz, Karar, Yas Yar. Today I work with their descendants.”
then it’s back to the hotel to “play back” in his head the lessons learned that day and watch
the grand masters of dressage on youtube.
Vitali Andrukhovich was born in 1969 in Moscow. He started riding at the age of four, while
visiting grandparents in the countryside. The village herd of cattle were looked after by
mounted shepherds and Vitali spent all day with them, from dawn to dusk. “My parents came
looking for me, threatening to thrash me with stinging nettles. I used to gallop past them so fast
that their heart would skip a beat”.
In 1980 an Olympic Equestrian complex was being constructed at Bitsa on the edge of the
Russian capital. Vitali was mesmerised watching the stable block go up. Then the first horses
arrived, the site gates were locked, so he had to climb onto the perimeter wall, to get closer to
the horses, until he succeeded in persuading a foreign rider to show him around the stables.
After the Olympics, he joined the riding school that was set up at the complex, with the
intention to develop the potential of young riders for future Olympic events. At 13, he gained
the Soviet sports qualification “Candidate to Master of Sports”, concentrating mostly on show-
jumping. “I knew nothing about riding then”, says Vitali, “I was just fearless”. He didn’t make
many friends at the school where success was obtained more through ingratiating oneself with
the school authorities than by actual equestrian achievements. He left and became a co-
founder of another riding school (set up on the grounds of a large poultry farm!), where he
started to event and obtained a higher-level Equestrian Diploma. In 1988 Vitali was
conscripted into the Army and after demobilisation came back to his original riding school at
Bitsa but this time as a riding instructor. Again, he couldn’t stick the authorities and in 1994
left to become freelance. It was then that Andrukhovich met with the Akhal-Teke breed. “I
was involved in organising riding holidays for foreign visitors at the Akhal-Teke Studfarm in
Dubna, we used to ride the Pontecorvo Tekes along the banks of the river Volga. That’s
when I first “noticed” this breed”.
“What was your main impression?”
“It was their brain, and the possibilities it offered to the rider. Then comes everything else:
excellent conformation, elastic movements, good work ethic, bravery. Since then I have been
committed to this breed – I worked with them in all disciplines: dressage, jumping,
eventing, even circus”. It was then that he decided to take a risk and buy one. “It was a large,
good-looking grey, I can’t even remember his name now.”
“Later on I had an offer from a wealthy businessman to create a “stallion collection”. The
intention was to gather talented horses of good breeding potential, peformance-test them and
make them available for breeding to the best studfarms in Russia. Amongst that collection
were Gazyr, Gayaz, Karar, Yas Yar. Today I work with their descendants.”
Makka Shael was born in 2004 in Vladimir region (Russia) at the Shamborant stud “Shael-
Teke”, founded by Leonid Babaev and Sharip Galimov. His sire Gayaz (Gaigysyz-Pampa)
had spectacular natural movements (from Pampa, according to Vitali) but did not match these
in his work under saddle. His ridden career was short-lived due to a hock injury.
Retrospectively, Andrukhovich feels, he was not ready for the demanding training at that point
in time, which, in turn, was the cause of his resistance. Makka’s dam was a Fakirpelvan-line
mare Melana, daughter of Omar. Babaev divulges a rare breeder’s secret: “Omar is the main
ingredient. The best foals are the result of the inbreeding on Omar or just those who have his
blood.”
Teke”, founded by Leonid Babaev and Sharip Galimov. His sire Gayaz (Gaigysyz-Pampa)
had spectacular natural movements (from Pampa, according to Vitali) but did not match these
in his work under saddle. His ridden career was short-lived due to a hock injury.
Retrospectively, Andrukhovich feels, he was not ready for the demanding training at that point
in time, which, in turn, was the cause of his resistance. Makka’s dam was a Fakirpelvan-line
mare Melana, daughter of Omar. Babaev divulges a rare breeder’s secret: “Omar is the main
ingredient. The best foals are the result of the inbreeding on Omar or just those who have his
blood.”
Makka is
endowed with
superb leg
conformation,
characteristic of
many of Gayaz
children: long,
broad, “meaty”
forearm, very
short cannons,
ample bone all
around, strong
pasterns and
good feet.
endowed with
superb leg
conformation,
characteristic of
many of Gayaz
children: long,
broad, “meaty”
forearm, very
short cannons,
ample bone all
around, strong
pasterns and
good feet.
The combination is hoping to return to the Netherlands this summer for another 3-months stay
and this time to enter some of the Dutch national Opens. The economics of travelling from
Russia and back coupled with expenses of staying abroad are daunting but to do this horse
justice, Andrukhovich feels it is essential to overcome insularity and work at the European
level. Interestingly, he finds the Dutch way of teaching positive and uplifting. “In Russia, I am
constantly told “Your problem is…”. Here they just get on with it, working on this movement
or that”. Interestingly, while Andrukhovich himself feels the horse’s weakness is his relative
lack of strength overall and particularly in his hind quarters to carry himself forward in 3-4-
time changes, Rien Van Der Schaft doesn’t see this as a weakness in the horse, just an
inevitable stage any horse has to go through to reach the top level.
Back at home, there is the breeding season in store for Makka, before he returns to the
Netherlands. Meanwhile, at the Shamborant Stud outside Moscow Leonid Babaev has
several up&coming youngsters to match Makka’s talent. The next one to move to the Army
Club stables where Andrukhovich trains, is Oyun (the son of the fairly recently “discovered”
Garant) who scored well at the evaluations as a 4-year-old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3STWbTEP65w
and this time to enter some of the Dutch national Opens. The economics of travelling from
Russia and back coupled with expenses of staying abroad are daunting but to do this horse
justice, Andrukhovich feels it is essential to overcome insularity and work at the European
level. Interestingly, he finds the Dutch way of teaching positive and uplifting. “In Russia, I am
constantly told “Your problem is…”. Here they just get on with it, working on this movement
or that”. Interestingly, while Andrukhovich himself feels the horse’s weakness is his relative
lack of strength overall and particularly in his hind quarters to carry himself forward in 3-4-
time changes, Rien Van Der Schaft doesn’t see this as a weakness in the horse, just an
inevitable stage any horse has to go through to reach the top level.
Back at home, there is the breeding season in store for Makka, before he returns to the
Netherlands. Meanwhile, at the Shamborant Stud outside Moscow Leonid Babaev has
several up&coming youngsters to match Makka’s talent. The next one to move to the Army
Club stables where Andrukhovich trains, is Oyun (the son of the fairly recently “discovered”
Garant) who scored well at the evaluations as a 4-year-old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3STWbTEP65w
There are still years of hard work before Makka can claim the high accolades in dressage but
he certainly sets an impressive example to which the Akhal-Teke breed today can aspire. May
the wind be in his sails.
he certainly sets an impressive example to which the Akhal-Teke breed today can aspire. May
the wind be in his sails.
Is Makka-Andrukhovich combination a short-lived sensation in the Akhal-Teke breed or are
they setting a standard to which this legendary breed should aspire?
“Any serious project with Akhal-Teke horses is only possible at the top professional level”,
says the breeder of Makka Shael, Leonid Babaev. “At any other level, our breed is too
complicated, too hot, too limited in numbers and all too often of insufficient quality. I see
dressage as the only sport in which the Akhal-Teke can compete against modern sports horse
breeds. In other disciplines the best qualities which Akhal-Teke horse has in abundance are
not in demand or not required. I have made it my goal to produce the Akhal-Teke against the
highest possible parameters: presence, elasticity of gaits, elegance, power and harmony. I am
convinced that we can “put on the conveyor belt” horses fit for top-level dressage.”
“What is your impression of this breed”, I ask Inge van der Shaft at the end of one training
session.
“This is the first Akhal-Teke I have met, so I cannot draw any conclusions about this breed.
But I can say that this one is a very good horse”.
What do the Dutch see in him?
“Exceptional intelligence. And a fabulous walk – this horse really walks ‘for nine’.”
“Does your Akhal-Teke have the same walk?” asks Rien van der Shaft an Akhal-Teke owner
in Holland who came to watch Makka in training. “No”, she says modestly, “I am afraid I can’
t say that mine has as good a walk as Makka”.
“Our stud has produced excellent horses before Makka”, says Leonid Babaev, “but their fate
was not so lucky and they didn’t find their Vitali. We had Kaitag, Shammay. We saw good
jumping potential in Saad, Aidemir and Otman. The latter might have excelled in dressage too.
But these and other horses left the stud and I have no influence upon their careers. But I do
place high hopes on Makka’s former stablemate Duag, and the younger ones - Oyun, Gaon,
Tsair, Shumer, Hasman. I hope to produce consistent horses with a dressage potential at the
highest level”.
The Akhal-Teke breed is plagued by myths. The two most enduring ones are those of the
dressage stallion Absent who “conquered Rome” at the 1960 Olympic Games and of the
1935 ride from Ashkhabad to Moscow, 4000km in 84 days, the ultimate feat of endurance.
The obvious contrast between Olympic dressage and this gruelling trek is one of the defining
characteristics of the Akhal-Teke breed: its versatility, a nebulous concept which fuels the
breeders’ debate:
“Should we select the Akhal-Teke for specific qualities required for a particular discipline, or
will this lead us down the utilitarian road of purpose-bred sportshorses?” “At what point does
emphasis on type become detrimental to selection for performance?” There are still voices that
will defend ewe necks, narrow chests and poor bone as typical Akhal-Teke breed
characteristics but these are best ignored (though one often wishes they could be silenced
altogether!). I was equally taken aback by one breeder’s scornful comment about Duag Shael
(Gazyr-Djiagali) who scored who scored in the 70's at the young horse evaluations and 70.2
and 64.4 at the International Open in Moscow in 2010 “Leonid has finally succeeded in
producing an “Akhal-Teke warmblood”. Those less hostile to Babaev, might still question
whether by producing an Akhal-Teke capable of competing on a par with a European
warmblood in dressage we somehow compromise the integrity of this ancient breed. These
are not the questions which Vitali Andrukhovich ponders at the end of each day during his stay
at Stal Sprengenhorst.
His day begins at 7am when he arrives at the stables, cleans out Makka’s box, brushes the
stallion and prepares him for the daily training session at 9am.
they setting a standard to which this legendary breed should aspire?
“Any serious project with Akhal-Teke horses is only possible at the top professional level”,
says the breeder of Makka Shael, Leonid Babaev. “At any other level, our breed is too
complicated, too hot, too limited in numbers and all too often of insufficient quality. I see
dressage as the only sport in which the Akhal-Teke can compete against modern sports horse
breeds. In other disciplines the best qualities which Akhal-Teke horse has in abundance are
not in demand or not required. I have made it my goal to produce the Akhal-Teke against the
highest possible parameters: presence, elasticity of gaits, elegance, power and harmony. I am
convinced that we can “put on the conveyor belt” horses fit for top-level dressage.”
“What is your impression of this breed”, I ask Inge van der Shaft at the end of one training
session.
“This is the first Akhal-Teke I have met, so I cannot draw any conclusions about this breed.
But I can say that this one is a very good horse”.
What do the Dutch see in him?
“Exceptional intelligence. And a fabulous walk – this horse really walks ‘for nine’.”
“Does your Akhal-Teke have the same walk?” asks Rien van der Shaft an Akhal-Teke owner
in Holland who came to watch Makka in training. “No”, she says modestly, “I am afraid I can’
t say that mine has as good a walk as Makka”.
“Our stud has produced excellent horses before Makka”, says Leonid Babaev, “but their fate
was not so lucky and they didn’t find their Vitali. We had Kaitag, Shammay. We saw good
jumping potential in Saad, Aidemir and Otman. The latter might have excelled in dressage too.
But these and other horses left the stud and I have no influence upon their careers. But I do
place high hopes on Makka’s former stablemate Duag, and the younger ones - Oyun, Gaon,
Tsair, Shumer, Hasman. I hope to produce consistent horses with a dressage potential at the
highest level”.
The Akhal-Teke breed is plagued by myths. The two most enduring ones are those of the
dressage stallion Absent who “conquered Rome” at the 1960 Olympic Games and of the
1935 ride from Ashkhabad to Moscow, 4000km in 84 days, the ultimate feat of endurance.
The obvious contrast between Olympic dressage and this gruelling trek is one of the defining
characteristics of the Akhal-Teke breed: its versatility, a nebulous concept which fuels the
breeders’ debate:
“Should we select the Akhal-Teke for specific qualities required for a particular discipline, or
will this lead us down the utilitarian road of purpose-bred sportshorses?” “At what point does
emphasis on type become detrimental to selection for performance?” There are still voices that
will defend ewe necks, narrow chests and poor bone as typical Akhal-Teke breed
characteristics but these are best ignored (though one often wishes they could be silenced
altogether!). I was equally taken aback by one breeder’s scornful comment about Duag Shael
(Gazyr-Djiagali) who scored who scored in the 70's at the young horse evaluations and 70.2
and 64.4 at the International Open in Moscow in 2010 “Leonid has finally succeeded in
producing an “Akhal-Teke warmblood”. Those less hostile to Babaev, might still question
whether by producing an Akhal-Teke capable of competing on a par with a European
warmblood in dressage we somehow compromise the integrity of this ancient breed. These
are not the questions which Vitali Andrukhovich ponders at the end of each day during his stay
at Stal Sprengenhorst.
His day begins at 7am when he arrives at the stables, cleans out Makka’s box, brushes the
stallion and prepares him for the daily training session at 9am.
He has powerful, free shoulder, straight action and effortless trot extensions with a high toe
and a big swing. His movements are loose and electric, active and exact. Impulsion, rhythm,
precision.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd7eyYSCbHA
For a Teke, he has a fairly heavy way of landing but the ample energy reserves propel him
forward to create the overall impression of power and elegance.
“It was amazing to see him fly through the riding hall”, says a Dutch Akhal-Teke owner Anne
Stuart who is inspired to continue her dressage work with her own horse, “He looks like a
butterfly dancing his way past the other horses”.
Makka has established basics, shows excellent collected canter on a small circle with
transition to half-pirouette and is almost completely secure at the PrixStGeorge-level elements.
He is starting to learn piaffe and passage and working on three- and four-time changes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcGbWl2Dqfk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nyOpRY4Nns
and a big swing. His movements are loose and electric, active and exact. Impulsion, rhythm,
precision.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd7eyYSCbHA
For a Teke, he has a fairly heavy way of landing but the ample energy reserves propel him
forward to create the overall impression of power and elegance.
“It was amazing to see him fly through the riding hall”, says a Dutch Akhal-Teke owner Anne
Stuart who is inspired to continue her dressage work with her own horse, “He looks like a
butterfly dancing his way past the other horses”.
Makka has established basics, shows excellent collected canter on a small circle with
transition to half-pirouette and is almost completely secure at the PrixStGeorge-level elements.
He is starting to learn piaffe and passage and working on three- and four-time changes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcGbWl2Dqfk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nyOpRY4Nns
