Altai breed horses: photo, description, history of origin. Russian horse breeds Budenovskaya horses

The main goal of creating productive beef horse breeding is to satisfy the population's needs for high-quality meat products while making the most of cheap natural forage land.

Work on the development of the Novoaltai breed of horses for meat production has been carried out for 20 years on farms in the Altai Territory (OPH “Novotalitskoe”, JSC “Sibir”, JSC “Bashchelak” and ST “Gornoe”) and the Altai Republic.

The initial forms for breeding the breed were improved horses of the Altai breed and factory heavy draft breeds: Lithuanian, Soviet and Russian.

The selection of horses of the Novo-Altai breed, kept on pasture all year round, made it possible to create animals adapted to a variety of conditions, with a strong constitution, good health, high fertility, endurance, strong limbs, strong hooves.

The horses of the Novoaltai breed are large: the height at the withers of mares is 146-153 cm, of stallions - 152-158 cm, live weight is 553-564 and 600-620 kg, respectively. Animals have good meat qualities, high milk production, and the ability to quickly “get fat” (intensive increase in live weight). At the same time, they retained the valuable qualities of local breeds: good adaptability to year-round grazing and the use of pasture lands inaccessible to other species of animals.

Stud stallions are large, massive, with a well-developed body, a wide deep chest, a wide back, a smooth muscular loin, a muscular forked croup and strong legs. They have a strong instinct for shoal leaders.

Mares have a somewhat coarse head, a muscular neck of medium length, a long well-developed body, a wide and deep chest, a wide muscular back, an even muscular loin, a croup of medium length, sometimes forked. The legs are strong, bony, with correct positioning and a strong hoof horn.

Horses of the Novoaltai breed have high levels of meat quality: the slaughter yield is 55% with average fatness, and 58% above average. From one mare you can annually obtain over 2 quintals of meat in live weight, the cost of which is 2-3 times lower than in beef cattle breeding. In the cost structure of horse meat production, feed accounts for 3-7%.

The value of keeping horses on pasture all year round lies in its cheapness. The cost of production is two times lower than in cultivated horse breeding. Horse care is limited to changing pastures, veterinary treatments and protection.

The use of Novoaltai breed horses on hard-to-reach forage lands can ensure high profitability and stabilize the economy of farms.

This breed is zoned in all natural and climatic zones of Western and Eastern Siberia.

The Altai Mountains and its territories are important in horse breeding. Many elite breeds of horses were brought to this area, but only those that were able to adapt to year-round stay on pastures managed to take root. The Altai horse breed is a local species, which has proven itself to be efficient, hardy, and easily adapts to pasture throughout all seasons. In the process of selection with heavy draft horses and other varieties, short stature, excellent health and balanced temperament became a characteristic feature of this breed.

During excavations at the Pazyryk mounds, it was revealed that the local Altai population bred various breeds of horses back in the first millennium BC. e.

During archaeological research, remains of 4-3 centuries BC were discovered. e, therefore, the fact remains undoubted that this breed has roots of ancient origin. Horse breeding was a common and favorite activity of ancient nomads, accustomed to the harsh mountain climate. The natural relief of the Altai region naturally shaped the creation of this breed.

Until the 40s of the last century, there were no obvious changes in the breed and the entire development process was rather slow. Changes in climate contributed to the formation of new breed data. At this time, there are not so many purebred Altaians, most of them were crossed with heavy draft horses, with purebred horses of English and Arabian origin. Recently, greater emphasis has been placed on herd horse breeding.

Herd horse breeding

Horses of the Altai breed tolerate the changeable mountain climate well, are not capricious in terms of food and maintenance, nature has endowed them with good health and amazing endurance, developed, characteristic of most mountain breeds.

Externally, Altai horses do not stand out in any way.

Altai horses are short (they grow up to one and a half meters at the withers) and weigh about three hundred to three hundred and fifty kilograms. Their distinctive feature is a very wide chest, massive body, strong and hindquarters. The head is medium-sized, with a thick, muscular neck. A straight back, a long loin, dry and short legs with hard hooves - all this makes the short horse a real heavy truck. They have a surprisingly thick mane and tail for a mountain breed.

Bay color

Difficult mountain conditions led the Altai horse breed to develop the ability to quickly gain weight. Grey, Savras, piebald, mouse and are common; leopard and tiger individuals are considered rare. One of the features of this breed is the presence of spots on the skin scattered throughout the horse’s body. Because of this, Altai horses are sometimes called Dalmatian horses.

Chubary suit

The Altai horse is the best working breed. She is easy to care for, her needs are minimal, she is very hardy and works well in harsh climates. This is an undeniable advantage in comparison with other varieties.

This breed has a brave spirit, they are able to protect their entire herd from wolves and will not allow attacks on their relatives.

Despite their lively nature in relation to the enemy, they get along well with people and have no problem letting children and adults approach them, allowing them to ride on their backs. They are very reserved, kind, have a calm disposition and are easy to train.

The evolution of this breed gave them very strong hooves, brushes and a special structure of the legs. This allows them to work in the most difficult mountainous areas, without the use of horseshoes.

They easily tolerate frost, have remarkable vitality and adaptability, but despite this, with decreased immunity and deviations in skeletal development, problems with the joints may occur. Particular attention should be paid to the vascular and cardiac systems and hoof care. There is also a danger of laminitis, morbillivirus pneumonia, breeding disease, and joint diseases.

Unpretentiousness in content

Horses of the Altai breed are very good-natured, hardworking, and can easily cope with a large amount of work. Their unpretentiousness and ability to understand people well make them ideal horses for work. Today they are most often used by reindeer herders; Altai horses are indispensable for long journeys through the mountains, which explains their popularity among tourists.

In addition, in the summer, Altai mares can produce eight to ten liters of milk per day, which is why this breed is also used on dairy farms.

Breeding work

In the twentieth century, scientists began work on improving the breed. Attempts to crossbreed Altai horses with horses from England led to the appearance of large, but docile and unpretentious horses. Heavy draft horses brought muscle mass to the Altai - the weight of such horses reaches five hundred and fifty kilograms.

They are on pastures all year round. As a result of crossing, Altai horses acquired a high rate of weight gain and rapid growth. There are currently very few purebred horses left, but experts are making every effort to revive the population of Altai horses.

Without exaggeration, the Altai horse is a breed that is especially actively used in breeding in Russia. The priority qualities of this horse breed are their increased endurance, trainability and extreme performance. All these characteristic features can be traced in those horses that are bred by crossing the Altai breed with Arabian horses, Russian heavy draft horses and riding breeds.

A feature of this breed is the presence of a hump that fluctuates in size. For selection, this is a defect in the animal, although this in no way affects the qualities necessary for a workhorse.

In Russia there are both horse breeding farms and farms that engage in breeding work in their herds. Naturally, the beginning of experimental work in selection entailed a decrease in the number of purebred representatives of the breed. Today there are very few horses of this level.

In the Altai Mountains, there are special farms designed to preserve the purebred of this breed. Thanks to them, it became possible to revive the most beautiful spotted horses of the forelock color, which were legendary and were mentioned in local epics. Chubby horses from the ancient epic are not only an opportunity to make money, but they are also a kind of symbol of Altai culture.

2017-07-12 Igor Novitsky

Since the times of ancient nomads, the Altai horse (Oirot) has been a landmark of the region. Horse breeding is very popular here today, and the incredible nature of Altai fully contributes to this.

In the harsh climate of the taiga, a very hardy breed of stallions has been formed that are well adapted to working in the mountains. Over the years, Altai mares have been crossed with many other species to improve their physical qualities. There are very few true purebred representatives left, and they can only be found in remote mountainous regions of Altai. Mainly in the central and southern parts.

Altai horse breed - external signs, physical features

The species is distinguished by its rather powerful, long body and strong legs. The height is average - at the withers approximately 150 centimeters. Chest circumference is 165-175 centimeters. The animal's head is quite large. The neck is fleshy and wide. The back is straight, the legs are placed correctly. The hooves are massive and well suited for transport work on stone roads. In this case, the animal does not need to be shoed.

The following main colors of the representatives of the group can be distinguished: black, gray, bay, piebald, red, nightingale, dun. Sometimes you can even find brindle or leopard color.

Some historical sources classify the Oirot breed as a representative of small Mongolian horses. But unlike them, she has physical qualities improved in the process of long-term independent development.

Horses of the Altai group are used both for harnessing and for riding in the saddle. They have a very calm nature and are therefore easy to train. They are often used in equestrian sports. Excellent health and physical fitness allow them to transport quite large loads.

Horses are bred in large herds in the Altai Territory. They are grazed all year round. The special climatic conditions and the unpretentiousness of the Altai people fully contribute to this.

Improved species - the history of the Novoaltai breed

The first thing that became the impetus for improving the Oirot breed was a major flaw in the horse’s exterior – short stature. Local horse breeders and farmers began to combat this problem starting at the beginning of the 20th century. The work on the selection of Altai horses was carried out exclusively for commercial purposes, and was of a spontaneous nature, which did not have a structured methodology and objectives. For this reason, the process took quite a long time.

At the beginning of metalization, Kuznetsk heavy trucks were used. The new Altaians have gained quite a good reputation and popularity. A very large number of these animals were used for the needs of the Red Army. You can find a less common name for these horses – “Argymayevskie”. It came from Argymay Kuldzhin, the man who bred the breed.

Since the beginning of the 50s, stallions of the Don and Budenovsky lines began to be widely used for crossbreeding. Altai horses were crossed with Russian heavy draft horses, Lithuanian and Vladimir breeds. All sorts of experiments have begun to breed meat and dairy species. By the end of the 70s, it was possible to develop species that differed little in appearance, but had a significant superiority in height and weight. The number of Altai horses, the photo of which is presented below for the period of 1975, was about 30 thousand heads. A year later, their number increased in the Altai Territory and increased by half.

The main breeding technique used at that time was introductory crossing. Altai mares were crossed with factory breeds. Absorptive crossing was also used. It made it possible to remove impurities in 2-3 generations.

A completely new stage of breeding began at the end of the 20th century. Institutes were involved in the development of new Altai breeds, which carried out detailed research and selected stallions and mares for crossing using the method of expert assessment. Six of the largest farms in the Altai Mountains were involved in the creation of the new line.

In the process of research, three main breeding groups of Altai mares were identified to develop new breeds:

• Desirable;
• Universal;
• Indigenous.

The first type was mainly used for the production of inexpensive animals for meat horse breeding. Universal mares were already used more widely. They were used not only for meat production, but also harnessed to carts. The group of indigenous trotters retained their adaptive properties and became the maternal basis for crossing.

For many years, crossing of Altai breeds was carried out to consolidate the excellent physical qualities of animals. Their adaptation to year-round grazing was preserved. Much attention was paid to the ability to quickly recover after wintering.

After a long research period, which included a lot of discoveries and mistakes, on March 29, 2000, horses of the Novo-Altai breed of the Altai Territory were bred. They have improved qualities for meat production - the fatness of the animal is 50% higher than the average. At the same time, feeding animals allows you to save enormous amounts of money, which is very important for large enterprises.

During the breeding period, genealogical breeds of New Altai horses were formed, on the basis of which two lines of the Lithuanian draft breed were formed - Arbas and Zhaizdras, horses from the Soviet breed - Rekrut.

Today the animal is crossed with purebred Arabian stallions and British breeds. Research on Altaians does not stop, and new breeds appear almost every year.

How to care for Oirot horses

As mentioned earlier, these animals have a very pleasant character, and difficulties should not arise with them. If you decide to buy a horse in the Altai Territory, young or older, you have made a good choice. The Oirot horse is absolutely universal. It can be used both on the farm and for other purposes, for example, for horse riding.

By special care we mean not only proper feeding, which is also important, but also other factors. Let's look at the main ones:

These small but very important tips will help keep your trotter in great shape.

Some difficulties and features of the breed

Horses in the Altai Territory have strong immunity, but this does not mean that they cannot get sick. Like most horses, Altaians are prone to diseases of the heart and circulatory system. They are also susceptible to diseases such as laminitis and pneumonia, which requires special attention.

To protect a horse from viral infections, first of all you need to provide him with decent and comfortable conditions for his stay. Animals must live in insulated stables. Make sure there is no high humidity in the pens. Change the bedding regularly.

Proper feeding

Another basis for a healthy body of the Altai stallion is proper nutrition. The main diet includes hay, which supplies the body with a large amount of fiber, oats, muesli, and bran. Feed and other biological additives are already classified as non-essential food. Food for the animal should be served without dust and dirt, and make sure there is no mold. In general, it is better to use special rooms for storing food.

In addition to the basic diet, you also need to follow the correct regimen. The Altai breed, like many other animals, quickly develops habits, and failure to adhere to the routine can negatively affect their behavior and cause them stress.

A working horse cannot be fed immediately before work - an hour to an hour and a half must pass. Otherwise, you can disrupt the digestion process, which can lead to serious consequences.

It is imperative to ensure constant access to clean water. An adult requires 30 to 40 liters of fluid per day per day. Make sure that the stallion does not drink before eating - this is very important. During the cold season, only heated water should be given.

In 2000, based on the Altai breed, the development of a new Novo-Altai breed was completed. Due to the recent increased market demand for horse meat, it has been bred as an improved meat breed. The preliminary name of the breed when bred sounded like “Chumysh”. The breeding method was complex reproductive crossing of mares of the selection group with stallions - sires of Russian, Soviet draft and Lithuanian draft breeds. The selection was carried out according to measurements, body type and weight. Characteristics of the exterior of the Novo-Altai breed Herd maintenance of horses of the Novo-Altai breed. Photo from the site konevod-altai.kz Representatives of the Novo-Altai breed are characterized by a large body, a massive, long, well-developed body, a wide chest and back, a flat, muscular lower back, the same slightly forked croup, as well as strong limbs. The experienced eye of a specialist will notice well-developed muscles under the coat of Novo-Altai horses. Measurements of Novo-Altai horses: - height at the withers: 156 cm; - body length: 167 cm; - chest circumference: 200 cm; - pastern girth: 23 cm. The live weight of the Novo-Altai breed is significantly higher than that of its brother, the Altai relative: 620 kg. The Novo-Altai breed is, in a sense, special. This is the only horse breed bred in the difficult climatic conditions of the Altai foothills. The uniqueness of the breed also lies in the fact that the horses are bred on year-round grazing and have a tall stature, solid live weight and good meat qualities compared to the rest of the large number of horses bred in Altai, surpassing their counterparts by 80-110 kg in live weight. Horses of the Novo-Altai breed are one of the largest productive breeds bred in the post-Soviet space. The Novo-Altaians accumulated the best qualities of the original breeds: large stature and live weight from heavy-drawn stallions (representatives of the Lithuanian, Russian, Soviet heavy-drawn breeds were used), and inherited their adaptability to the harsh conditions of herd-calf keeping from local Altai horses. In addition to their main use - for the production of inexpensive meat - Novo-Altai horses are successfully used for work under saddle, for example, for winter grazing of animals, or in harness - for transporting goods. Novo-Altai stallion The breed is also promising for the production of kumiss, as evidenced by the experience of milking mares in some farms of the Altai Mountains, as well as in the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan, where mares of this breed were sold. The creation of a new, Novo-Altai breed is considered a major achievement of domestic zootechnical science and practice in recent decades and can rightfully be a source of special pride for the Administration of the Altai Territory. This work is of great importance not only for the regions of Western Siberia, but also for the Russian Federation as a whole. The Altai breed, as befits all local breeds, is represented by a rich spectrum of colors that exist in nature.

The hardy Altai horse breed gave rise to many new species. For centuries, the local harsh climate has helped animals strengthen their character and adapt to harsh conditions. As a result, they became strong, capable of hard work in mountainous terrain. Due to their working and other qualities, Altai horses are often used in breeding. Based on them, a new breed with improved parameters was developed. Read on about this and much more.

Historical reference

The ancestors of Altai horses had a large build. This fact is confirmed by horse remains found by archaeologists dating back to the 3rd century. BC.

Serious attempts to improve the species followed in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was possible to instill additional skills in addition to good health, strength and endurance. The horses became flexible and more efficient. We learned to walk under saddle and in harness. They became easy to manage.

It is known that until 1948 the breed had a different name - Oirot. Intensified selection of purebred stallions began in the 20th century.

They began to be crossed with representatives of the English and Arabian breeds. The males turned out to be large and powerful, but with the same unpretentiousness of the Altai.

To reproduce meat and milk, Altai horses were crossed with Russian, Lithuanian and Soviet (heavy draft) breeds.

At the beginning of the 21st century, a new, improved breed appeared - the Novo-Altai “Chumysh”. It is described below.

Today Altaians in their pure form are found only in the far corners of the mountainous territories of Altai.

Description of appearance

The description of the species has its own characteristics, formed against the background of the climatic conditions of Altai:

• Short stature of horses and mares - height at the withers is about 140 cm. Stallions are 5-6 cm larger and taller than mares.
• Body length up to 140 cm.
• Average weight 330 kg.
• Chest circumference 160-165 cm.
• The diameter of the leg near the hoof is 19 cm.
• Slim, not long legs.
• Strong hooves that do not need to be shoed - thanks to living in the mountains.
• A thick, beautiful mane and tail are the “calling card” of a horse.
• Coat: dense and dense in the cold winter, becoming thinner in summer.
• The profile is straight.
• The back is elongated.
• The lower back is strong.
• The head is medium in size, the neck is strong.
• Colors: black and bay, red, dun and forelock.

In the autumn and spring, the Altai horse quickly recovers in body. In summer, mares have a lot of milk - about 10 liters per day.

Characteristics and physical features

The main characteristic and physical feature is that horses have supernatural endurance. They tolerate being kept in a herd very well, and they don’t mind Altai winters.

Local horse breeders create farms for selected representatives of the species, with further improvement of the breed. The specialization of the Altai species is wide:

• sledding - for riding;
• for the agricultural sector - plowing and other work on the land;
• meat and dairy;
• pack - indispensable for transporting heavy loads (up to 200 kg) over long distances along mountain passes.

Additional benefits

A representative of the Altai breed is a real gift for the owner. This is a 100% workhorse. Let's continue the list of advantages:

1. Hardworking - she is considered an excellent employee, learns easily and quickly becomes part of the team.
2. Calm is a kind animal, attached to its owner.
3. Brave - a herd animal will not run away from wolves, but will definitely fight off the foal without waiting for human help.
4. There is no rancor.
5. Meek, peace-loving.
6. Even children can safely ride a horse or horse - animals always make contact and love communication.

The unpretentiousness of Altai horses makes it possible to keep them in meadows and fields all year round. In summer, animals feed on lush grass; in winter, they extract food from under the snow using special brushes on their hooves. They take shelter from bad weather in forest thickets or rocks.

Health and Content Basics

Altai horses are naturally in good health. Over the centuries, animals have been able to adapt to frosty winters and hot summers. Despite this, animals may have problems with the skeleton, joints and muscles.

If poorly cared for, Altai horses run the risk of developing skin diseases. If you are exposed to the cold for a long time and have a poor diet, pneumonia is possible. Heart disease and fainting occur.

Problems can be avoided if you care for the animal properly: follow the conditions of detention and provide adequate food.

Feed must correspond to the time of year and the requirements of the breed. In summer, horses have enough natural food growing in fields and meadows. You can diversify your diet with apples, potatoes, carrots, and mineral supplements. For the winter you need to stock up on hay, oats, silage, and vitamin and mineral supplements.

Do not give food that is dirty or moldy. Failure to comply with the regime leads to negative consequences and stress. It is forbidden to feed horses before work, otherwise they will experience gastrointestinal problems.

There should be plenty of water - up to 40 liters per day. You are not allowed to drink until just before meals. In cold weather, the liquid should be warm.

Animals should be shown to a veterinarian regularly.

A little about breeding

Altai has all the conditions for breeding thoroughbred horses. This is the abundance of natural food growing in the territories of the region. The ability to keep animals in herds on pasture all year round, which minimizes costs.

During breeding, the best producers of this species are selected.

Breeders of purebred Altai horses breed them mainly in the south of Altai.

In the central and northern parts, Don breeds predominate. They develop quickly and reach up to 500 kg if raised only in herds. When crossing the Altai species with heavyweights, stallions weighing up to 550 kg are obtained.

The smallest and shortest individuals are bred in the east of the region. Wild Altaians also live there - pure, not crossed with anyone.

In the Ongudai region, this species is improved by crossing with the Kuznetsk one.

Some horse farms improve the appearance of thoroughbred horses. For example, a horse of forelock (spotted) color is revived. The rare color was described in local ancient epics. Horses of this color are a unique symbol of Altai culture.

Breeding experiments

Altai is a breed often used in breeding. It plays an important role in crossing, introducing the most important qualities: durability, ability to work long and hard, flexibility, and quick learning.

When Altaians are crossed with representatives of other breeds, the new species exhibit all the advantages of the first.

Particularly noteworthy is the Novo-Altai or Charysh breed of meat production, the breeding of which began in the 20s of the 20th century. Horse breeders considered the short stature of the Altai breed a big drawback and sought to solve this problem. This was purely a commercial interest.

Initially, heavy trucks and Kuznetsk species were used. In those years, new horses were held in high esteem; they were used in the Red Army.

Already in the 50s, Budenovsky, Don, Russian draft horses, Vladimir and Lithuanian stallions were taken for crossing. At the same time, the first experiments were carried out on breeding dairy and meat species.

At the end of the 70s, Altai livestock specialists began to work closely on the meat variety. Work was carried out on several Altai farms at once. The mares were crossed with Lithuanian, Russian and Soviet stallions.

Becoming a new breed

By crossing different varieties and combining breeding groups, horse breeders managed to improve the physical and productive aspects of the new breed.

Important qualities were individually sought out in horses. At the same time, breeders tried to preserve their adaptability to grazing throughout the year and the ability to quickly gain weight after winter.

As a result, by the 80s, animals appeared that showed promise of starting a new breed. In 2000, the State Commission of the Russian Federation included the Novo-Altai breed in the register of selection achievements, allowing them to be used everywhere.

New look exterior

The following parameters correspond to the description of stallions of the Novo-Altai species:

• body length up to 170 cm;
• height at withers up to 157 cm (higher than Altai);
• chest circumference up to 200 cm;
• hoof diameter – up to 23 cm.
• live weight of a stallion is up to 625 kg.
• large chest;
• wide, strong back and lower back;
• strong muscular legs and croup.

The mares also stand out:

• body length up to 162 cm;
• height - up to 150 cm;
• chest circumference - up to 195 cm;
• hoof diameter – up to 20 cm;
• weight - up to 570 kg.

Mares have a correctly built body. The head is slightly rough, the neck is muscular, the chest is wide, the back and lower back are well developed, the croup and legs are strong.

Features of the Novoaltai species

The Novoaltai breed is unique. She is the only one on the planet bred in difficult climatic conditions. According to its parameters, the look corresponds to the elite class.

Over the past decades, the Novo-Altai horse has become the pride and pearl of the entire Altai region.

The breed was obtained on the basis of six best genealogical lines. The horses are large in size and are bred year-round on pastures in herds. They have a live weight and size that exceeds the dimensions of other horse breeds from Altai by 90-110 kg. They have excellent meat qualities.