“…IN SHUSHA, THE BEST HORSES I HAD EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE BELONG TO THE FARM OF JAFAR GULU KHAN. I HAVEN’T SEEN SIMILAR HORSES ANYWHERE. I HAVE MADE A DRAWING OF ONE OF THEM FROM LIFE, IT WAS A FARM STALLION”.
V. V. VERESCHAGIN, 1870
Garabagh horses were famous in the entire Muslim world, and then in Russia and Europe for their beauty, speed and particular endurance. The first records about Garabagh horses belong to the antique period of history. Alexander the Great, who had conquered Media and Persia, used to make regular trips to various regions of his empire. In one of such trips, he visited Nisey fields located on the border with a satrap of Atropat – Media Atropatena, where since ancient times the well-known horses have been bred. Soon Atropat decided to visit him and for some time stayed in the entourage of Alexander. During his trips and various events, Alexander used to organise solemn celebrations. At one of such celebrations, for Alexander’s entertainment, Atropat brought a group of horsewomen dressed in clothes of men; horsewomen had spears instead of pole-axes and light shields instead of usual heavy ones. Ancient authors used to consider these horsewomen legendary horsewomen (Amazonians), who had settled in the “mountains over Albania”, and their horses as ancestors of the Garabagh horses. Horses and cavalry played an important role in the life of Turks and their armies. Being quite young, Turkic children got used to riding. During long campaigns and peacetime, horses served as devoted friends and assistants. Local people had a huge experience in breeding new species of horses with necessary qualities and appearance.
The Garabagh species of horses was under constant control of the rulers of Azerbaijani states of Qara Qoyunlu, Ag Qoyunlu and the Safavids. However, it is considered that the bases of the present-day horse breeding in Garabagh were laid by Nadir Shah Afshar. Preparing for a campaign to India, Nadir Shah sent to Garabagh the best stallions and mares of Arabian and Turkmen breeds and ordered to organise horse – breeding farm there. Being a perfect rider, Nadir Shah himself controlled the work of these factories, when selected horses were brought from these farms. After the death of Nadir Shah, the farms were owned by Panah Ali Khan. From Panah Ali Khan, the farms passed to his son, Ibrahim Khan. Ibrahim Halil Khan may by right be considered as the founder of the present – day horse breeding in Garabagh. He increased the number of horse farms and organised a more strict pedigree selection of horses belonging to the Garabagh breed. Apart from special trips, races were organised twice a year at “Jidir duzu”. They helped define the best stallions and control the principles of their selection. Demand for the Garabagh horses grew in entire Middle East.
In the markets of Tabriz, Tehran and Istanbul, the horses of Ibrahim Khan cost about 200 roubles. This was a monthly salary of an officer of Russian army. When the Russians came to the Caucasus, the Russian commandment bacame interested in Garabagh horses. Upon the order of Emperor Alexander I, a veterinary surgeon Kresting was sent to the Caucasus in 1822. He visited Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and the Central Asia. The newspaper “Caucasus” described the popular breed of the Garabagh horses as follows: “the climate of this province (Garabagh) is so wonderful that horses pasture the whole year. In summer, when it is quite hot in valleys, they are driven to mountains, where they breath cool air and find grass. When they get onto mountains, they make their feet and hoofs stronger. When colds begin in autumn, they come back to valleys”. After the death of Ibrahim Halil Khan, horse breeding fell into decay. Mehdi Gulu Khan was not interested in the development of horse – breeding farms, and presented the best horses to his friends and relatives. As a result, the number of horses of the khan’s breeds constantly decreased.
The horse – breeding was restored by the daughter of Mehdi Gulu Khan, Khurshid Banu. The glory of the Garabagh horses grew, and in the end of 1877 the Russian government decided to create a new horse – breeding farm in Garabagh in order to increase the total number of livestock. First, organizers asked the owners of existing horse farms to help them. The first response came from Khurshid Banu Natavan. The newspaper “Caucasus” in this regard wrote: “it is necessary to do full justice to the daughter of the Garabagh khan, Khurshid Banu Beyim, who was the only one that had understood the good purposes of the government, readily responded to its call and gave not only twenty horses from among her best females of the farm, but also her best stallion “Jeyran”.
The beauty of the well – known Garabagh horses of Khurshid Banu drew attention of travellers coming in Shusha in the second half of the 19th century. An outstanding Russian painter V.Vereschagin, who visited Shusha in 1865, assessed the horses of the khan’s daughter very high. The painter then wrote in his memoirs: “…Close to Shusha, at the gate leading to Elizabethpol, there is a big old house belonging to the daughter of the last khan, Mehdi Gulu Khan. The dying khan left a fortune to his daughter. The same khan’s daughter had the richest and majestic horses imparting particular splendour and solemnity to any festive procession. In her stable, there are excellent horses known under the name of ‘khan’s horses’.
Besides the khan’s daughter, many Garabagh beys owned horse – breeding farms. Each of these farms had from 20 to 50 females. Among those who had famous horse – breeding farms, it is necessary to mention Ughurlu Bey, Jafar Gulu Khan, Rustam Bey Behbudov, colonel Kerim Agha Jevanshir, Bahadur Bey, Shamil Bey, Abish Bey and Abdul Bey Galabeyovs, Javad Bey Adigezalov, Selim Bey Adigezalov and others.
The Garabagh horses, just like any other breed, was not pure – blooded. Experts managed to find some signs of Arabian. Persian and Turkmen horses in them.
In literature sources various types of known stallions are described: maymun, karni-ertig, aletmez, etc. Horses of these types are characterised with the following features: maymun was notable for endurance, karni – ertig – beauty, aletmez – speed at short distances. In the middle of the 19th century, under the influence of Turkmen horse breed akhal-teke, a new horse breed called teke – jeyran was formed in Garabagh. They turned out to be taller and excelled the earlier breeds in races. Soon, another type of the Garabagh horse breed appeared – tokhmak. Horses of this type were also tall, fast, robust, and of golden, red colour.
Beautiful colour and harmonious build distinguish it from local and other breeds. The characteristic features of the exterior of the modern Garabagh horse are general dryness and durability of constitution; a beautiful head with a developed skull and big expressive eyes; its temper is full of energy, but orderly. Movements of the horse are smooth, high and easy – this is the result of conditions of herd keeping. The Garabagh horse is of average height. The height at the level of withers varies from 140 to 150 cm.
A typical breed of the Garabagh horse was the one called Narinji. Its colour is close to lemon or yellow – brown with a sparkle on the ends of strands. The mane and the tail dock are dark – chestnut with a slight tint on the ends of hairs… Another distinctive feature of the Garabagh breed is white spots on the head and limbs of the horse”.
The natural habitat of the Garabagh horse is huge. As we can see from literature sources, herds of Garabagh horses existed in Georgia, the Northern Caucasus and Iran. The Garabagh breed of horses had an essential impact on the formation of the Don, Orel and Kabardian breeds. There were also cases of using the Garabagh horses at various horse farms in the countries of Europe and Japan.
The Garabagh horses were many times successfully demonstrated during horse exhibitions in the Caucasus, Russia and Europe. Names of Garabagh stallions – Maymun, Molotok, Solbinaz, Khan, Bayram, Maral, Jeyran, Pehlevan and others – became well-known among experts. According to some information put online, the Club of friends of Garabagh Horses was founded in Western Germany.
The famous Lermontov’s poem “The Demon”, some part of which is below in Russian, precisely characterized Garabagh horse as a dashing and speed raser of goldish color.
Sultan pure-blooded Karabakh horse, number 75 of 1946
The Garabagh stallion Zaman presented to the Queen of the Great Britain, Elizabeth, in 1956.
Azerbaijan presents Karabakh horse to Queen Elizabeth II as gift from President Ilham Aliyev
Sources:
CHINGIZ QAJAR, “OLD SHUSHA”
AZERNEWS. AZ