User:Cmiller40

Horses are greatly cherished in Mongolian culture, particularly among the nomads because horses are very useful in people's daily lives and vital to their livelihood. They are used for transportation, sport and food. Mongols almost never kill their horses for food unless they are in a state of extreme hunger and cattle or sheep are not available. Horses also serve as a medium of exchange in a culture whose currency has an uncertain and fluctuating value. In some parts of the country a man’s wealth is determined by the amount and quality of his horses. Mares are especially valued for their productivity: not only do they ensure the continuity of each family's herd, but they are also the indispensable source of milk. In fact, the horsemanship and the bond between horse and herdsman that is now so central to the Mongolian culture was not always so. Long before the Mongols started riding horses, their relationship and respect grew out of the need for mare’s milk in kumis for food

Horses are also a central fixture in a traditional festival, Naadam. Naadam is a festival that also includes wrestling and archery but the most anticipated event is horse racing over 15 miles of open land. Although tourism is becoming increasingly common during this festival, Naadam remains largely unchanged. Sadly, there was a time during the Soviet occupation when these games were stopped. However, despite these foreign influences the traditions of Naadam continue. To place in the top five of the Naadam race brings great pride and honor to the trainer and is also belived to bring happiness and good luck for the next year of the trainer. Approximately five hundred horses and their riders, who must be under the age of 12, compete. It is not unreasonable for the riders to be so young because they are taught to ride horses at the age of three, practically as soon as they can walk. The responsibility and honor of teaching children to ride falls on the mother. These young riders compete for the honor of being presented the blue sash that is given to the top five horses. The sash is presented to the horse because the race celebrates the horses, not the riders. To be prepared for the strain of Naadam, the horses that will be raced are ridden during the hottest time of the day, sometimes wrapped in sheepskin. Although the race begins with 500 horses it sometimes does not end with as many because the horses are taught not to stop during the race, no matter what might happen. When a horse dies during the race it is not only tragic to the young rider who has lost a treasured companion, but also dishonors the trainer. Sometimes the rider might fall off the horse but the horse will finish the race regardless, sending the worried parents of the young rider on a search. The race concludes in the national stadium where the winners are presented with medals. The top 5 finishers often have songs and poems written about them. The last horse to finish is serenaded with a song that wishes it better luck next year and the winning horse has mares milk poured over its head and is honored with songs. Mares milk is an important part of Mongolian culture. It is used to bless horses and riders before the race of Naadam and is used in the national drink, Airag, which is fermented mare’s milk. The importance of mare’s milk dates back even before the time of Genghis Khan when mare’s milk was scattered on the ground before battle to ensure victory.

The horse was the main 'weapon' that allowed the Mongols to conquer half of the world in 13th century and create the Mongol Empire. There is a traditional saying in Mongolian: "A Mongol without a horse is like a Bird without the wings". Genghis Khan himself once said: "It is easy to conquer the world from the back of a horse". The Mongols so treasured their horses in battle because they were quick and flexible. They made it difficult for their enemies to run after them and almost impossible for the farmer-soldiers to leave their farms to follow them. The Mongolian horses were able to make steep and dangerous climbs that other horses could not make. They also had endurance unmatched by nearly any other horse. The Mongol warriors were so inseparable from their horses that they were said to have slept in the saddle while the horses grazed. They could also survive 10 days without cooking food only eating a ration of dried kurd, kumis made of fermented mare’s milk and some cured beef. If necessary they would sometimes even drink their horse’s blood. As much as the horses gave to their riders, the riders tried to treat the horses with the most respect and gave them special care. For example, in the Mongol army after a horse was rode for a day it was given three to four days of rest. This respect for the horse is an ideal that clearly carries over into Mongolian society today.

Although all horses are treasured by the Mongolian people, the Takhi holds a special place in their culture. Takhi means “spirit” and is the name that the Mongols have given to the last truly wild horse left on earth, Przewalski’s Horse. There are many stories associated with the Takhi. In these stories the wild horse is often portrayed as decrepit, swaybacked or with a hairless tail. The hairless tail idea comes from the time in the summer that the part of the coat that extends down to the tail begins to shed. The hero of the story calls on this unlikely savior in a time of disaster despite how shabby it looks. The incredible stamina of the Takhi allows the hero to return to safety. Other stories involve the bond between a lonely child and shabby small Takhi where in appreciation for the boy’s love the horse develops wisdom and magical powers like flying. The power of flight represents the view in Mongolian culture that horses are the carriers of souls to heaven. These stories also show the respect that the Mongolian people have for the hardiness and intelligence of the Tahki. The Mongolians also have a myth where a Takhi is sent to a farm in England but is so unhappy in this new land that a little girl helps it escape and it finds its way back to Mongolia. This further demonstrates the resiliency that the Mongolian people believe that the Takhi possesses.

Horses appear in stories like the one of Erkei-Mergen. Erkei-Mergen was a well-known archer and the people asked him to shoot down the seven suns. He said he could shoot down the seven suns using only seven arrows or he would cut off his thumbs and live like an animal. He was able to shoot six down but a bird flew in front of him on the seventh shot and he missed. Erkei-Mergen wanted to catch the bird and so he took his fastest horse to chase it. His horse swore it could chase down the bird that caused him to miss his shot or Erkei-Mergen could cut off his forearms and leave him on the steppe. Neither of them was able to fulfill their promises. The man was forced to live as an animal and had his thumbs cut off and the horse’s front legs were cut off turning the horse into a jerboa, a mouse-like rodent, which is why the jerboa has short front legs. This is another example that shows the dependency of the Mongolian people on their horses in a time of need. It also shows the dedication that is associated with horses because the horse was willing to have its legs cut if it could not fulfill his owner’s needs.

As much as the horses serve their owners, the horses in Mongolian culture are appreciated and many owners take pride in taking care of them. This is demonstrated in the tale about the deity that watches over livestock. The story of a horseman, Jaytaci, who was a breeder for the prince refused to leave his horses even when he was about to die. He convinced the prince to promise him that he would be buried in his herding clothing with his catch-pole and carried to his burial site on his yellow horse. After he died the horses were stolen and fell sick. After the prince began to worship him the horses were never stolen or sick again. This shows how important horses are to the Mongolian people by celebrating the story of a man that had such extreme dedication to the horses. Also being carried to his grave by his yellow horse reflects the belief that horses carry the spirit to heaven.

Branding horses is an old practice that continues today. The main purpose of these brands is to help different people identify their horses from others’. However, symbols used for branding horses often have religious meaning. For example, they use astrological symbols like the one that means “the jewel which satisfies all desire”. Although the nomads who use these symbols as brands may not understand the significance of all of them, they recognize them as both brands and some kind of religious symbol therefore associating the horse with a religious power. Although until recently the majority of Mongolians were illiterate, they used Tibetan words and phrases that they considered sacred as brands. Some brands are also modeled after objects that Mongolians hold in high importance like birds, which they believe to be a symbol of purity because of its direct contact with the sky. The stirrup, which is a symbol of support is also common. The symbols they find sacred, like the stirrup, are greatly influenced by their usefulness in regards to horsemanship.

The people of Ordos Desert in Inner Mongolia hold horses in the highest esteem. It is common for a man to have a stallion and six mares in addition to a riding horse for him and each of his children. In Ordos’ culture a horse thief is one of the worst criminals and is shown little mercy. If someone is caught stealing a horse he will usually have the muscles behind both ankles severed and be left in the desert to die slowly of starvation and dehydration. In Mongolian culture a fine horse is considered one of the greatest gifts. It also plays an important part in the mourning process of a death. When a man dies his horse is given to the lama or other religious leader. This continues as a different form of past traditions when a riding horse would be buried in saddle and bridle with his master when his master passed. Also, when a family is grieving the loss of a parent, galloping on a horse is not allowed.

See also

• List of horse breeds
• Przewalski's Horse
• Horses in East Asian warfare

External links

• Mongolian horse, Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University

References

[[Category:Horse breeds]] [[Category:Mongolian culture|Horse]] {{Equine|state=collapsed}}