BASHKIR HORSE
BASHKIR HORSE, a local carriage, saddle-carriage, and saddle-pack breed. It originates from steppe and forest type breeds. B.h. has been bred since the 17th century in the Ufa and Orenburg guberniyas, it could also be found in the Perm, Kazan, and Samara guberniyas, as well as in western Siberia. Animals of average height, a wellbalanced built, with welldeveloped muscles, and tough constitution. The head has a straight profile, wide frontlet, and wideset jaws (low jaw corners). The neck is thick, short; low withers, the back is wide, straight, the croup is moderately low. The mane and tail are thick and long. Extremities are short, the skeleton is sturdy, hooves have a strong horn. The measurements of a stallion: withers height — 144 cm, oblique body length — 150, chest girth — 175, metacarpus girth — 19.5 cm, body weight — 460 kg; mares — 140, 145, 170, 18, 410, correspondingly. The predominant colours are: sorrel, bau, chestnut, and dun. It differs from other breeds by a long lifespan and birth rate. Mare's milk is used to make kumys. B.h. is used for agricultural and transportation purposes, in equestrian sports, to produce milk and supply meat. It is easy to keep, performs excellently under a saddle, a pack and in harness. It can carry a load of 700—1,000 kg down the field road. Thanks to its elongated body shape, it has a soft pace that is not difficult to endure for the rider. It is adapted to year round pasturing. Mares and stallions have a developed herd reflex. The horse was used in the Military Service of the Bashkirs. B.h. was highly appraised in the Patriotic War of 1812 and Foreign Campaigns of the Russian Army of 1813—14. Military ex perts noted the B.h. courage and vigor, trust in the rider, ease of management, ability to gallop or trot for a long time. The high endu rance skills were deve loped by means of special training exer cises. In 1990, a special dairy type of Irendyksky breed, with an average yield of 2,300 kg per lactation, was introduced. In 1991, B.h. was assigned a status of a breed created by the people’s selection method. B.h. stock breeding is performed in 13 businesses of the Republic: Ufimskaya stateowned breeding stables, GUSP Tavakan in Kugarchinsky Raion, OOO Agrofirm Bayramgul in Uchalinsky Raion, Ufimsky Stud Farm No.119, Kh.S.Idiyatullina Farm in Iglinsky Raion, OOO Tolpar in Baymaksky Raion, etc.
