Enviro Monday: Akhal-Teke – the most beautiful horse in the world

10 things you want to know about the Akhal-Teke

• The Akhal-Teke is a direct descendant of the extinct Turkoman horse that lived in ancient times.
• It is the national emblem of Turkemenistan.
• It is called the most beautiful horse in the world by experts.
• The Chinese call it ‘the horse from heaven’.
• It is the first horse breed to be domesticated thousands of years ago.
• There’s currently only 3,500 of these kind of horses in the world.
• The Akhal-Teke has an exquisite coat that gleams in the sunlight.
• The reason for its shimmer lies in the structure of its fur, which acts as a light intensifier that reflects light.
• It is believed that the purpose of its golden coat is to act as camouflage in the deserts of Turkemenistan.
• The breed is said to originate in Achal, Turkemenistan and dates back 3 000 years, making it the world’s oldest breed.

WATCH: The Akhal-Teke in action

Watch: The ninth wonder of the world