Horse tale, breeding, and region-special horse breeds in Central Asia

Central Asia is located in a closed area surrounded by large deserts and grasslands to the east and north of the Caspian Sea. There are high mountains around this geography, which is the first Turkish homeland. Climate in Central Asia is the most fundamental factor determining the life of states and societies. The continentality and aridity of the climate; It restricted irrigation as well as hindered agriculture. As a matter of fact, agriculture cannot be done, the climate is dry; It forced the communities living on the geography of Central Asia to engage in animal husbandry. The Turks, who adopted a nomadic life in order to find lush pastures for their animals and to continue their lives, saw the horse as the indispensable animal of this life. The horse has existed in every aspect of the life of the Turks. While Central Asia was affecting the Turkish life and character, the Turks were also affecting their horses. They internalized themselves with the horse so much that during the archaeological excavations, horse skeletons and horse harnesses were unearthed from the kurgans. The horse, not limited to kurgans; It has found its place in social, economic, political, military, religious life, literature, art, culture and mythology. He has almost become the wing, confidant, comrade and friend of the Turk. Horse breeding was given great importance in Central Asia. The horse breeds bred by the Turks have undergone rigorous training in order to adapt to the conditions of the geography they live on. In these trainings, which lasted from birth to death, the main theme is horses; The fact is that the steppe is resistant to its vicious, ambitious, aggressive and hard structure. As a matter of fact, Central Asian Turkish horses have the desired endurance and are extremely elegant and beautiful. Another important issue in horse breeding is the care of horses. Turkish horses were kept in summer and winter houses in the nomadic life in accordance with the geography. Care was taken to ensure that the places where the horses were housed were clean and airy according to seasonal conditions. In this context, attention was paid to the grooming and shoeing of the horses, which were cleaned as well as sheltering. Horseshoes were used to protect their feet from stone and soil. Horses, which had been well cared for, were inevitably sick. These diseases were caused either by neglect or by the conditions of the geography they lived on. Sick horses were treated with great care and expected to regain their former health. Our thesis consists of four parts, excluding the introduction and conclusion parts. In the first chapter, there is the subject of living conditions in Central Asia and the domestication of the horse. Among the topics covered in this context are the nature, climate, life of Central Asia and the first homeland of the Turks living on this geography, the reasons for its spread, the effect of Central Asia on Turkish life and ancient Turkish cultures, horse and horse harnesses, which are one of the main elements of these cultures. In the second part, the importance of horse in Turkish culture and political life is given. In this context, the place and importance of the horse in socio-economic, political, military, religious and literary terms are discussed. In addition, in this section, a second part was created and the horse element was examined in terms of religion, mythological, art and literature in Turks. In the third chapter, information about the horse breeds specific to the Central Asian Turkish historical geography is given. In this context, Siberian and Ötüken Horses, Kazakh Horses, Kyrgyz Horses, Uzbek Horses, Turkmen Horses, Caucasian Horses, İdil and Southern Russian Horses were discussed. In the fourth and last chapter, the subject of the care of horses specific to the Central Asian Turkish historical geography is explained. Among the stories told are horse breeding, horse training, care, equine diseases and treatment methods among the Turks. Keywords: Central Asia, Turks, Horse, Horse Breeds, Horse Diseases.