Travelling Through Turkey

Horses in Daily Life

Carolyn Willekes — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:25:22 GMT

What has amazed me is the regular presence of the horse in daily life. It is something I would expect to find in Eastern Turkey where nomadism is still common, but I have seen horses everywhere i have gone. Of couse there are the expected 'tourist' equines who pull carriages around towns.

But it is in the routines of day-to-day life that I have found an unexpected number of horses. I have to say that it can be a little surprising to have a horse and cart come rattling past your car on the road, especially in a city. It happens all the time though as local farmers bring their produce to the markets. The prevalence of horse drawn vehicles on the roads is clear from the 'no carriages' sign on the major toll roads!

If you want to see first hand how the horse holds a place in both ancient and modern Turkey, visit the village of Herakleia on Lake Bafa at the foot of Mt. Latmos. The lunar landscape surrounding the village has been inhabited for millennia, and the 'modern' town is buit on and around the ancient remains. Don't be surprised if you have to walk through someones front yard to find the rubble. Amid the chronological hodge-lodge are horses, lots of them. These equines perform the same jobs they always have: herding livestock, working the fields, carrying crops and wood, and for transportation. They negotiate steep mountain paths and marshy fields with ease. Moreover, they are all sleek, shiny and fit. These horses aren't pets, they are working animals., but they play such an important role in daily life their care is of the utmost importance. You could hardly call them pampered, but they have food, shelter and snob they know very well. All in all the equids if Herakleia seem like a truly contented group, living just as their ancestors have for millennia. Makes you stop and think...

Cheers,

Carolyn

Landscape

Carolyn Willekes — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:24:33 GMT

Landscape is, in mamy ways, the window to a country's soul. it dictates how a culture develops and functions. In the case of Turkey it changes history into reality.

Lawrence Durrel coined the phrase 'A sense of place' and it is a statement that is most applicable to Turkey and its horses.

The country of Turkey brings to mind pristine sandy beaches and the clear waters of the Mediterranean; or perhaps the soaring dome and minarets of Haigha Sophia and the stark marble remains of ancient cultures (yay rubble!) Wat it might not evoke is a deep rural and nomadic tradition. This is why finding the sense of a place is so important. I have spent years with my nose buried in books reading about battles, memorizing names and dates. Many a text (both ancient and modern) tells me that Turkey was a famous horse breeding region and that numerous horse cultures emerged from here. Until now I have not been able to understand why. You see, to really understand the history you need to get away from the books and truly experience that place for what it is (and I am very fortunate to be able to do so).

For example, while driving through Cappadocia I passed trucks laden with some of the most beautiful, green alfalfa I had ever seen. If you go back to the history books you discover that ancient Persia was renowned for its horses which ate 'Median grass' - alfalfa. The higher protein content allowed for more robust horses to develop. Thus an adcademic fact becomes reality when I witness it first hand.

Turkey is a very mountianous country that seems like no place for a horse.

But as soon as the land flattens out into a plateau or valley, both horses and donkeys can be seen pulling carts and working in the fields alongside tractors.

To really discover a place you have to find its people too. Mention the world 'horse' to anyone in Turkey their face lights up. I bought an old handmade bridle from a retired Turkish Airforce pilot in Safranbolu who grew up driving horses on the farm and now makes saddles and harnesses.

In Goreme one man told me that his young son was learning to ride horses becuase it is the Turkish tradition. When I mention that I am here studying horses everyone has a story to tell, even if it is just to make sure that I know Cappadocia means 'Land of the Beautiful Horses.' If you want further proof of the Turkish connection to horses look above almost any door and you will see a horseshoe nailed there.

Cheers,

Carolyn

Greetings from the Land of Beautiful Horses

Blog Author — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:23:00 GMT

Greetings from the Land of Beautiful Horses - otherwise known as Cappadocia, Turkey. At first glance the region might not look like an equine paradise. Its topography closely resembles the Alberta badlands. Appearances are deceiving though. If you look beyond the tourist-trap trail rides you discover a horse culture with deep routes. I am in Turkey for 7 weeks to learn about the native Turkish horses (the Andalou horse) and the history of the horse in this country. The Turkish share a nomadic past with the Mongols. In fact they are generally believed to have been a nomadic group who migrated here from Mongolia and the Central Asian steppe.

Given their pedigree it isn't surprising that Turkey is closely tied to the land and all things rural, especially the love of the horses. Everything about the Turks from their famous rugs to their cuisine and a love of the picnic, pays homage to a nomadic past. The story of the Turkish horse dates back to over 3.000 years to the Hitties who built an empire with their war chariots and produced the earliest horse training manual - the Kikkuli Text - written by the 14th Century BCE. The Trojans were called 'breakers of horses' by Homer and Cappadocs provided an annual tribute of 10,000 horses to the Persian King. The native Turkish horse resembles the Akhal-Teke and the Arab in appearance. This isn't surprising given considering the environment it lives in. They are finely boned, agile, tough and regularly used for various jobs for farm labour to tourist attraction.

Stay tuned as I explore the colourful history of this country and discover its horses in the most unexpected of places.

Cheers, Carolyn