The Akhal-Teke Horses

No nation identifies with a horse like Turkmenistan with the Akhal-Teke: bred by desert tribes for endurance and fire, slim as greyhounds, with coats whose metallic sheen - the famous golden buckskins above all - looks lit from inside. The breed stands on the state emblem, gets its own April holiday of shows and races, and lives its best-documented life at studs around Ashgabat and Geok Depe, where visits arranged through tour operators walk the stables among stallions treated as national treasures. Riders can saddle up at some farms; everyone else settles for watching the gallops, which is not settling at all.

What you actually see

• The golden coats - the metallic sheen unique to the breed.
• The stud stables - stallions and foals at the Ahal farms.
• The gallops - training runs against the Kopet Dag backdrop.
• The April horse holiday - shows, races and beauty contests for horses.

When to go

Late April centres the national horse holiday with its shows and hippodrome races; spring and autumn suit stable visits generally. Racing runs weekend cards in the cooler months.

Honest expectations

Visits need arranging - studs are working, sometimes state-run operations, not drop-in attractions, and your tour operator's relationships determine what opens. Riding options favour experienced riders; these are hot-blooded horses. The reverence is genuine - treat the animals and their handlers with matching respect.

Nearby

Geok Depe, Nisa's Parthian fortress and Ashgabat's hippodrome.