It was during a curious stroll through the butchery section of Ashgabat’s Russian Market when, being unable to identify the origin of a cold slab of meat in front of me, I innocently (or more likely ignorantly) asked our guide Mekan.. “is that horsemeat?” to which came the firm reply “ we do not eat horse in my country”.
Oops - nothing like a good cultural faux-pas! And this one was a clanger!
For the horse is a national symbol of Turkmenistan… deeply embedded in Turkmen culture and heritage, symbolizing strength, beauty, and pride.
The indigenous Akhal-Tepe - or Golden Horse as it's usually known as - is adored by the president (who is rumoured to own the most beautiful golden one of all), revered by the people, and are often presented as diplomatic gifts to some lucky but unsuspecting foreign dignitaries. They feature on emblems and statues all throughout the country, banknotes, stamps and also of course, animated in neon form in Ashgabat… oopsie.
They are very proud, and rightly so because this Turkmeni breed is one of the oldest in the world, carefully bred by the Turkmeni Tepe tribe for over 3,000 years, and it is said to have influenced the genetics of the thoroughbred bloodline up until this day. They are known for their remarkable stamina, speed and endurance, which has developed over centuries to survive in the harsh conditions of the arid Karakum Desert. Historically these beautiful horses were traditionally bred as warhorses… used by nomadic tribes for long distance travel and raiding - a far cry from the racing, show jumping and beauty contests they compete in today.
Anyway, enough with the history… Let me introduce the most majestic equine creature that I have ever seen… the golden Akhal-Tepe…
Not the tallest horse you will meet, but certainly the most incredible to look at!!
This extreme metallic shine is due to the structure of its very short hair, and its very thin skin (so thin it that as you can see it completely exposes the rib cage… ), both of which serve to reflect the light in a very unique way.
While the golden coat is the most famous, the breed also comes in other colours, such as black, chestnut, and bay… several of which we also met here at the Ashgabat Hippodrome.
This beauty is an awarded show jumper…
This beauty is a champion marathon runner…
But this one as you can see, is the real life actual beauty queen and the pride of the the stables.
Given just how taken we were with this incredible creature, it’s no wonder that over the centuries, well millennia actually, that the Akhal-Teke had reached mythical status in many Central Asian countries, where it is sometimes still referred to as the “horse from heaven”. So you can understand how it has become an integral part of Turkmenistan’s cultural heritage, and not cuisine. I stand corrected!
*The confusion over horsemeat, is that it plays a large part in the traditional nomadic diet in other parts of Central Asia such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
What beautiful horses! Question is what was the meat?🤔