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The Kalmyk horse, also called the Kalmykia horse, is a rare horse breed descended from horses first brought to Russia by the Kalmyk people from Dzungaria during the 17th century.
At its peak, the breed may have reached one million horses, but today is nearly extinct. A census in 1803 found over 238,000. However, no known selective breeding had been done since at least 1943, and by 1986, the breed was considered extinct other than through . To resurrect the breed, 522 horses were located that still had characteristics of the original breed, mostly in isolated regions, and four breeding farms were set up in Russia to resurrect and preserve the breed.
Characteristics
The Kalmyk is said to resemble the Kirgiz horse, though taller, with a longer neck, steeper shoulder, and a less steep croup. Their height averages , and some individuals may pace. They are sturdy with good endurance and able to withstand extremes of temperature.
Uses
The Kalmyk today is used for both riding and driving. It was crossbred with the Kirgiz horse to create the foundation bloodstock for the Siberian horse.
See also
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