Gaited horses in Russia? You bet!

And in the most unexpected of breeds. Calm, friendly and intelligent, the hardy little Bashkir horse is capable of performing up to six gaits.

Yet in Russia, there is neither any history nor tradition for gaiting horses, and hence the Bashkir Horse was never bred as a gaited horse.

The extra gaits are just inherent traits that happen to come along with the breed! It was not until the horses were imported into Sweden in the late 1990s that they began to be appreciated for their gaits and other traits.

The Bashkir horse in Russia is bred first and foremost for meat and milk production, and as an all purpose pack and general workhorse. It goes well in harness and under saddle. It is also used as a source of leather. The breed has changed little in character for over a thousand years, and in looks and conformation resembles a wild horse more than a domestic breed.

Despite the breed’s relative obscurity outside of Russia, the Bashkir has won a small but devoted following of riders and horse enthusiasts in other countries. Furthermore, the unique makeup of the Bashkir horse’s coat makes it a horse that even allergy sufferers can spend time around.

History and tradition
The Bashkir Horse originates from Bashkiria, a province in the southwestern area of Russia’s Ural Mountains. Many are bred at the Ufimsk Stud No. 119 near Ufa, Bashkiria’s largest city.

The Ufimsk stud is the largest purebred Bashkir stud in the province. The horses are kept in large breeding herds in the southern foothills of the Urals. They forage for their food, even in winter. The horses are branded with a number, allowing identification of the animals even when they are living in a band of wild horses.

The history of the Bashkir horse is closely intertwined with that of the region’s people. It probably originates from the Asian steppe horse, which was brought to the Ural Mountains by Asian nomads about 700 BC. In the ensuing centuries, the horses interbred with northern forest horses. The offspring emanating from these crosses were used as riding/draft/pack animals by the nomadic peoples of Bashkiria, as well as a source of meat, milk and leather. The herdsmen particularly valued the Bashkir horse’s proclivity to remain near people and hold to a particular grazing area, and they encouraged these qualities by breeding for them.

Bashkir mares have been valued for their milk yields from the earliest times, and are still milked today. A Bashkir mare can produce over 330 gallons of milk a year. In the 1950s, mare’s milk was established on a larger scale as a new branch of the Russian food industry. Studies were made of the different horse breeds as to which were the best milk producers, and it was found that the Bashkir horse fulfilled all of the requirements as a milk producer.

Mare’s milk is rich in nutrients and contains certain substances that are used in medicines to treat botulism and tetanus. Koumiss - the national drink of Bashkiria - is a fermented liquor made from the milk of Bashkir mares.

In the poorer rural districts of Russia, the Bashkir plays an important role in local agriculture as a draft animal and all-purpose riding animal. Furthermore, with his outstanding herding instinct and inherent “cow sense,” the Bashkir horse also makes a good stock horse herding cattle on the Ural steppes.

Bashkir horses have participated in several major wars, including the Napoleonic wars and World War I. The Bashkir Cavalry was always able to get through, no matter what the terrain, thanks to their small, sturdy Bashkir horses. Bashkiria’s horsemen would point with great pride to the feats of their horses and their legendary hardiness and endurance during the hard-ships of battle.

Traits
The Bashkir Horse has retained much of the wild horse’s behavior and characteristics, is a good forager and has a well-developed herd instinct. It is not bred for any specific equestrian pursuit, but as an animal that can be utilized for everything. The breed has no known inherent or genetic defects or weaknesses. Bashkirs have always been bred first and foremost for sound-ness, with good health and general utility commanding the utmost priority.

Having been developed in an extremely hard climate and very poor winter grazing conditions, the Bashkir horse is hardy and an easy keeper.

In Russia’s bitterly cold winters, the horses grow long winter coats that are both dense and insulating. The hair layers of the Bashkir horse are also fatty, preventing water from penetrating through to the skin. It is probably due to the breed’s fatty coat that allergy sufferers are not so affected by the dust in the air near a Bashkir horse, for the skin particles remain bound to the coat.

Interestingly, the winter coat of the Swedish Bashkir horses on the other hand is not much longer than that of other horses, although it still retains its density and insulating qualities

The Bashkir is sturdy and stocky in build, with a thick mane, tail and coat. It is a very strong horse with a broad chest, sloping croup and a tail that is set on low. The head is relatively large with a straight or convex profile, and the eyes are somewhat slanted. It has a short, fleshy neck, low withers and a wide, deep body with a broad, straight and strong back. Bashkirs have relatively short legs of substantial bone, and the feet are tremendously hard whereby they can often work without being shod. The horses vary in height from 13.2 hh to 15.2 hh, with 13.3-14 hh being average. The most common colors are various shades of dun, but chestnut, palomino, bay, black and grey are also quite common. Dun horses have a dorsal stripe along the back, dark ear tips, and tiger stripes around the legs. Markings known as “wild markings” may also occur on the shoulder.

Horses don’t come any hardier than the Bashkir. In their home country they are capable of living in the open, withstanding ferocious blizzards and temperatures down to -40° F. They will dig deep down into the snow to find food.

The Bashkir temperament is calm and steady. It is contact-seeking, loyal and a willing worker, but like the survivor it is, it is highly intelligent and at times, can be rather stubborn. The Bashkir horse is reputed to be staid and not prone to flightiness: when frightened the Bashkir does not immediately resort to flight. In truth the Bashkir is a horse like any other, and naturally avoids frightening things; however, it possesses a natural instinct to conserve valuable energy and thus will not flee unnecessarily. This trait may manifest itself by the horse briefly remaining in place while it assesses a possible danger, before determining whether to take flight or not.

Some mistake the Bashkir’s steady temperament and natural instinct to conserve energy with laziness, but it is not difficult to fire up a Bashkir: they are willing and responsive horses. The Bashkir enjoys a good run as much as the next horse, and it can be extremely quick when it wants to, those being the operative words.

A Bashkir horse rarely does anything it doesn’t want to.  It is a quick thinker and brave, and many owners describe him as a horse of great integrity. Yet even though he can be somewhat contrary, the Bashkir nevertheless tries to please his owner in most things, precisely because he is loyal and hard-working. In other words, it is a horse with a mind of its own but a charming one just the same, a creature who often becomes an unfailing comrade.

Gaits
Unlike other gaited breeds, the Bashkir has not been specifically bred gaits, and as far as is known, Russian breeders pay no particular attention to the extra gaits. From the available evidence, it would appear that the Bashkir horse has been in possession of these extra gaits for a very long time, and that they are inherent to the breed.

The Bashkir is capable of performing the tolt (rack), pace and the so-called “Cossack trot,” a gait the Bashkir performs in difficult terrain. The horse throws its foreleg to the sides and in this way forges its way very effectively through high grass and bushes. The gait looks rather odd, but is extremely comfortable for the rider. While the available Russian literature acknowledges that the horses are in possession of these gaits, no particular information or description is offered of how to train for them.

The Bashkir today
Bashkirs are growing in popularity as riding horses in Scandanavia. Despite the long journey from the Urals to Scandinavia and the often brutal methods of breaking-in during their time of quarantine prior to leaving Russia, the horses have adapted very well. Today, Sweden has one of the largest Bashkir populations outside Russia, at roughly 300, while in Norway there are fewer than 10. Presently, there is no ongoing import from Russia due to the expense and complications in importing horses from Bashkiria. The most recent import of Bashkir horses from Russia to a Scandinavian country took place in 2004, when Mette Berg of Gausdal, Norway imported three Bashkir mares and a stallion.

The Swedish registry for Bashkir horses was established in 1998, and in 2002 offered its first Breeding Trophy for mares.