NWBHC Equinealities, Tersk

Tersk

(Tersky, Terskij, Terek)

Group	Warmblood
Influences	Arabian Ukraine Stock (Kabardin, Don Arab) Turkoman Persian (Streletsk Arabian) Shagya Arab Thoroughbred
Characteristics	Stands 14.3 to 15.1 hands high Well-proportioned head with straight or slightly dished profile Wide and deep chest, and sloping shoulder Pronounced withers Broad muscular quarters Flat croup High-set tail Kind, gentle, docile, intelligent, and enduring temperament
Colors	Usually grey with a silver sheen. May be chestnut or bay.
Odd Facts	The Tersk has a good jumping quality. It is used in racing, competitions, circus. It has an aptitude for riding and light draft. The Tersk is of national importance. It is a tough, robust version of the Arab. This horse is capable of a wide range of uses.

Overview:

The Tersky is a warmblood originating in the Stavropol region of the former Soviet Union. It stands about 15 hands high and is usually grey in color. It has Arabian features to its physique. Three types of Tersky were developed - light, medium and thickset. It has a kind, intelligent and enduring temperament. It is used for racing, competitions and in the circus. Influences include Arabian, as well as indigenous Ukraine stock, Turkoman, and Persian through the Strelets Arabian.

Physical Description:

A meso-dolichomorphic type horse, the Tersk stands between 14.3 and 15.1 hands at the withers (average is 15 hands or 60"). Mares may be smaller, sometimes measuring under 14.1 hands. The coat is usually grey. It has a beautiful head resembling that of an Arabian. The well-proportioned, medium-length head with a straight, slightly dished, or slightly snub profile. Its long ears are average size, pointed and mobile, and its eyes large and lively. The expressive face reflects the Tersk's intelligence and gentle disposition. The well-formed neck is of average length and the withers are pronounced.

It chest is wide and deep and its shoulder is long and sloping. It has a straight back that is not too long, and its ribs are well-sprung. It has a deep body and broad, muscular quarters. The croup is rather flat with the tail set-on high. The limbs are fine, but the bone is dense. The clean, well-built, well-muscled legs have well-defined joints and tendons, and its foot is well-conformed. In accordance with the breed standard there is 7 1/2 in (19.4cm) of bone below the knee. The strong hooves are nicely rounded. Its mane and tail are usually thin and short, and the hair is very fine.

The Tersky is very like a large Arabian, though with a little less refinement. The average height is 15hh and the color silvery-grey or white, often with a rosy tint cast by the pink skin. It is a good-natured, active horse, with plenty of stamina and makes a good all-round riding horse. It is also used for racing against Arabs and as a circus horse. (Enc. Horse 1983)

Origin:

This breed can be traced back to horses used by the Cossacks, which were significantly improved in the 19th century by Count Strovanov, using infusions of Kabardin blood. These horses were later perfected by Marshal Budyonny who introduced blood again from the Kabardin, as well as from the Don, the Arab, and the English Thoroughbred. The modern breed was officially recognized in 1948.

The Tersky was evolved between 1921 and 1950 in an attempt to preserve the old Strelets Arab which had virtually died out during the First World War. The Strelets was an Anglo, not a pure-bred Arab, the result of crossing pure-breds with Anglos from the famous Orlov and Rastopchin studs. The Strelets thrived during the nineteenth century but by 1921 only two stallions remained, both having the characteristic silvery-grey coloring. Pure and part-Arabs were mated with these stallions and by a careful system of selection a new Strelets-type horse was developed. It was called the Tersky, after the Tersk Stud in the Caucasus which, along with the Stavropol Stud, was its birthplace. (Enc. Horse 1983)
A Russian creation, the Tersk, was developed between 1921 and 1950 at the Tersk and Starvopol Studs in the Northern Caucasus. The Tersk is founded on the Strelets Arabian - a part-bred produced by crossing Arabian stallions with Orlov and Orlov-Rastopchin mares. Thoroughbreds were also involved in the Strelets make-up to a lesser degree. By the early 1920s, the Strelets had nearly died out. The Tersk, a beautiful horse, retains the Arabian appearance and movement. (Ultimate Horse)

Other Facts:

The Tersk was originally created for military use, but it has become increasingly important in sporting events. Because the Tersk has a natural aptitude for jumping, it has given excellent results in show jumping, cross-country and dressage. Tersk horses are good competition prospects for the ridden disciplines of jumping, dressage, and cross-country, but are also quite able to take their turn in the harvest field. Today the Tersk is bred at the state studs of Stavropol and Tersk.

Tersk

The former USSR is made up of large areas of forest, steppe land, and high, remote mountains where the climate is harsh and life has not changed for hundreds of years. During the period between 1921 and 1950, the Soviet agricultural ministry was concerned with reestablishing the horse population. Early in the 20th century, the Soviets encouraged the breeding of local horses suited to the environment and local economy. These breeds were then improved by outcrossing, selective breeding, and by using performance tests as a means of evaluation. Breed standards were adopted detailing body measurements. Breeding stock was then chosen from individuals conforming most closely to the specified standard.

The Tersk was developed in the Stavropol region (North Caucasus) of the former USSR. The first steps towards its creation in the 1920s came when some of the few remaining (now extinct) Strelets were collected at the Tersk stud. The Strelets were large Arab types, based on native Ukranian mares which were crossed to selected Oriental sires. With the Strelets in grave danger of extinction, an attempt was made to preserve its fine qualities.

Only two Strelets stallions, both silver grey, and a few mares survived. The remaining Strelets were taken to the Tersk stud at Stavropol in 1925 and used as foundation stock for the new project. The new breed was planned to replace the Strelets because there were so few left and they were believed to be too inbred. These horses were crossed with native Ukrainian mares and Oriental stallions. Individuals used in the program represented Arabians, Arab-Don crossbreds, Dons, Kabardins, Strelets-Kabardin crossbreds, and Shagyas (another Arab-type) from Hungary. Three pure Arabian stallions were introduced and a number of crossbred mares: Arabian/Don, Strelets/Kabardin, and a few crossbred Hungarian Gidrans. The progeny was reinforced with more Arab blood.

Selective breeding was imposed, and the breed took on the name of the Tersk Stud and was officially recognized in 1948. The aim of the strict breeding program was to produce a horse with the features of the Arabs (elegance, movement and endurance), combined with the robustness and toughness of native breeds. The intention was to produce a horse that had the speed and endurance of an Arab coupled with the robustness of native stock, for steeplechasing.

The breeding of the Tersk was incredibly successful and this new breed is thought to be even more beautiful than its predecessor, and it is highly regarded. It is still bred in the Stavropol area today and is regarded as one of the most notable breeds produced by the Soviet horse-breeding initiative. Also, Tersks are allowed to run freely in herds near Stavropol to maintain hardiness. While the Tersk is not used for steeplechasing, it excels in flat-racing against Arabians.

Inheriting many of the characteristics of the Strelet, the Tersk has proved to be gentle, intelligent, agile, athletic and capable of endurance. This has made it suitable for many purposes. Today it is entered in races for non-Thoroughbreds (often against Arabians). It is also used for endurance competitions and is popular for use with the Army, both for riding and harness work. It is used in competitions, particularly for dressage, and is popular in the circus. It is also used to improve and upgrade other breeds, including the Karabakh and Lokai. Recently, there has been some outcrossing with the Thoroughbred to produce a larger horse.

Terskys are good natured, lithe and elegant. Like its extinct relative the Strelet, the Tersky has great powers of endurance. They are distinctly Arabian in appearance, and are characterized by a particularly light, elegant movement. Terskys are good dressage prospects, having clean, defined paces. They are excellent jumpers and bold cross-country horses, and they race successfully against Arabians. Their beauty, intelligence, and gentleness also make them popular in the great circuses that play an important part in Russian culture.

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© 1997-2007 NW Breyer Horse Club
& Refiner of Gold Creations
Equinealities in place since 1997,
Section in place 2001,
Updated 3/13/2007