Cattle breeders appreciate the Altai breed of horses for their extraordinary endurance. These horses easily adapt to new conditions, rarely get sick and are friendly. Altai breed is loved by breeders; it gave rise to more than one new species. These horses are not only very efficient, but also beautiful. For example, a horse in apples will become an adornment of any herd. How to choose and maintain Altai breed? Learn from this article.
Historical reference
The alleged ancestors of the horses of the Altai breed were strong and large. This conclusion was made by archaeologists who found the bones of dead horses that lived in the 3rd century BC. They have been breeding horses in Altai since ancient times. But not every animal survived in the harsh climate, only the most hardy could adapt to it.
Data that in ancient times the Altaians kept horses was confirmed during excavations of the Pazyryk mounds. There were buried undersized horses, as well as larger, horseback type. All of them were the ancestors of modern horses of the Altai breed. Large horses are thought to have been imported from Asia.
But unfortunately, in the subsequent conditions for breeding horses in Altai, adverse conditions developed. The best imported horses needed good care and proper nutrition, so they could not survive. However, it was possible to save more hardy horses that could graze year-round.
In the 18-19 centuries, livestock breeders began to conduct breeding activities aimed at improving the local breed, which until 1948 was called Oyrot. They were very strong, healthy and hardy horses. Thanks to the selection work, it was possible to make the character of the horses more complaisant.
Exterior Features
The Altai breed of horses is stunted, so they are often crossed with race stallions. The offspring turns out to be larger, but remains hardy and unpretentious. Altai horses are also crossed with heavy vehicles, as a result of which stallions are born having a live weight of up to 550 kg. Sometimes, in breeding work, Arabian horses are poured to obtain hardy mestizos.
Altai horses themselves weigh about 300-350 kg. At the withers they reach 150-156 cm. The stallions are always larger than the mares of the Altai breed. The legs of the animals are slim, somewhat short. The mane and tail are very beautiful, thick.
Basic colors:
- forehead;
- Bulan
- bay;
- ginger;
- crow.
Also in the Altai breed there are horses in apples. Many breeders prefer this particular color. The suits of the Altai breed of horses are very diverse, so the farmer can easily choose the right one for himself. Horses' coat is thick in winter and lighter in summer.
Characteristic
The Altai breed of horses has a meek disposition, so even novice farmers can keep such a pet. To cope with a calm and complaisant horse will not be difficult. They can be used for riding, as well as for work in the fields or in the gardens. The extraordinary endurance of horses of the Altai breed makes them truly universal animals. With proper training on horses, you can transport heavy loads over long distances, including on a bad road or mountain passes.
Altai horses are also kept for meat. With age, stallions gain good slaughter weight. For breeding for meat it is even more profitable to keep mixed breeds of the Altai breed with heavy species of horses. Some farmers keep mares for milk. This direction of using horses is not yet very developed, but the products received have their fans. Mare's milk has useful properties and is considered medicinal. It can be drunk whole or diluted with cow, to make koumiss, cottage cheese and cheeses from it. The most productive mares produce up to 10 liters of milk per season.
Health
The endurance of horses of the Altai breed is very popular with farmers. These horses can work in the cold, unpretentious in food and do not require laborious care. But this does not mean that the Altai horse can grow like weed grass. The animal is well adapted to the sultry summers and harsh winters, but if you keep the horse half-starving in the cold, then he can get pneumonia.
With poor care, a horse can develop skin ailments. Altai also have heart, bone, and joint diseases. With a poor diet, a horse may faint. In order to exclude such problems, you need to regularly show the animal to a veterinarian and follow all his recommendations.
To maintain health, the horse should be fully fed. If in summer the main ration can consist of the fact that the horse will get to the pasture, then in winter it needs to be fed with grain and hay. Year-round horses need vitamins and minerals, so the owner should buy the right medication in a veterinary pharmacy. In winter and summer, the animal should always have fresh, warm water in its access.
Content
From the description of the Altai breed of horses it follows that they are very hardy and tenacious. But like any other animal, they need the care of the owner. Before acquiring an Altai horse, the owner must build a solid stable. The room should be warm, bright, without drafts. It will be good if the winter stables can be heated. The optimum indoor temperature in the cold season is 8-13 degrees above zero.
You need to clean the stall daily, it is advisable to do this procedure several times. As litter, you can use wood shavings, straw, unfinished hay. To improve the microclimate in the stable, you can install hoods.
The horse needs to be cleaned and combed regularly. Horse hooves also require regular clearing. From time to time horses change horseshoes. Every 6-12 months you need to invite a veterinarian for a scheduled examination. The doctor must draw up a schedule of processing the horse from internal and external parasites, it must be strictly observed.
Feeding
Altai horses are customary to drive for grazing year-round, so even in winter they get some of the nutrients themselves. Horses tear snow off their faces and get last year's grass, mosses, fallen leaves. Some owners maintain their horses without adding anything else to the diet. But if the horse does not manage to get enough food, then he can become thin and sick. In a meager diet in winter, a horse can catch pneumonia.
In order to prevent the Altai from starving in the cold, many farmers enrich its diet with vitamin-mineral complexes, vegetables, hay, and grain. If the animal is not chased for grazing, then you need to feed it 3-4 times a day. An animal that is allowed to walk may eat less frequently. In this case, feeding can be brought to the horse in the morning, before grazing, and in the evening.
In summer, the animal needs to drink at least 60 liters of water, in winter - from 30 liters. If the horse needs to work, then it needs to be fed 1-2 hours before the start of activity. Otherwise, the food does not have time to digest, and the gastrointestinal tract will be disrupted.
Breeding
The farmer holding the horses should pick them a good stallion. The horse must improve the desired qualities of the offspring. Breeding of horses of the Altai breed is an art that requires knowledge of the basics of selection and genetics.
Mares are allowed to mate at the age of 3-4 years, stallions at 3 years. The most favorable time for the conception of offspring is from the beginning of spring to July. The farmer must wait for the day when the mare comes to the hunt, and cover it with either a stallion or artificially. After 3 days, a control mating is performed. Veterinarians recommend the use of artificial insemination, this method reduces the likelihood of infection of animals with sexually transmitted diseases.
The mare has been hatched for 11 months. During pregnancy, she needs full feeding, food should contain a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. A month before the baby is born, veterinarians recommend putting the horse a tetanus vaccine, in which case the foal will have strong innate immunity. Usually mares give birth to mares, the whole process takes about 45 minutes. But sometimes complications arise, in this case you need to call a veterinarian.
Scope of use
If you carefully examine the exterior of the horse of the Altai breed, it becomes clear that she will be able to cope with almost any job. Many farmers call these horses universal. Horses of the Altai breed can be used not only for work, they are perfect as companions. Also, a horse can be taught riding and various tricks.
Most often, horses of the Altai breed are brought up by farmers to work in the fields and in the vegetable gardens. They cope well with plowing the land and other agricultural work. Sometimes among Altai horses there are individuals with humps or an uneven back. This should not be feared, this drawback does not affect the working qualities.
Pros and cons of the breed
The main advantage of Altai horses is hard work. They learn quickly and can work in tandem with other animals. Farmers love this breed for their meek disposition and unpretentiousness. Despite the kindness, the Altai horses will never run away, leaving the foal to the wolves, and will beat him. The disadvantages of this breed are short stature and a tendency to diseases of the joints and bones.