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8KARABAKH HORSES
FEYZULLAYEVA S.T.
Senior lecturer, Sheki branch of Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University
"Time" does not lie on a thread,
Its neigh becomes pole to the grounnd, and the sky, Does not obey to whip or threat
B. Vahabzade
к
Abstract: The article is devoted to the role of the famous Karabakh horses in the history and culture of Azerbaijan and to their protection. The author talks about the history, biological characteristics of Karabakh horses, the awards they won at world exhibitions and events. Our Karabakh has made a noise to the world not only with its culture, art and nature, but also with its horses. Karabakh horses are considered the oldest horse breed in Asia and the Caucasus. Although these horses faced the threat of extinction, they began to increase again thanks to the "Karabakh Horse Breeding Plant" established in Agdam in 1948 It is reported that. Horse breeding has been practiced in Azerbaijan since the Enolithic period. It was possible to get new breeds through natural selection from horses that were under the influence of the natural environment for many years and were changed by people. Historically Karabakh, Gazakh, Guba, Baku horses became famous. Karabakh and Dilboz horse breeds are the oldest and most valuable horse breeds of Azerbaijan. The main features that distinguish the Karabakh horse from other horses are its shiny orange color. The ends of the mane and tail feathers are reddish, dark chestnut in color. Yellow-golden, golden-brown colors mainly belong to Karabakh horses. In rare cases, brown, gray and gray colors are also found. The characteristic marks of the Karabakh horse are varying degrees of whiteness on the legs, and a bump on the forehead. In recent years, the activity of the Azerbaijan state in the protection of ancient and local horse breeds has been focused on the topic.
Xulasa: Mdqald md§hur Qarabag atlarmin Azdrbaycan tarixi vd mdddniyydtindd roluna, muhafizdsind hdsr edilib. Mudllif Qarabag atlarinin tarixi, bioloji sdciyyasi, onlarin dunyanin sdrgi vd tddbirldrindd qazandiqlari mukafatlardan bdhs edir. Bildirilir ki. Azdrbaycanda atgiliqla enolit dovrunddn md§gul olunur. Dogma diyarimiz Qarabag tdkcd mdddniyydti, incsssndti vd tdbidti ild deyil, atlari ild dd dunyayada taninir. Qarabag atlari Asiya vd Qafqazda dn qddim at cinsi hesab edilir. Bu atlar ndsli tukdnmdk tdhlukdsi ild uzld§sd dd, 1948-ci ildd Agdamda yaradilan "Qarabag atgiliqzavodu" saydsinddyeniddn artmaga ba§ladilar. Uzun illdr tdbii muhitin tdsiri altinda qalmi§, insanlar tdrdfinddn ddyi§dirildn atlardan tdbii segmd ild yeni cinsldr almaq mumkun olmu§dur. Tarixdn Qarabag, Qazax,Quba, Baki atlari md§hur olmu§dur. Qarabag vd Dilboz at cinsldri Azdrbaycanin dn qddim at cinsldridir. Qarabag atini digdr atlardan fdrqldndirdn dsas dlamdtldr onun parildayan narinci rdngdd olmasidir. Yali vd quyruq tukldrinin uclari qizarmi§, tund-§abalidi rdngdd olur. Sari-qizili, qizili-qonur rdngldr dsasdn Qarabag atlarina mdxsusdur. Qox az hallarda kdhdr, boz vd gal rdngldrd dd tdsaduf olunur. Qarabag atinin xarakterik ni§anlari - ayaqlarinda muxtdlif ddrdcddd sdkil (agliq), alninin isd tdpdl olmasidir. Son illdr Azdrbaycan dovldtinin qddim vd yerli at cinsldrinin muhafizdsinddki fdaliyydti diqqdt mdrkdzindd saxlanilmaqdadir.
Keywords:Azerbaijan, Garaba horses, horse breeding, history, culture. UNESCO, Chawgan game, protection of horse breeding
The rich natural monuments of our native lands are also a part of the world nature, the living heritage of mankind. It is known that today the world is looking for ways out of the ecological vortex. Solving environmental problems and protecting fauna and flora have never been more important than now. Based on this logic, we decided to do a little research on Karabakh horses and introduce them to you. The main object of our research is Karabakh horses (Equus ferus caballus), which are our national treasure.
A horse is the support of a person's life, if there is a person in life, there is a horse along with it (from the science of genetics and heredity).
Archaeological materials prove that the culture of domesticated animal husbandry and horse breeding was very high in Azerbaijan in the Eneolithic period. The beautiful natural conditions of the country, especially the presence of summer and winter pastures, led to the emergence of semi-nomadic animal husbandry [2, p. 12].
Historically SnowAbag, Gazakh, Guba, Baku horses became famous.
Azerbaijani horses have changed over the centuries under the influence of certain natural historical conditions, as well as as a result of the life and economic needs of the people, and thus, as a result of the historical work of the people in the country, they were able to create a number of horse breeds and types through natural selection. Of these, Karabakh and Dilboz horses are very famous in the world, and there are also Guba and Shirvan horses [2, p. 16].
Karabakh and Dilboz horse breeds are the oldest and most valuable horse breeds of Azerbaijan.
Karabakh and Dilboz horses aroused great interest in Western European countries that developed in the 18th-19th centuries, and they were exhibited at world and pan-European horse exhibitions held in Paris, London and other European countries [2, p.16].
Our Karabakh has made a noise to the world not only with its culture, art and nature, but also with its horses. Karabakh horses are considered the oldest horse breed in Asia and the Caucasus. Although these horses faced the threat of extinction, they began to increase again thanks to the "Karabakh Horse Breeding Plant" established in Agdam in 1948[6].
The Karabakh horse breed is the peak of Azerbaijani equestrianism. Karabakh horses are one of the oldest horse breeds. These horses got their name from the Karabakh region, located between the Kura and Araz rivers, in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the breed originated and developed.
Karabakh horses were born and raised mainly in mountainous areas with clean air. These horses are distinguished by their special health and beauty.
Referring to several Arab sources, it can be noted that already in the 8th century, the golden Karabakh horse existed in the territory of Azerbaijan [1, p.12].
In the beginning, Karabakh horses were mated with Arab, Turkish, Turkmen, thoroughbred and later Terek horses and improvement measures were carried out [2, p. 21].
The main distribution area of the Karabakh horse was the Karabakh zone of Azerbaijan. The best horses are distributed in Khankendi, Shusha, Aghdam, Fizulu, Barda, Khojaly, Khojavand, Jabrayil, Kalbajar and the areas close to these regions. Horses of this breed were taken to the North Caucasus, the Don and many stud farms located in the south of Russia.
Currently, Karabakh horses occupy a special place among the famous horse breeds such as "Arab", "Don", "Budyonni". The usual pace of the Karabakh horse is more than 8 kilometers per hour. Externally, the Karabakh horse is a typical mountain riding horse. The main form of gait of these horses is a gallop, their gait is wide and quick, all their movements are flexible. The Karabakh horse is tall, agile, moves smoothly, and has a strong body structure. It is a miniature horse. The bones of the forehead and nose are well developed, and the eyes are prominent. The neck is of medium length, even slightly stocky, and has a high stance [4].
Karabakh horses are famous all over the world. In 1956, the head of the Soviet government, Nikita Khrushchev, gave a Karabakh horse nicknamed "Zaman" to Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain.
A horse named "Sumganda" bred at Aghdam Horse Breeding Plant showed a record speed by running 1600 meters in 1 minute 54 seconds at the age of two, and 2400 meters in 2 minutes 52 seconds at the age of three.
In addition, the Karabakh horses named "Liston", "Signal", "Naliv" have achieved world indicators by showing record results at different times[5]. Back in the 19th century, Russian generals and officials who served in the Caucasus also used
Karabakh horses. The genius Russian poet A.S.Pushkin, who traveled to Erzurum at that time, wrote about this in his notes: "Young Russian officials liked to ride on Karabakh stallions."
In the past, competitions were held twice a year in "Cidirduzu" in Shusha between atchapars, and valuable gifts were given to the winners. Karabakh Khan Ibrahim Khan's horses were in great demand in the world market. Khurshidbanu Natavan, a poet from that generation, was also actively engaged in horse breeding, and she also had a horse that was famous throughout the country. In 1867, the poet's Karabakh horses took part in the world agricultural exhibitions in Paris, Moscow and Tiflis and won every time and were awarded with gold medals[5].
A horse named "Alyetmez" owned by Khan's daughter Natavan won a prize at the All-Russian horse exhibition in 1867, and a horse nicknamed "Khan" won a prize at the exhibition held in France in the same year. Seeing the Karabakh horse nicknamed "Khan", French women were fascinated by its color and began to dye their hair brown. Seeing Karabakh horses, which are always distinguished by their beautiful appearance, it is impossible not to be impressed [6].
Picture 1. Alyetmez, taken from Khurshudbanu Natava's stud farm, which was taken to the All-Russia exhibition in 1967.
Currently, the "Friends of Karabakh Horses" club is operating in Frankfurt, Germany, under the leadership of Verena Solian. On the initiative of this woman, a catalog of Karabakh horses was published in Germany.
Fascinated by the beauty of Karabakh horses, the Swiss farmer Hans Hutmeyer even erected a statue of the famous Karabakh horse "Alyetmez" of the 19th century in front of his mansion [5].The famous Russian artist Vasily Vereshshagin wrote in 1870: "... the best horses I have seen in my life belong to Khan Jafargulu in Shusha. I have never seen such horses anywhere. I drew a picture of a purebred male horse.
Picture 2. The golden-burning Karabakh horse-Khan. Foro Nikolai Sverchkov, 1865
The Karabakh horse is a member of the animal world, the division of bilaterally symmetrical animals, the phylum of chordates, the class of mammals, the order of ungulates, the family of horses, the genus of horses.
The XVIII-XIX centuries are considered the highest years of the development of Karabakh equestrianism - the "golden age". It was during this period that the most typical examples of the breed
were bred in the factories of Karabakh Khans Panah Khan, Ibrahim Khan, Mehdigulu Khan, Jafargulu Khan and Khurshidbanu Nateva (Usmiyevs).
Horses of 3 types were mainly kept in the Karabakh Khan factories: "Monkey", "Garniyirtyq" and "Aliyetmez":
• Horses belonging to the "Monkey" type are resistant to long marches, have a calm temperament, and have a slight tendency to jump high.
• Horses belonging to the "Garnyyritig" type are very handsome, with a high neck and posture, and are inferior to the "Monkey" type in terms of strength and durability.
• The "Aliyetmez" (Geyran) type surpassed the others in running short distances, had a high jump, a handsome and playful body structure reminiscent of a gazelle.
In addition, manufacturers also preferred the "Toxmaq" type. These horses had a relatively large body, yellow-golden color, and their mane and legs were dark brown.
Heads of generations of the mentioned species 1869s Participated in the All-Russian horse exhibition held in 2011, and among them "Monkey" was awarded a silver medal, "Tokhmaq" was Awarded a bronze medal, and Usmiyev's (Khan's daughter Nateva's) horse "Alyetmez" was awarded a certificate [3].
1869 in Azerbaycan Karabakh horse was one of the most famous horse breeds. Due to its high quality indicators, this horse was compared to the purebred Arabian horse, Kohlan. The features that attract attention in the appearance of these horses are that their heads are small, their noses are wide, their eyes are slightly larger, and they have a strong muscular body structure. Each of the short, orange-gold hairs on the thin skin sparkles like sparks. The mane and tail of the Karabakh horse are dark chestnut in color, the chest is wide, and the legs are thin.
Many types of the Karabakh breed have been recorded in the historical-ethnographic literature. Among them, Monkey (Khoshbakht), Tokmaq, Shahmar, Garni tyrak, Alyetmez, Gazelle, Selminaz, etc. can be shown. In exchange for the fame of the Karabakh breed, stallions of that breed were bought for breeding purposes in Russia, as well as in European countries such as Poland, England, and France, and in this way local horse breeds were improved. XIX century in the 1990s, there were 213 purebred Karabakh horses in Azerbaijan, but in the post-revolutionary period, this breed was almost extinct. XX century since the 50s of horse breeding plant in Aghdam to its recovery, care was taken to re-breed this breed [3].
The Karabakh horse is more tolerant and not demanding on feed. Karabakh horses were crossed with other breeds existing in the Caucasus. Karabakh horses are medium-sized, muscular, blanket horses. Their heads are small, their profiles are straight. The back and waist are straight, the chest and generally, the body is wide, the legs are dry, temperamental, playful. The skin is thin, the fur is soft and shiny.
The main features that distinguish the Karabakh horse from other horses are its shiny orange color. The ends of the mane and tail feathers are reddish, dark chestnut in color. Yellow-golden, golden-brown colors mainly belong to Karabakh horses. In rare cases, brown, gray and gray colors are also found. The characteristic marks of the Karabakh horse are varying degrees of whiteness on the legs, and a bump on the forehead [4].
The hateful Armenians, who are eyeing our lands, have always been jealous of the development of horse breeding in Azerbaijan. It has come to the point that our historical enemies have always tried to take possession of our horse breeds. Armenians printed several times a stamp with the image of the Karabakh horse nicknamed "Bat Alyetmez", which was bred at the horse factory of Khurshudbanu Nateva and won a prize at the All-Russian horse exhibition held in Moscow in 1869.
In 2004, the horse brought from Agdam factory broke the world record. This horse completed the 1000m distance in 1 minute and 9 seconds[7].
B. Vahabzade dedicated a ballad to Karabakh horses [8].
In 2013, the national horse game of Azerbaijan, Jovgan, was included in the intangible heritage fund in need of protection at the VIII session of the Intergovernmental Commission for the Protection of Intangible and Cultural Heritage of UNESCO [9].
Karabakh horses are kept in the horse factory headed by Yashar Guluzade in Sheki [10]. On November 19, 2014, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed a decree on additional support for the development of Karabakh horses in Azerbaijan[10]. Since 2018, 200 Karabakh horses have been kept at the Agjabadi stud farm.
Since 1993, the remaining horses from Aghdam Horse Breeding Plant have been kept in Barda region[5] .
Historically, Azerbaijani horses have attracted people's interest and admiration at exhibitions and events. One of the unforgettable events that impressed the Europeans was at the final stage of the Royal Windsor horse show held near London in May 2016 by the "Cavalry" detachment of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The performance of the Azerbaijan State Song and Dance Ensemble along with fourteen Karabakh and one "Dilboz" horse added a different color to the ceremony held on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The rhythmic movement of the horses, the accuracy of the runners and the correct numbers attracted everyone's attention. In one of the show programs of Karabakh horses, a pyramid-shaped number consisting of 3 horses and 6 horses was shown. According to the indicated number, 3 flags were hung from top to bottom. The first was a flag with congratulatory words to the queen, the second was the flag of Azerbaijan, and the last was the flag of Great Britain. Chapar's unfurling of these three giant flags was met with great interest by members of the British Royal family and spectators [11].
In recent years, various works have been carried out in our republic for the development of horse breeding. In 2007, the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Horse Breeding" was adopted, relevant decrees were signed by President Ilham Aliyev in connection with the application of this law, and the "Program on the Development of Horse Breeding" was approved[11].
In 2018, President Ilham Aliyev and the first lady of the country Mehriban Aliyeva Karabakh 35, 5 ha. participated in the opening of the equestrian complex covering the area[10]. In recent years, our state has been aiming to eliminate the factors that hinder the development of horse breeding and claim the glory of this field.
In 1993, the destruction of Aghdam by Armenian invaders caused serious damage to horse
riding.
Karabakh horses were moved to Khamtorpag area of Aghjabedi district in 1994 with the help and instructions of the great leader Heydar Aliyev. During all this period, they managed to keep the thoroughbred horses safe and sound, braving all the difficulties. At present, together with the restoration of territories freed from occupation, the development of our national-spiritual and material resources there is being kept in the focus of the Azerbaijani state.
Photo 3. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady of the country Mehriban Aliyeva.
On October 4, 2022, the groundbreaking ceremony of the Equestrian Breeding Center was held in the liberated Eyvazkhanbeyli village of Agdam region. The head of our state Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the ceremony. The concept of the educational center was developed by the company "Reflect Architects". The center, located on 7 hectares of the area with a potential growth target of 30 hectares, will have specially designed stables for 120 horses, breeding laboratories, a veterinary clinic and other necessary facilities. Also, a hotel with 60-80 rooms, museum, cafe, restaurant and stands are planned in the center[12].
Conclusion:
Karabakh horses are the national wealth of our people and a part of world culture. Karabakh horses have a special place in the history and art of our country, as well as in the history and art of some European and Asian countries. Karabakh horses have participated in many world-wide horse competitions and have been awarded prizes. Although sometimes there is a threat of extinction, today Karabakh horses are protected by the state of Azerbaijan with care and attention.
RESOURCES:
1. Hajiyev F. Karabakh horses in history and art. "Shusha" publishing house, Baku-2016, 92 p.
2. Zeynalov M.A. Horse breeding in Azerbaijan. Baku-2006, 199 p.
3. https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karabakh aty
4. https://tarix.0101.az/fenlerarasielaqe/tarixi-zoologiya/718-garaba287-atlar305.html
5. https://ednews.net/az/news/culture/332227-azerbaycanin-milli-serveti Azarbaycanin milli sarvati rangini guna§dan, gucunu daglardan alan Qarabag atlari.//Ednews/ Ulvi 9hamadli, Eurasia Diary,2018
6. Elena Volkova. Karabakh horses. К истории породы.// "Конный мир": - magazine. -2002- No. 2. https://xalq q azeti .com/az/news/61888
7. Emily Wither. Azerbaijan fights to protect national animals from extinction(English) //CNN. — November 16, 2011
8. Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh.Selected works. — Baku: Onder, 2004. — T. I. — С. 107-111. — 328 p. —ISBN 9952-416-10-4.
9. Chovgan, a traditional Karabakh horse-riding game in the Republic of Azerbaijan
10. https://president.az/ru/articles/view/30588
11. Nuruddin Muganli. Karabakh horses: Yesterday, today, tomorrow.//Two shores. Baku: 2020.
12. Salman Alioglu. Karabakh horses: Relics of history and time.// Respublika newspaper. Baku: 2023. .https://respublika-news.az/news/qarabag-atlari-tarikhin-ve-zamanin-yadigarlari
