The Mongolian Horse Breed – Ancient, Athletic, and Simply Amazing!

The Mongolian Horse Breed and its Ancient Bloodlines

A website describing horse breeds from around the world states that “the Mongolian horse is perhaps the oldest true breed of horse”. With its ancient bloodlines, the Mongolian Horse Breed has been a foundation influence on many of the breeds throughout Asia & Europe”, the source goes on to say. (http://www.theequinest.com).

The Mongolian Horse Breed – Tough and Willing

The aforementioned source on horse breeds then describes the temperament of the Mongolian horse breed as “tough and willing” – and there could not be a better way to describe what we have witnessed for years on our horseback riding expeditions in Mongolia.

For our horse treks in Gorkhi Terelj National Park and the Khentii mountains in Mongolia we rely on our herd of 34 Mongolian horses. They come from different provinces of Mongolia, and show some of the features typical for the horses of these regions.

 The Mongolian Horse Breed for Horse Riding Expeditions

Mongolian Horse Breed, this grulla horse shows all the ancient genetic signs, and is a great horse on back country riding expeditionsex
My grulla colored horse taking us across the Tuul River on the wilderness expedition into the Khentii mountains of Mongolia

I am fortunate to have been with my Mongolian riding horse for more than 18 years now, and his extraordinary stamina, abilities and perhaps most remarkable, his willingness, still have not ceased to amaze me. There is probably a moment on every expedition when he surprises me with yet another feat, be it during a crossing of a rocky river, a climb up a high river bank, powering up a steep mountain slope, taking us through seriously boggy terrain, or swimming across a river’s floodplain at high water. All of this he does without blinking an eye, and a moment later – if the opportunity arises – he will be grazing as if nothing had happened.

The Mongolian Horse Breed – Horse Sense for Wilderness Travel

Apart from his physical abilities, his recollections of trails and places, – especially of camp and lunch sites with good grazing – are truly remarkable. His mental map of the back country we ride in is accurate; occasionally he suggests (in his own way) a shortcut to another trail that we are heading for and he has always been right.

Mongolian Horse Breed – Features from Different Provinces of Mongolia

Horseback Riding tours of Stone Horse Expeditions in Mongolia, relying on pack horses for wilderness travel
Stone Horse Expedition returning from the Khentii Mountain trip, ascending to a small pass after negotiating boggy terrain in the Khongor River Valley

Some of our greatest horses, including my own riding horse, come from the steppes of the Southern Khentii province. Born on the steppes, they spent their early years there until they came to us and since explored the mountains and forest steppe of Gorkhi Terelj and Khan Khentii with us – on extended exploratory expeditions and now on our regular horse riding tours with Stone Horse Expeditions. They have become the most experienced back country horses of our whole horse team.

While some equine members of the Stone Horse team are from Sukhbaatar province, famous for its fast horses, and from the central mountain forest region of the Khangai, most are from the forest steppe areas of the central and Khentii provinces. In general, the horses in the North of the country are a bit larger, while the horses in the Gobi, surefooted mountain and desert horses, are smaller.

Experience the Mongolian Horse Breed First Hand

Horse riding tour in Gorkhi Terelj National Park, Mongolia
Wai Ying Tan on Brownie, climbing to a high point in Gorkhi Terelj National Park. The park’s forest steppes offer great riding country and its rock formations make for spectacular scenery.

If you want to experience the Mongolian horse breed first hand, come horseback riding in Mongolia. Check out our expedition schedule for the horse riding tours in Gorkhi Terelj National Park and the Khan Khentii Mountains.

More soon, – on the Stone Horse Herd Members, and on Colorful Mongolian Horses you can spot in Gorkhi Terelj National Park during autumn horse back rides!

 

Khentii Wilderness Horseback Riding Expedition crosses a high pass,
The horses make their way over the high alpine pass knowing that good pasture lies ahead on the foot of the mountains, the grasslands of Gorkhi Terelj National Park
Horseback riding and swimming in Gorkhi Terelj National Park, Mongolia
Unfazed by flood waters, the horses swim to bring guests to dry ground. July rains made the Tuul River rise fast in July 2014.