Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

Horses are truly wonderful creatures and leave us awestruck. Being the symbol of strength and freedom, these magnificent animals can truly stir the soul.

Since ancient times, the horse has played a major role in the lives of peoples inhabiting Azerbaijan.

The beauty of Azerbaijani horses has been glorified worldwide. Karabakh and Gazakh (Deliboz) horses are among the popular horse breeds in Azerbaijan.

Karabakh Horse

The Karabakh horses are mountain horses, so they are not very tall, 1.48-1.52 metres (up to 15 hands). They are slim, with attractive faces and are kind and gentle by nature. Despite their delicate appearance they are known for their stamina and they have been very successful racers. Their suppleness also made them the ideal mount for traditional games like Chovgan and Sur-papa.

Chovqan, a traditional horse-riding game played on Karabakh horses, is inscribed on UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Back in 1956, Queen Elizabeth II was presented with the Karabakh horse Zaman, who for the first time represented the ancient horse-breeding culture of Azerbaijan in Great Britain.

Karabakh Horse is considered one of the rare species in the world and the oldest in Asia and the Caucasus.

This stunning horse breed has a small, well-defined head, a straight profile with a broad forehead, and large nostrils. The neck is set high, average in length, muscular and elegant.

The color of the Karabakh breed can be red, buckthorn, brown, bay, gray or golden-red, which is also called the "golden glow".

Karabakh breed horses were presented at the celebration of the anniversary of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in 2012.

Deliboz

Deliboz horse spreads widely throughout western Azerbaijan. The light horse breed is primarily used for riding. This horse breed is known for its dominant racking gait. Deliboz combines both feet on the same side while moving, as opposed to the more common diagonal foot movement, making riding experience more comfortable.

This horse was bred in the late 19th - early 19th century by crossing local horses with eastern breeds under the influence of the Karabakh horse.

Unbalanced temperament, good health and durability are main characteristic features of Deliboz.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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