View source for Novokirghiz

{{Short description|Kyrgyz breed of horse}}
{{Infobox horse breed
| name            = Novokirghiz
| image           = Mmmmm- horses, tasty!.jpg
| image_size      = 
| image_alt       = 
| image_caption   = 
| image2          = 
| image_size2     = 
| image_alt2      = 
| image_caption2  = 
| status          = {{ubl|[[FAO]] (2007): not at risk{{r|barb|p=74}}|[[DAD-IS]] (2022): unknown{{r|dad}}}}
| features        = 
| altname         = {{ubl|New Kirghiz|Novokirgizskaya}}
| country         = {{ubl|[[Soviet Union]]|[[Kyrgyzstan]]}}
| distribution    = Kyrgyzstan
| standard        = 
| use             = 
| colour          =  
| height          = 
| male_height     = 155 cm{{r|dad}}
| female_height   = 151 cm{{r|dad}}
| weight          = 
| male_weight     = 455 kg{{r|dad}}
| female_weight   = 445 kg{{r|dad}}
| note            = three types: original, saddle, heavy
}}

The '''Novokirghiz''' or '''New Kirghiz''' is a modern [[Kyrgyzstan|Kyrgyz]] [[list of horse breeds|breed]] of [[horse]]. It was developed in the [[Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic]] in the mid-twentieth century through [[cross-breeding]] of the traditional [[Kyrgyz Horse]] of the region with introduced horses of [[Thoroughbred]], [[Russian Don|Don]] and Anglo-Don stock.

== History ==

The Novokirghiz was bred in the mid-twentieth century in [[collective farm]]s of the [[Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic]], a constituent [[Republics of the Soviet Union|Union Republic]] of the [[Soviet Union]]. Horses of the traditional [[Kyrgyz Horse]] of the region were [[cross-bred]] with horses of a variety of other breeds, principally [[Thoroughbred]], [[Russian Don|Don]] and Anglo-Don stock;{{r|dmit|p=298}} some [[Turcoman (horse)|Turcoman]] and [[Kabarda (horse)|Kabarda]] stock may also have been used.{{r|elise|p=306}} The resulting horses closely resembled the Don. They were larger, faster, heavier and more powerful than the traditional Kyrgyz horses, but did not have the same rusticity or the same level of adaptation to the mountainous terrain of Kyrgyzstan.{{r|carole|p=432}} Three principal types developed within the new breed: the original or standard, the [[riding horse|saddle]] and the [[draught horse|heavy]].{{r|dmit|p=298|cabi|p2=489}}

A stallion named Banket, foaled in 1946, won a five-day cross-country endurance contest over five hundred kilometres of mountainous terrain; he completed the distance in fifty-four hours with a rider and equipment weighing a hundred kilograms, outrunning a Don horse.{{r|carole|p=431|car|p2=33}} A group of the horses from the [[Naryn]] state collective, carrying {{val|150|u=kg}} between rider and gear, took 11 hours to complete a distance of 110 kilometres on paths through the mountains.{{r|car|p=33}}

The Novokirghiz was officially recognised in 1954, and a [[stud-book]] was started.{{r|carole|p=430}} In 1980 a census of the population found some {{val|114000}} head, representing over half the horses in the Kirghiz SSR;{{r|carole|p=430}} a population of {{val|56500}} is also reported for the same year.{{r|dad}} In 2002 a population of {{val|285000}} head was reported; no population data has been reported since.{{r|dad}}. The [[conservation status]] of the breed was listed by the [[FAO]] in 2007 as 'not at risk';{{r|barb|p=74}} in 2022 it was listed in [[DAD-IS]] as 'unknown'.{{r|dad}}

== Characteristics ==

The Novokirghiz is a small horse. In its early years heights at the [[withers]] were in the range {{val|143|–|151|u=cm}}; this later increased to an average of about {{val|155|u=cm}}.{{r|carole|p=430}} In 1989 the average height for stallions was reported to be {{val|156|u=cm}}, and that for mares {{val|151|u=cm}}.{{r|dmit|p=298}} The coat is usually either [[bay (horse)|bay]] or [[chestnut (coat colour)|chestnut]].{{r|dad}}

It is larger, heavier, faster and more powerful than the original Kirghiz horse, but has a less rustic constitution and is less well adapted to the harsh mountainous terrain of Kyrgyzstan.{{r|carole|p=432}} Three principal types are identified within the breed: the original or standard type, the [[riding horse|saddle]] type and the [[draught horse|heavy]] or massive type.{{r|dmit|p=298|cabi|p2=489}} 

== Uses ==

Unlike many purposely-created breeds, the Novokirghiz was not bred for excellence in any one attribute, but to fill the same needs as the indigenous Kirghiz horse – as a [[riding horse]], a [[draught horse]], for [[horsemeat]] and for [[mare's milk]] – but more successfully.{{r|carole|p=430}} Mares of the heavy type can give up to {{val|20|u=kg}} of milk per day.{{r|dmit|p=298}}

== References ==
{{commonscat}}
{{reflist|45em|refs=

<ref name=barb>Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20200623201209/http://www.fao.org/3/a1250e/annexes/List%20of%20breeds%20documented%20in%20the%20Global%20Databank%20for%20Animal%20Genetic%20Resources/List_breeds.pdf List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources], annex to [https://web.archive.org/web/20170110125634/http://www.fao.org/3/a-a1250e.pdf ''The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture'']. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{isbn|9789251057629}}. Archived 23 June 2020.</ref>


<ref name=cabi>Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). [https://books.google.com/books?id=2UEJDAAAQBAJ ''Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding''] (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. {{isbn|9781780647944}}.</ref>

<ref name=car>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ccb1xSdYDIEC ''Central Asian Review'']. '''1''' (2–3): 33.</ref>

<ref name=carole>Carole Ferret (2011). [http://journals.openedition.org/asiecentrale/1508 À chacun son cheval! Identités nationales et races équines en ex-URSS (à partir des exemples turkmène, kirghize et iakoute)] (in French). ''Cahiers d'Asie centrale''. '''19–20''': 405–458. Also available as [https://web.archive.org/web/20151117070300/http://asiecentrale.revues.org/pdf/1508 PDF], archived 17 November 2011.</ref>

<ref name=dad>[https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ext-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=KGZ&specie=Horse&breed=New%20Kirgiz&lang=en Breed data sheet: New Kirgiz / Kyrgyzstan (Horse)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed December 2022.</ref>

<ref name=dmit>N.G. Dmitriev, L.K. Ernst (1989). [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20091113044601/ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/ah759e/ah759e.pdf ''Animal genetic resources of the USSR'']. FAO animal production and health paper 65. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{isbn|9251025827}}. Archived 13 November 2009. Also available [https://web.archive.org/web/20170929123942/http://www.fao.org:80/docrep/009/ah759e/AH759E13.htm here], archived 29 September 2017.</ref>

<ref name=elise>Élise Rousseau, Yann Le Bris, Teresa Lavender Fagan (2017). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Eus9DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA176 ''Horses of the World'']. Princeton: Princeton University Press. {{isbn|9780691167206}}.</ref>

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{{Horse breeds of Central Asia}}
{{Horse breeds of the Russian Federation}}

[[Category:Horse breeds]]
[[Category:Horse breeds originating in Kyrgyzstan]]