Kushum Horse: Breed History and Characteristics

The Asian nation of Kazakhstan has created a surprising amount of horse breeds, most of which begin with the letter K. The Kushum or Kushumskaya originated in the 1930s in the Soviet-run studs Pyatimarsk and Furman. Although the Soviets left in 1991, the horses remained. They are sometimes called West Kazakh Saddle-Drafts, a name that doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

For any horse breed to do well in Kazakhstan, it needs to be strong enough to withstand the harsh environment. There are very few barns in Khazakhstan. Horses are generally raised outside in all weathers in large herds called taboons. They usually do not get fed any hay or grain and have to make due with whatever they can forage, although herds of mares bred for milk may get extra feed. Fortunately, the Kushum is tough enough to survive being raised in taboons.

Brief History

The native Kazakh horses were small and tough, but not considered attractive and comfortable enough for Russians. They were crossed with Thoroughbreds, trotting breeds and Dons in order to produce a large, all-around horse. By 1976, the breed was established, but, like all breeds, is continuing to evolve.

In 1995, six bloodlines were being formed in order to breed three types of Kushums - for meat, for horse sports and an in-between horse for those who could not decide whether to eat their horses or ride them. However, demand for Kushums plummeted. Other breeds of horses such as the Adaev, the Kustani and the Jabe seemed to be filling the niche that the Kashum was supposed to fill.

According to a European bank's promotional material in 2008, interest in the Kushum was revived in 2003 when said bank lent some money to TS Agro, a company that owned a mare milk production farm with 40 purebred Kushums. Mare milk is highly prized in Russia, Mongolia, the China steppes, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It is fermented and made into an alcoholic beverage sometimes touted as a health drink. Kushum mares can produce up to 22 liters of milk in a day.

General Appearance

The Kushum is one of the largest horse breed in Kazakhstan, averaging 15 hands high. In contrast, their ancestors the Kazakh usually average 13 - 14 hands high. They have backs built more for working in harness than under saddle, generally being long and level with high withers. But the chest is often deep and the legs are usually sounder than in many other horse breeds in the world.

The head of the Kushum varies. Sometimes it is a straight profile and sometimes it's Roman-nosed. Sometimes it seems a little too big for the rest of the body, but that is most likely an illusion caused by the breed's short Kazakh-like neck. The mane and tail vary in thickness. They come in several colors, but various shades of bay and chestnut predominate.

Additional References



"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds." Bonnie Hendricks. University of Oklahoma Press; 1995.

"Animal Genetic Resources of the USSR." Dmitriez, N.G. and Ernst, L.K. Animal Production and Health Paper FAO; 1989.

"Handbook of Milk of Non-Bovine Animals." Young W. Park, et al. Wiley-Blackwell; 2006.