This famous ancient breed of saddle-horses was widely spread in Karabakh and reached its bloom in 17-19th centuries. It was of a medium size, smart exterior and high user qualities. Karabakhian stud-horses were widely used as ameliorators of local Caucasus species, e.g. the Don Horses had inherited from them their chestnut and bay, often gold colors. “The horse breed that brought such fame to the Persian horses originated from the province of Karabakh” – these are the initial lines in the article “Several words about Persian horses” which was published 130 years ago in “The Horse-breeding” magazine.
The horses were highly estimated in Russia from the times immemorial, where they were often known as Persian ones. In Karabakh the breed was called “Keglian” or “Narindge”. In 1836 the stud-farm of Russian general Madatov that maintained about 200 mares, was sold out by his heiress. The biggest part was bought Ilovayskiy, a famous owner of a stud-farm of Don. Karabakhian horses were used for amelioration of the Don Horses breed up to the beginning of XX century. In the beginning of XX century Karabakh horsebreeding fell into decay. The farm founded by meliks and their descendants disappeared in 1905. The “Narindges” had mixed with ordinary horses and degenerated, lost their breed. Having become ordinary local mountainous ones, they, however presented the traces of eastern blood and a typical colour of old bronze. One of such horses, a dun Karabakhian stallion Zaman was presented to the Queen of England in 1956.
In 1949 there was founded a stud-farm in order to preserve the breed in the area. Most typical mares were gathered there. At the opening ceremony of the studfarm there was only one Karabakhian stallion – Sultan. The stud-farm was destroyed during the military operations in 1993. Nowadays the Karabkah racers are preserved in a very significant quantity in the village of Kirsavan of Shoushi region. A group of enthusiasts breed them on strinkingly beautiful highlands of Kirs Mountain. Also about 50 Karabakh racers can be found in Western Europe.
