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HORSE AND PONY BREEDS

2. THE MONGOLIAN HORSE

The second breed in our series is the Mongolian Horse, another horse native to East Asia.

These Mongolian Horses range in size from 12-14 hands and despite their small stature they are able to carry adults easily. These little horses are also hardy enough to survive temperatures ranging from 30°C in the summer to -40°C in the winter.

DID YOU KNOW?

It is thought that humans have been domesticating and riding the Mongolian horse for over 4000 years.

FOUR TYPES

There are four main types of Mongol horse: desert, mountain, steppe and forest. Each has characteristics that make it especially suitable for its environment and the needs of the local people.

PART OF THE CULTURE

The Mongolian domesticated horse is essential to Mongolian culture and way of life. Some Mongolian people of today still move in nomadic groups that live off the land and it is said ‘a Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings’.

HORSE RACING

Horse racing is a popular sport in Mongolian culture and despite the Mongolian horses’ small size they have great stamina and can gallop for 10km without a break. Mongolian children are exceptional horsemen and are often chosen to race their families’ horses because of their light weight. Some of these jockeys are as young as 6 years old!

DID YOU KNOW?

It is thought that the stirrup, which is believed to have been created by the Mongolian Emperor Genghis Khan’s armies, was a large contributing factor to these armies’ success in conquering lands from East Asia, right up to Vienna in the 12th and 13th centuries. The stirrup has changed very little, even today.

THE MONGOL DERBY

A popular tourist attraction is the Mongol Derby, which is a 1000 km route, raced in just 10 days. Riders from all over the world compete in the Derby every year.

Do you know someone who has raced the Mongol Derby?

www.tackntogs.co.za

Tel: (011) 468 1824 or 0861 midfeeds Emergency: 082 499 8684 Email: midfeedspty@mweb.co.za Address: 63 Karee Rd, Cr of Main Road, Blue Hills, Kyalami.

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