The Presence Of Horses In Afghanistan: A Cultural And Historical Perspective

Afghanistan is home to 12 native horse breeds, including the Qatgani, which was ridden by Uzbek mounted raiders during the early 2001 conflict with the Taliban in the Darya Suf valley of north-east Afghanistan. Horses are also used in Buzkashi, a traditional Afghan sport that involves teams of horse riders fighting over a decapitated goat carcass. In the summer of 2014, an Afghanistan horse trek was organised to meet the Kyrgyz nomads of the Afghan Pamir. In addition, horses were used by the 'Horse Soldiers' in 2001 to help liberate Afghanistan from the Taliban.

Horse breeding in Afghanistan is associated with the traditional game of Buzkashi

Horse breeder and Buzkashi player Abdul Rauf Amini, based in northern Afghanistan, has spent most of his adult life preparing horses for the sport. Amini grooms horses to ride and compete in Buzkashi, which involves a decapitated and disembowelled goat carcass. The game has few rules, and players run the risk of falling off and being trampled by horses. Being a chapandaz or expert horseman is a badge of honour and earns the player respect in the local community.

Buzkashi is Afghanistan's national sport and is played in many Central Asian nations, where it is part of the nomadic heritage of the region. The sport was registered with the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee five years ago, and horse riders and fans have been promoting the traditional sport since then.

Horse breeding and Buzkashi are not activities that ordinary people can engage in, as they are costly and time-consuming. Horse breeder Ahmad Pahlawan, who keeps 25 horses for Buzkashi competitions, notes that feeding a horse costs at least 30,000 afghani each month. Pahlawan also mentions that horse owners often import horses from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for the sport, as local horses tend to be smaller.

Buzkashi is a dangerous sport that requires specific skills and horse breeds. Ghorogh, Jirn, Samand, Meshki, and Sorkhoon are local horse breeds considered best for Buzkashi due to their strength and grace.

Horses are used in Afghanistan for sports, such as Buzkashi, and for military purposes

Afghanistan is home to twelve horse breeds, including the Qatgani horse, which was used by Uzbek mounted raiders of the warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum to harass the Taliban forces in the Darya Suf valley of northeast Afghanistan in 2001. Horses are used in Afghanistan for sports, such as Buzkashi, and for military purposes.

Buzkashi is a traditional Afghan sport that involves teams of horse riders fighting over a decapitated and disembowelled goat carcass. The game is often compared to polo, and is considered the national sport of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It is also played in other Central Asian countries, such as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.

Buzkashi began among the nomadic Asian tribes who came from farther north and east, spreading westward from China and Mongolia between the 10th and 15th centuries in a series of migrations that ended in the 1930s. The game is played during the winter months, and the winning team receives a prize.

In 2001, the first Special Forces soldiers to arrive in Afghanistan used horses as the only suitable method of transport in the difficult mountainous terrain of Northern Afghanistan. They were the first U.S. soldiers to ride horses into battle since 1942. Horses allowed the Special Forces to get around the Taliban and al-Qaida, who had limited mobility due to their use of tanks left over from when the Soviet Union exited Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The U.S. military has also used horses and mules as pack animals to carry equipment. Horses can travel long distances quietly and do not require the gasoline and massive logistics trains that encumber motorized forces.

The Qatgani horse is a breed from the former Qataghan province of Afghanistan

The Qatgani horse was used by the Uzbek mounted raiders of the warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, the vice president of Afghanistan, who charged the Taliban forces in 2001 in the Darya Suf valley of north-east Afghanistan. The Qatgani is a native breed from Afghanistan, and they are usually bred for light riding purposes.

Horse breeding is a culture in northern Afghanistan, associated with the traditional game of Buzkashi, in which horse-riding rivals compete to grab a goat carcass and deliver it to a goal. Buzkashi was registered with the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee five years ago, and horse riders and fans of the game have been promoting the traditional sport since then.

Afghanistan is also home to the Kyrgyz and Wakhi nomadic cultures, which can be explored on horseback.

The Kyrgyz nomads of the Afghan Pamir graze their livestock in Chaqmaqtin Lake during the summer months

The journey to Chaqmaqtin Lake is not an easy one. It involves travelling through remote and rugged terrain, including crossing high mountain passes and navigating poor road conditions. However, the rewards of this journey are the opportunity to immerse oneself in the rich culture and traditions of the Kyrgyz nomads, who have a long history of living in this isolated region. The nomads live in yurts and lead a pastoral existence, migrating with their livestock to different grazing areas throughout the year.

During the summer months, the Kyrgyz nomads can be found at Chaqmaqtin Lake, where they set up their camps and graze their livestock. This area provides ample grazing land and water for their animals. The nomads' diet typically consists of bread, tea with milk, rock salt, and occasionally fresh cheese. They supplement their diet with meat and rice, which they obtain through trading their livestock and dairy products with merchants.

In addition to grazing their livestock, the Kyrgyz nomads also engage in other activities during the summer months. They maintain their traditional way of life, which includes living in yurts and practising their cultural and religious beliefs. They also interact with other ethnic groups in the region, such as the Wakhi people, who live at lower altitudes in the Wakhan Corridor. The Kyrgyz nomads are known for their resilience and their ability to coexist and interact with other ethnicities.

The summer months at Chaqmaqtin Lake offer a unique opportunity to experience the lifestyle and culture of the Kyrgyz nomads firsthand. It is a time when the nomads are settled in one place, allowing for greater interaction and exchange of ideas with visitors. This period also provides a chance to witness the breathtaking beauty of the Pamir Mountains and the surrounding landscape, which is rich in historical significance.

Horseback riding is a skill that can be used in battle, as demonstrated by the 'Horse Soldiers' who helped liberate Afghanistan from the Taliban

Afghanistan is home to several horse breeds, including the Qatgani horse from the former Qataghan province. In fact, horseback riding is a skill that can be used in battle, as demonstrated by the Horse Soldiers who helped liberate Afghanistan from the Taliban.

In 2001, weeks after the 9/11 attacks, Captain Mark Nutsch and a team of 11 other Green Berets with the 5th Special Forces Group's Operational Detachment Alpha 595 (ODA 595) were sent to Afghanistan to liberate the region from the Taliban. They were to work with militia allies and topple the Taliban, who had provided a safe haven for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

The team was given 48 hours' notice that they would be using horses for transportation. They rode local horses with local saddles and equipment, as they had no horse saddles ready. The men essentially received a horseback riding crash course involving hours on the horses as soon as they arrived in Afghanistan — a painful process that demanded using new muscles.

The horses provided the team with some flexibility. For example, they could ride at any time during the day or night, in all terrain types. Meanwhile, the Taliban and al-Qaida had limited mobility using the tanks left over from when the Soviet Union exited Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The horses allowed the team to get around the Taliban and al-Qaida, cutting them off from reinforcement and retreat. This was possible because the special forces teams worked in three-man cells, along with their Afghan allies, and could view the enemy from various vantage points in adjacent districts.

On November 10, 2001, ODA 595 and militia allies liberated the city of Mazar-e-Sharif from the Taliban, marking a huge victory that paved the way for future success. Weeks later, the Taliban surrendered in other areas of Afghanistan.

The Horse Soldiers successfully achieved in weeks what was originally speculated to take months or even years. They defeated the Taliban and pushed the surviving members of Al-Qaeda into the mountains of Pakistan.

The story of the Horse Soldiers is the subject of the book "Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan," which was published in 2010. It is also the inspiration behind the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film "12 Strong" (2018), starring Chris Hemsworth as Captain Mitch Nelson, a character based on Nutsch.

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