Akhal Teke UK
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In January 2009, Darya and Maria were contacted by
Laura Tiito, a student at an agricultural college in Finland
where Laura is studying Equine Management. As part of
her studies, Laura decided to research the Akhal-Teke
breed. She came to visit us and rode our horses and
conducted this interview for her course work submission.
_______________________________________________
Laura Tiito, a student at an agricultural college in Finland
where Laura is studying Equine Management. As part of
her studies, Laura decided to research the Akhal-Teke
breed. She came to visit us and rode our horses and
conducted this interview for her course work submission.
_______________________________________________
LT: Something about the breeds downsides, are there any?
MMB: No, not for me, I am afraid. But I am constantly reminded that they are not a horse
for everyone. The majority of my horsey friends wouldn't have one. I suppose this can be
considered a downside, as any responsible breeder would be keenly aware of the danger of
selling a horse to an unsuitable home. For some people, the obvious downside would be the
disparity between the horse's athletic ability and its sophisticated temperament. An ambitious
competitor may find that, despite being a quick learner, an Akhal-Teke is not the fastest road
to success in sport.
LT: Are there some health problems common to Akhal Tekes?
MMB: No, I don't think so. Akhal-Teke demand a very high standard of care: they must have
high-quality feed, be kept clean, dry and protected from rain and mud and have plentiful
turnout and exercise. When they receive such care, they are very tough and durable! They will
live to a good age and can work well into their twenties.
LT: Being used in racing as a sport horse, is the breed durable? Do you know if
problems with the legs, joints etc. build up easily when in heavy use (in racing)?
MMB: Any excessive use of horses in racing is bound to have a negative effect on their
soundness, save a few exceptional individuals. However, in Russia and even in Turkmenistan,
the Akhal-Teke racing is not as big a business as flat racing is in Britain or the US. Many
Tekes are only raced for one or two seasons, and don't run as often as their TB relatives do in
the West. The Russian breeders consider racing two- and three-year-olds to be a good
indication of the potential soundness of the horse, its joints, lungs, heart and also its
temperament. Racing results are noted in the studbook against each horse inscribed in the
book. The studbook also mentions other sports' achievements but the system of recording
performance outside racing is not well-coordinated globally and, arguably, not enough horses
achieve sufficiently high results to merit a mention.
LT: Do you think the Akhal teke would have more to give to horse racing and the entire
horse "industry" than it does now, being a rare breed?
MMB: I find it hard to think of the Akhal-Teke in the context of “horse industry”. Although I
would love to see some Teke racing in the West, I have reservations about the full-scale use
of Akhal-Tekes in commercial racing. I would rather the breed remained small with dedicated
followers who can appreciate these horses for what they are and give them the appropriate
level of care.
One way is to think of this breed as a fine 18th-century silk garment. In the modern age,
hundreds of fabrics have been developed which have better durability, can be washed in the
washing machine, can be ironed, don't tear, don't stretch, come in a greater variety of colours
and are a lot cheaper. But still, you shell out on a breath-taking, unique, precious, rare silk
garment because, no matter who tells you that the modern equivalent is exactly the same and
better, you are not convinced, because 18th-century silk does feel different when worn close
to your skin, and it looks different in a hard-to-describe way, modern imitations just can't
capture the <je ne sais quoi>.
If one is to juxt-oppose the Akhal-Teke with European sportshorse, American Quarter horse,
the Arab or a Lusitano, who each have their own distinct merits, the Akhal-Teke may not
come up trumps. But to an Akhal-Teke connoiseur, they are more agile, more elegant, more
intelligent, have better impulsion and athleticism than any of the above.
LT: How many Tekes are there in the world today? Where are they (the countries where
most of the Teke population is bred)?
MMB: Alexander Klimuk has once suggested to me that there are about seven thousand in
the world but some people question this figure and suggest that there may be fewer than that.
In Europe, the first country to import Akhal-Teke was Germany, back in the early 1970s.
There are about 300 of them in Germany now, 200 in France, under a hundred in
Switzerland. More recently, the breed has been fast gaining popularity in the Czech Republic
where, after some confusion with horses imported with inadequate documentation, some
outstanding work has been done to establish sound studbook registration practices and
promote the horses in sport and racing. In the UK, we have less than fifty purebreds. US and
Canada may have over 500 between them though breed records are patchy and many North
American horses are not registered in the Mother Studbook.
LT: What kind of future do you think the breed has got ahead? Is it getting more
popular?
MMB: There may be some room to accommodate a modest expansion of the fan club but a
fan club it will remain. I cannot see this breed ever gaining a mass appeal. I could dream of the
equestrian fashion changing back to favour a thoroughbred horse in classical disciplines. After
all, before the Second World War, the percentage of thoroughbreds in olympic disciplines
was much higher than it is now. The equestrian community seems to have solved the
challenges of training a bloodhorse by cross-breeding, with training methods and competition
standards now adapted to the modern sportshorses. One result of this is that many people
think of the Akhal-Teke as only suitable for endurance. The breed is much more versatile than
that but it is not easy to find trainers nowadays who know how to work with this type of horse.
MMB: No, not for me, I am afraid. But I am constantly reminded that they are not a horse
for everyone. The majority of my horsey friends wouldn't have one. I suppose this can be
considered a downside, as any responsible breeder would be keenly aware of the danger of
selling a horse to an unsuitable home. For some people, the obvious downside would be the
disparity between the horse's athletic ability and its sophisticated temperament. An ambitious
competitor may find that, despite being a quick learner, an Akhal-Teke is not the fastest road
to success in sport.
LT: Are there some health problems common to Akhal Tekes?
MMB: No, I don't think so. Akhal-Teke demand a very high standard of care: they must have
high-quality feed, be kept clean, dry and protected from rain and mud and have plentiful
turnout and exercise. When they receive such care, they are very tough and durable! They will
live to a good age and can work well into their twenties.
LT: Being used in racing as a sport horse, is the breed durable? Do you know if
problems with the legs, joints etc. build up easily when in heavy use (in racing)?
MMB: Any excessive use of horses in racing is bound to have a negative effect on their
soundness, save a few exceptional individuals. However, in Russia and even in Turkmenistan,
the Akhal-Teke racing is not as big a business as flat racing is in Britain or the US. Many
Tekes are only raced for one or two seasons, and don't run as often as their TB relatives do in
the West. The Russian breeders consider racing two- and three-year-olds to be a good
indication of the potential soundness of the horse, its joints, lungs, heart and also its
temperament. Racing results are noted in the studbook against each horse inscribed in the
book. The studbook also mentions other sports' achievements but the system of recording
performance outside racing is not well-coordinated globally and, arguably, not enough horses
achieve sufficiently high results to merit a mention.
LT: Do you think the Akhal teke would have more to give to horse racing and the entire
horse "industry" than it does now, being a rare breed?
MMB: I find it hard to think of the Akhal-Teke in the context of “horse industry”. Although I
would love to see some Teke racing in the West, I have reservations about the full-scale use
of Akhal-Tekes in commercial racing. I would rather the breed remained small with dedicated
followers who can appreciate these horses for what they are and give them the appropriate
level of care.
One way is to think of this breed as a fine 18th-century silk garment. In the modern age,
hundreds of fabrics have been developed which have better durability, can be washed in the
washing machine, can be ironed, don't tear, don't stretch, come in a greater variety of colours
and are a lot cheaper. But still, you shell out on a breath-taking, unique, precious, rare silk
garment because, no matter who tells you that the modern equivalent is exactly the same and
better, you are not convinced, because 18th-century silk does feel different when worn close
to your skin, and it looks different in a hard-to-describe way, modern imitations just can't
capture the <je ne sais quoi>.
If one is to juxt-oppose the Akhal-Teke with European sportshorse, American Quarter horse,
the Arab or a Lusitano, who each have their own distinct merits, the Akhal-Teke may not
come up trumps. But to an Akhal-Teke connoiseur, they are more agile, more elegant, more
intelligent, have better impulsion and athleticism than any of the above.
LT: How many Tekes are there in the world today? Where are they (the countries where
most of the Teke population is bred)?
MMB: Alexander Klimuk has once suggested to me that there are about seven thousand in
the world but some people question this figure and suggest that there may be fewer than that.
In Europe, the first country to import Akhal-Teke was Germany, back in the early 1970s.
There are about 300 of them in Germany now, 200 in France, under a hundred in
Switzerland. More recently, the breed has been fast gaining popularity in the Czech Republic
where, after some confusion with horses imported with inadequate documentation, some
outstanding work has been done to establish sound studbook registration practices and
promote the horses in sport and racing. In the UK, we have less than fifty purebreds. US and
Canada may have over 500 between them though breed records are patchy and many North
American horses are not registered in the Mother Studbook.
LT: What kind of future do you think the breed has got ahead? Is it getting more
popular?
MMB: There may be some room to accommodate a modest expansion of the fan club but a
fan club it will remain. I cannot see this breed ever gaining a mass appeal. I could dream of the
equestrian fashion changing back to favour a thoroughbred horse in classical disciplines. After
all, before the Second World War, the percentage of thoroughbreds in olympic disciplines
was much higher than it is now. The equestrian community seems to have solved the
challenges of training a bloodhorse by cross-breeding, with training methods and competition
standards now adapted to the modern sportshorses. One result of this is that many people
think of the Akhal-Teke as only suitable for endurance. The breed is much more versatile than
that but it is not easy to find trainers nowadays who know how to work with this type of horse.
©Black Fox 2007-2011
LT: First of all, I heard that you are a very well known person in the "Akhal Teke
-world". How long have you worked with the breed? How are you known/How have
you worked with the breed?
MMB: My goodness, I had no idea I was "well-known"! No doubt, known for talking too
much! I have been involved with the breed since 2000. In that year, I saw my first AT and
two months later bought one, who was my first horse ever. A green-broke 5-year-old, he was
way too much for me to cope with, it was the steepest learning curve of my life.
Learning "about" the breed was a lot easier, than learning to ride and look after a horse
properly. I grew up in the Soviet Union, Russian is my first language which helps - Russia is
the same to the Akhal-Teke as Great Britain is to the Arab. If it wasn't for the Russian colonial
administrators in Central Asia, the Akhal-Teke would only exist in the history books today.
Mind you, during the Soviet era, the Akhal-Teke breed suffered mixed fortunes at the hands
of both Russian and Central Asian authorities. There were some remarkable achievements but
many dark moments too.
Nowadays, there is quite a bit of information around in English, mostly on the internet but a lot
of it is repetitive and superficial. I find that cultural misunderstandings are still rife, so I
suppose, I see myself as someone who can help facilitate dialogue and enable free exchange
of ideas. I used to work as a reporter in Belfast for the BBC World Service, so I understand
the importance of impartiality.
Akhal-Teke UK was founded in 2007 by Darya Hannigan and myself to serve as a breed
registration service and an education resource. We run the British AT register and help
owners, in and outside the UK, to obtain mother studbook registration papers for their horses.
The studbook is run by the Institute of Horsebreeding in Russia. It is getting more efficient
nowadays but for the average owner in the West their procedures are quite complicated and
bureaucratic.
LT: How did you first get interested in this breed?
MMB: I was a pony-mad child in a big city (Moscow) where I learned to ride in a very bad
riding school. Many years later, I took up riding again as an adult, now living in England. I was
having lessons and quickly realised that I had a strong preference for hot-blooded horses, so
when I decided to buy my own horse, I was looking for a TB or an Arab. One day I typed
"Akhal-Teke" into an internet search engine, thinking mostly about how one would spell it in
English. I knew nothing about the breed itself, as a linguist, I just thought it was an
odd-sounding name. The Search engine returned a URL for Akhal-Teke Network, one of the
first websites about the breed, run in the late 1990s by Todd Keith and Jessica Eile Keith. On
the website was a list of breeders, with some pictures of breeding stallions. One of them was
Karaburgut, a black Turkmen-bred stallion at stud in Germany. That night I telephoned
Sabine Toepfer-Gebert, the stud owner, and asked if she had any of his off-spring for sale.
Two weeks later an envelope arrived with breath-taking photographs. I literally could not take
my eyes off them. Another couple of months later, I saw my first AT live, this was in England.
He was called Karpat, he is still alive, now in his twenties. I found him mesmerising. He was
looking at me out of the corner of his eye, checking me out, it was like nothing I have ever
seen before. Nothing to do with him being a classic golden buckskin colour, I had no such pre-
conceptions. It was purely his demeanor, the way he reacted to me, a total stranger - with a
combination of mistrust and curiosity. Soon after that I was on my way to Germany to meet
Altai. Hofgut Hurzfurt is an idyllic, immaculate studfarm in Bavaria. The horses are beautifully
looked after, clean, relaxed, friendly and calm. I felt, being a novice, I couldn't find a better
place from which to buy my first horse. Once I had him, it snow-balled. There was so much to
learn, the breed has such rich history - ancient and modern. But in those first few years when I
had Altai, I was mostly pre-occupied with learning how to be his owner. It was only after he
tragically died in 2003 that I really began to study the breed, travelling to see, and ride, as
many Akhal-Teke horses as possible, studying pedigrees, the studbook, reading and listening
to experts.
-world". How long have you worked with the breed? How are you known/How have
you worked with the breed?
MMB: My goodness, I had no idea I was "well-known"! No doubt, known for talking too
much! I have been involved with the breed since 2000. In that year, I saw my first AT and
two months later bought one, who was my first horse ever. A green-broke 5-year-old, he was
way too much for me to cope with, it was the steepest learning curve of my life.
Learning "about" the breed was a lot easier, than learning to ride and look after a horse
properly. I grew up in the Soviet Union, Russian is my first language which helps - Russia is
the same to the Akhal-Teke as Great Britain is to the Arab. If it wasn't for the Russian colonial
administrators in Central Asia, the Akhal-Teke would only exist in the history books today.
Mind you, during the Soviet era, the Akhal-Teke breed suffered mixed fortunes at the hands
of both Russian and Central Asian authorities. There were some remarkable achievements but
many dark moments too.
Nowadays, there is quite a bit of information around in English, mostly on the internet but a lot
of it is repetitive and superficial. I find that cultural misunderstandings are still rife, so I
suppose, I see myself as someone who can help facilitate dialogue and enable free exchange
of ideas. I used to work as a reporter in Belfast for the BBC World Service, so I understand
the importance of impartiality.
Akhal-Teke UK was founded in 2007 by Darya Hannigan and myself to serve as a breed
registration service and an education resource. We run the British AT register and help
owners, in and outside the UK, to obtain mother studbook registration papers for their horses.
The studbook is run by the Institute of Horsebreeding in Russia. It is getting more efficient
nowadays but for the average owner in the West their procedures are quite complicated and
bureaucratic.
LT: How did you first get interested in this breed?
MMB: I was a pony-mad child in a big city (Moscow) where I learned to ride in a very bad
riding school. Many years later, I took up riding again as an adult, now living in England. I was
having lessons and quickly realised that I had a strong preference for hot-blooded horses, so
when I decided to buy my own horse, I was looking for a TB or an Arab. One day I typed
"Akhal-Teke" into an internet search engine, thinking mostly about how one would spell it in
English. I knew nothing about the breed itself, as a linguist, I just thought it was an
odd-sounding name. The Search engine returned a URL for Akhal-Teke Network, one of the
first websites about the breed, run in the late 1990s by Todd Keith and Jessica Eile Keith. On
the website was a list of breeders, with some pictures of breeding stallions. One of them was
Karaburgut, a black Turkmen-bred stallion at stud in Germany. That night I telephoned
Sabine Toepfer-Gebert, the stud owner, and asked if she had any of his off-spring for sale.
Two weeks later an envelope arrived with breath-taking photographs. I literally could not take
my eyes off them. Another couple of months later, I saw my first AT live, this was in England.
He was called Karpat, he is still alive, now in his twenties. I found him mesmerising. He was
looking at me out of the corner of his eye, checking me out, it was like nothing I have ever
seen before. Nothing to do with him being a classic golden buckskin colour, I had no such pre-
conceptions. It was purely his demeanor, the way he reacted to me, a total stranger - with a
combination of mistrust and curiosity. Soon after that I was on my way to Germany to meet
Altai. Hofgut Hurzfurt is an idyllic, immaculate studfarm in Bavaria. The horses are beautifully
looked after, clean, relaxed, friendly and calm. I felt, being a novice, I couldn't find a better
place from which to buy my first horse. Once I had him, it snow-balled. There was so much to
learn, the breed has such rich history - ancient and modern. But in those first few years when I
had Altai, I was mostly pre-occupied with learning how to be his owner. It was only after he
tragically died in 2003 that I really began to study the breed, travelling to see, and ride, as
many Akhal-Teke horses as possible, studying pedigrees, the studbook, reading and listening
to experts.
LT: What is the Akhal Teke like as a breed? How does it differ from other horse
breeds? How would you dеscribe it as a whole to people who have never seen an Akhal
Teke?
MMB: The Akhal-Teke is one of the oldest domesticated breeds developed by purposeful
selection, which resulted in a fine, tall, fast horse renowned for its speed, courage and stamina
throughout the ancient world. The Turkmen tribes did not have writing, horse breeding was
part of their oral tradition. They took mares over long distances to be bred to famous stallions
and knew their horses' pedigrees going back many generations. The Akhal-Teke were bred to
be the fastest, the bravest, the most agile and the most beautiful. The Turkmen rode them
when they raided the caravans on the Silk Road and gave them as gifts to Persian rulers. The
officers of the Russian Imperial Army rode "argamaks", as they were known then.
The best representatives of the breed today display the same characteristics that made the
breed famous in the old days: stunningly, mesmerisingly beautiful, possessing amazing stamina,
fast, light and agile, and extremely intelligent, able to interact with humans as no other horse
can. As Gill Suttle, one of our UK owners, once remarked: "The Akhal-Teke is a one-way
road".
LT: More closely, what is the breed’s temperament really like? Are the horses anxious
and nervous, as I have read in many sources? Are the horses easy to train?
breeds? How would you dеscribe it as a whole to people who have never seen an Akhal
Teke?
MMB: The Akhal-Teke is one of the oldest domesticated breeds developed by purposeful
selection, which resulted in a fine, tall, fast horse renowned for its speed, courage and stamina
throughout the ancient world. The Turkmen tribes did not have writing, horse breeding was
part of their oral tradition. They took mares over long distances to be bred to famous stallions
and knew their horses' pedigrees going back many generations. The Akhal-Teke were bred to
be the fastest, the bravest, the most agile and the most beautiful. The Turkmen rode them
when they raided the caravans on the Silk Road and gave them as gifts to Persian rulers. The
officers of the Russian Imperial Army rode "argamaks", as they were known then.
The best representatives of the breed today display the same characteristics that made the
breed famous in the old days: stunningly, mesmerisingly beautiful, possessing amazing stamina,
fast, light and agile, and extremely intelligent, able to interact with humans as no other horse
can. As Gill Suttle, one of our UK owners, once remarked: "The Akhal-Teke is a one-way
road".
LT: More closely, what is the breed’s temperament really like? Are the horses anxious
and nervous, as I have read in many sources? Are the horses easy to train?
MMB: Their temperament is their
greatest asset. But an Akhal-Teke is not
a horse for an owner with limited spare
time. As Christoph Vogel, the President
of the Swiss AT Association put it: "No
time - no Teke". When given plenty of
attention, they thrive and give back
generously. They will greet you, look
after you, show gratitude as well as
displeasure, get worried, display utmost
courage - in other words, show a huge
range of emotions. They are very
sensitive to how they are handled - a
barometer of the skills of their human
master. As a general rule, they need an
experienced owner and are not suitable
for a novice.
greatest asset. But an Akhal-Teke is not
a horse for an owner with limited spare
time. As Christoph Vogel, the President
of the Swiss AT Association put it: "No
time - no Teke". When given plenty of
attention, they thrive and give back
generously. They will greet you, look
after you, show gratitude as well as
displeasure, get worried, display utmost
courage - in other words, show a huge
range of emotions. They are very
sensitive to how they are handled - a
barometer of the skills of their human
master. As a general rule, they need an
experienced owner and are not suitable
for a novice.
They tend to need variety in training and do not tolerate force. It is essential to appeal to their
intelligence - you cannot force an Akhal-Teke into submission. The Akhal-Teke are very
rewarding to train and are very forgiving but to give their best, they need a sensitive, skilled,
patient trainer who is prepared to adapt his or her approach to the individual horse. As one
Austrian owner, Andrea Rauter, put it: "The problem with Tekes is that they are very smart,
some might call it arrogant. They don’t like the permanent repetition which is used by most
trainers. They want to learn something new all the time and you have to be very inventive to
present the same exercise in different “wrappings”. If you don’t do it and stick to your plan or
– worse – to your whip, then Tekes get sour and spoilt easily." This view is echoed by Allegra
Steck in the US who gave this advice to an owner intending to send a Teke stallion to a show-
jumping trainer: "Just be sure to tell them NOT to spend their time and energy on gridwork.
Tekes HATE gridwork and spend more time figuring out how to get out of it than actually
doing it. They do it right the first time, perfect it the second time, and by the third time are
saying " Why am I doing this again ? I've already done it twice just fine! I'm leaving..."
I think, one either has a feel for training a Teke or not. You either enjoy working with this kind
of horse who is curious, quick to learn, often ahead of the trainer and very expressive... or you
don't. You either find negotiations with an equine who is often trying to outwit you rewarding
or you don't. Some people just don't like it - in the same way as I have no feeling for native
breeds or cross-bred sportshorses. I have recently re-broke an eleven-year-old purebred
Akhal-Teke mare who has been a broodmare all her life. Starting a horse of any breed at the
age of eleven is never easy. When I first got on her, she kept turning her head and smelling my
feet, as if wondering what I was doing up there. She rushed forward like a rocket at the
slightest touch of my heel, so I had to try and sit motionless and hold my breath to stop her
from taking off at 90 miles an hour. Needless to say, that pulling at the reins to slow her down
was out of the question. When I first rode her out, I had to get off every 50 yards and walk
for a bit, then get back on for a bit, because she kept stopping and refusing to move. But by
the third ride only she got the idea, went forward and never stopped, looked around but never
shied, at the traffic or anything else. For three months she didn't want to go past the pigs but
then, one day I got the feeling she might, and she did. The following week a neighbour wanted
to go for a ride on her, with me riding our other Teke. The mare stopped and refused to
move. She was clearly unprepared for a change of rider. She had bonded with me and at that
point was still too green to accept a different human into her life. Our other mare, on the other
hand, though only slightly more experienced under saddle, is quite willing to accept strangers,
as she is more dominant and more assertive. This is the variety I love about this breed - their
distinct personalities and the way they relate so strongly to people.
LT: How would you describe the movements of the breed? From what I was able to see,
every Akhal Teke, no matter what the age for example, seemed to move very naturally
and "fluently", through all the gaits.
MMB: The Teke gaits are unique. No horse is more comfortable and more exciting to ride.
They are smooth, light, sure-footed and fast. They move parallel to the ground making it easy
for the rider - they only need light aids and don't throw you out of the saddle. They are light in
the mouth, so don't need strong bits and riders with strong arms, and they really cover the
ground. But if a Teke decides he doesn't want you on his back - good luck to you! Teke,
especially males, rear easily and can change direction in an instant, sending the rider out of the
side door. It takes a skilled rider to stay on! Best to recognise something is not right early on
and prevent a confrontation.
LT: Just to make sure, what is the breed’s average size? 150-167 cm? How tall is a
Teke hoped to be? Akhal Teke is a moderately big sized horse, and at least in riding
horses, bigger horses seem to be sought after. Do you know how much the Tekes weigh
on average?
MMB: The Akhal-Teke in the ancient world was a tall horse, taller than other breeds. Today,
Akhal-Teke vary - some breeders favour taller horses on the grounds that humans too are
getting taller. Certainly, an average size and weight of a man in the West is a lot greater than
that of most Turkmen riders. I would say that a stallion should ideally be between 156 and
162 cm. 2-3cm under or over this average is perfectly acceptable, as people vary in height
and weight too. What is important is the overall proportions of the horse. The Akhal-Teke is a
horse on long legs with a shallow girth. This is what gives the breed its marvellous recovery
and stamina: the horse is carrying less body weight in proportion to its overall height.
Therefore, a smaller AT must be proportionately smaller all around - it must never be a big
body on short legs. The weight depends on the height - our stallion weighed 450kg when he
measured 161cm. As a basic rule, AT are lighter than horses of other breeds of equivalent
height.
LT: What is the Akhal Teke made for? Is it nowadays a race horse, or a mere "showing-
off luxury item"? Has it got capacity among other riding horses in dressage, eventing,
endurance, derbys? Do you know about it's usage in the east (in Russia and it's native
breeding areas) nowadays?
MMB: In Turkmenistan, the homeland of the breed, the Akhal-Teke is a flat racehorse. Some
interest is emerging there nowadays in long distance riding as well. In Russia, the Akhal-Teke
are used both in flat racing and in classical disciplines, with endurance also gaining popularity.
The Akhal-Teke numerically is a small breed, so the number of them in sport is proportionate
to the overall size of the population. In the Soviet Union, quite a few were used in dressage
and jumping, many achieving good results at the National level. They were also fairly widely
used in circus, where their intelligence was valued by trainers. Nowadays in Russia, like
everywhere in the Western world, European warmbloods are in fashion, so it's equally hard to
market the Akhal-Teke as a sportshorse in Russia as it is in the West. In top-level sport,
intelligence and sensitivity in a horse are not always the most desirable qualities, so although
physically the Akhal-Teke are very athletic and versatile and suited to a variety of disciplines,
their demanding nature doesn't make them an ideal horse for the conveyor-belt-style sports
training.
Historically, the ancestors of the modern Akhal-Teke were always seen as special and were
coveted by the elite, be it Persian Kings, Chinese Emperors or the Russian Imperial high-
ranking officers. The Akhal-Teke was never the horse of the rank-and-file, never ridden in
large groups, never used as a pack horse - the Turkmen had other, less refined breeds for
those purposes. The Turkmen saw their special breed as an epitomy of power and beauty,
courage and loyalty - this is supported by the descriptions of horses in the oral literature and
their status in Turkmen culture. The challenge for the modern breeder is to preserve the
exclusive image and the unique qualities of the Akhal-Teke within the modern equestrian
context where quick gains and convenience are in demand.
LT: Among the breed the different stud lines affect the horses type and conformation.
Are there some lines that are better than others in some specific sport for example? Or
are the stud lines effects significant in real life?
MMB: In the last 20 years, certain lines have emerged as very promising in sport. Arab,
Gelishikli, Fakir-Pelvan, Peren and El can be mentioned as having produced a greater-than-
average number of high-achieving Teke. There are hot debates which surround the question of
breeding Akhal-Teke for specific sports ability. A prominent German breeder, Sabine
Toepfer-Gebert, when answering a question whether she aims to select for specific qualities,
to produce different types of Tekes suited to certain disciplines, replied: "No, we don't try to
select in this way. We already have good sports horses in Germany. We know what the ideal
Teke is that we aspire to produce, but it is difficult to explain in words, and even more difficult
to achieve."
Sire lines are only a nominal way of tracing descent and are less significant than a given
combination of ancestors. Pedigree patterns are more complex than the simple concept of a
sire line. For example, in the UK we have stallion Aschir whose sire line formally is Gelishikli,
one of the most wide-spread modern lines. This in itself doesn’t tell us much about the origins
of this horse. When we look closer, we note that Aschir descends from Gelishikli via Yulduz,
Adat and Zergyar, all top-rate Akhal-Teke sires. Equally important in Aschir’s pedigree are
Ametist and Ararat, the sons of the Olympic dressage stallion Absent (Arab line), they are
found in his dam’s and his sire’s maternal lines. Arab and Gelishikli lines often produce good
jumpers, and this ability is evident in Aschir.
LT: The Teke is widely used in cross breeding. Is it good in that usage? Does it bring
more speed and endurance to the horses?
intelligence - you cannot force an Akhal-Teke into submission. The Akhal-Teke are very
rewarding to train and are very forgiving but to give their best, they need a sensitive, skilled,
patient trainer who is prepared to adapt his or her approach to the individual horse. As one
Austrian owner, Andrea Rauter, put it: "The problem with Tekes is that they are very smart,
some might call it arrogant. They don’t like the permanent repetition which is used by most
trainers. They want to learn something new all the time and you have to be very inventive to
present the same exercise in different “wrappings”. If you don’t do it and stick to your plan or
– worse – to your whip, then Tekes get sour and spoilt easily." This view is echoed by Allegra
Steck in the US who gave this advice to an owner intending to send a Teke stallion to a show-
jumping trainer: "Just be sure to tell them NOT to spend their time and energy on gridwork.
Tekes HATE gridwork and spend more time figuring out how to get out of it than actually
doing it. They do it right the first time, perfect it the second time, and by the third time are
saying " Why am I doing this again ? I've already done it twice just fine! I'm leaving..."
I think, one either has a feel for training a Teke or not. You either enjoy working with this kind
of horse who is curious, quick to learn, often ahead of the trainer and very expressive... or you
don't. You either find negotiations with an equine who is often trying to outwit you rewarding
or you don't. Some people just don't like it - in the same way as I have no feeling for native
breeds or cross-bred sportshorses. I have recently re-broke an eleven-year-old purebred
Akhal-Teke mare who has been a broodmare all her life. Starting a horse of any breed at the
age of eleven is never easy. When I first got on her, she kept turning her head and smelling my
feet, as if wondering what I was doing up there. She rushed forward like a rocket at the
slightest touch of my heel, so I had to try and sit motionless and hold my breath to stop her
from taking off at 90 miles an hour. Needless to say, that pulling at the reins to slow her down
was out of the question. When I first rode her out, I had to get off every 50 yards and walk
for a bit, then get back on for a bit, because she kept stopping and refusing to move. But by
the third ride only she got the idea, went forward and never stopped, looked around but never
shied, at the traffic or anything else. For three months she didn't want to go past the pigs but
then, one day I got the feeling she might, and she did. The following week a neighbour wanted
to go for a ride on her, with me riding our other Teke. The mare stopped and refused to
move. She was clearly unprepared for a change of rider. She had bonded with me and at that
point was still too green to accept a different human into her life. Our other mare, on the other
hand, though only slightly more experienced under saddle, is quite willing to accept strangers,
as she is more dominant and more assertive. This is the variety I love about this breed - their
distinct personalities and the way they relate so strongly to people.
LT: How would you describe the movements of the breed? From what I was able to see,
every Akhal Teke, no matter what the age for example, seemed to move very naturally
and "fluently", through all the gaits.
MMB: The Teke gaits are unique. No horse is more comfortable and more exciting to ride.
They are smooth, light, sure-footed and fast. They move parallel to the ground making it easy
for the rider - they only need light aids and don't throw you out of the saddle. They are light in
the mouth, so don't need strong bits and riders with strong arms, and they really cover the
ground. But if a Teke decides he doesn't want you on his back - good luck to you! Teke,
especially males, rear easily and can change direction in an instant, sending the rider out of the
side door. It takes a skilled rider to stay on! Best to recognise something is not right early on
and prevent a confrontation.
LT: Just to make sure, what is the breed’s average size? 150-167 cm? How tall is a
Teke hoped to be? Akhal Teke is a moderately big sized horse, and at least in riding
horses, bigger horses seem to be sought after. Do you know how much the Tekes weigh
on average?
MMB: The Akhal-Teke in the ancient world was a tall horse, taller than other breeds. Today,
Akhal-Teke vary - some breeders favour taller horses on the grounds that humans too are
getting taller. Certainly, an average size and weight of a man in the West is a lot greater than
that of most Turkmen riders. I would say that a stallion should ideally be between 156 and
162 cm. 2-3cm under or over this average is perfectly acceptable, as people vary in height
and weight too. What is important is the overall proportions of the horse. The Akhal-Teke is a
horse on long legs with a shallow girth. This is what gives the breed its marvellous recovery
and stamina: the horse is carrying less body weight in proportion to its overall height.
Therefore, a smaller AT must be proportionately smaller all around - it must never be a big
body on short legs. The weight depends on the height - our stallion weighed 450kg when he
measured 161cm. As a basic rule, AT are lighter than horses of other breeds of equivalent
height.
LT: What is the Akhal Teke made for? Is it nowadays a race horse, or a mere "showing-
off luxury item"? Has it got capacity among other riding horses in dressage, eventing,
endurance, derbys? Do you know about it's usage in the east (in Russia and it's native
breeding areas) nowadays?
MMB: In Turkmenistan, the homeland of the breed, the Akhal-Teke is a flat racehorse. Some
interest is emerging there nowadays in long distance riding as well. In Russia, the Akhal-Teke
are used both in flat racing and in classical disciplines, with endurance also gaining popularity.
The Akhal-Teke numerically is a small breed, so the number of them in sport is proportionate
to the overall size of the population. In the Soviet Union, quite a few were used in dressage
and jumping, many achieving good results at the National level. They were also fairly widely
used in circus, where their intelligence was valued by trainers. Nowadays in Russia, like
everywhere in the Western world, European warmbloods are in fashion, so it's equally hard to
market the Akhal-Teke as a sportshorse in Russia as it is in the West. In top-level sport,
intelligence and sensitivity in a horse are not always the most desirable qualities, so although
physically the Akhal-Teke are very athletic and versatile and suited to a variety of disciplines,
their demanding nature doesn't make them an ideal horse for the conveyor-belt-style sports
training.
Historically, the ancestors of the modern Akhal-Teke were always seen as special and were
coveted by the elite, be it Persian Kings, Chinese Emperors or the Russian Imperial high-
ranking officers. The Akhal-Teke was never the horse of the rank-and-file, never ridden in
large groups, never used as a pack horse - the Turkmen had other, less refined breeds for
those purposes. The Turkmen saw their special breed as an epitomy of power and beauty,
courage and loyalty - this is supported by the descriptions of horses in the oral literature and
their status in Turkmen culture. The challenge for the modern breeder is to preserve the
exclusive image and the unique qualities of the Akhal-Teke within the modern equestrian
context where quick gains and convenience are in demand.
LT: Among the breed the different stud lines affect the horses type and conformation.
Are there some lines that are better than others in some specific sport for example? Or
are the stud lines effects significant in real life?
MMB: In the last 20 years, certain lines have emerged as very promising in sport. Arab,
Gelishikli, Fakir-Pelvan, Peren and El can be mentioned as having produced a greater-than-
average number of high-achieving Teke. There are hot debates which surround the question of
breeding Akhal-Teke for specific sports ability. A prominent German breeder, Sabine
Toepfer-Gebert, when answering a question whether she aims to select for specific qualities,
to produce different types of Tekes suited to certain disciplines, replied: "No, we don't try to
select in this way. We already have good sports horses in Germany. We know what the ideal
Teke is that we aspire to produce, but it is difficult to explain in words, and even more difficult
to achieve."
Sire lines are only a nominal way of tracing descent and are less significant than a given
combination of ancestors. Pedigree patterns are more complex than the simple concept of a
sire line. For example, in the UK we have stallion Aschir whose sire line formally is Gelishikli,
one of the most wide-spread modern lines. This in itself doesn’t tell us much about the origins
of this horse. When we look closer, we note that Aschir descends from Gelishikli via Yulduz,
Adat and Zergyar, all top-rate Akhal-Teke sires. Equally important in Aschir’s pedigree are
Ametist and Ararat, the sons of the Olympic dressage stallion Absent (Arab line), they are
found in his dam’s and his sire’s maternal lines. Arab and Gelishikli lines often produce good
jumpers, and this ability is evident in Aschir.
LT: The Teke is widely used in cross breeding. Is it good in that usage? Does it bring
more speed and endurance to the horses?
MMB: Speed, endurance, as well as
elegance and intelligence, are the qualities
that Akhal-Teke can pass on when crossed
with other breeds. In the Soviet Union, the
Akhal-Teke were used alongside the
English Thoroughbred, to produce a variety
of successful saddle breeds, such as Don,
Budennyi, Russian and Ukranian
Saddlebred. They also contributed to the
development of the Trakehner. In the West,
crosses have been attempted with Arabs,
warmbloods and native pony breeds but the
results vary greatly in quality.
Cross-breeding often yields the best results
several generations down the line. I can
think of two very successful first-generation
crosses between Teke stallions and Welsh
and New Forest pony mares.
elegance and intelligence, are the qualities
that Akhal-Teke can pass on when crossed
with other breeds. In the Soviet Union, the
Akhal-Teke were used alongside the
English Thoroughbred, to produce a variety
of successful saddle breeds, such as Don,
Budennyi, Russian and Ukranian
Saddlebred. They also contributed to the
development of the Trakehner. In the West,
crosses have been attempted with Arabs,
warmbloods and native pony breeds but the
results vary greatly in quality.
Cross-breeding often yields the best results
several generations down the line. I can
think of two very successful first-generation
crosses between Teke stallions and Welsh
and New Forest pony mares.
Teke Cross Vizit
Maria and Altai
Karaburgut
Gazyr Shael