Alexandra Tolstoy has gone on three long distance treks using Akhal-Tekes. In 1999 they went along the Silk Road Route, in 2002 through Mongolia and Eastern Siberia and in 2004 from Ashgabad to Moscow. Alexandra has a great site that is definitely worth checking out. I’m going to buy her book, “the Last Secrets of the Silk Road” as well as her new one, “the Horses of Heaven“, when it comes out. The photography is by Charlotte Bromley.

When I saw this story I remembered what got me inspired to buy my first horses. In 1992 I traveled 5,600 km on my bicycle up through Europe. When I was in Estonia trying to get into Russia the border was just being established and it was closed (so I went to Nordkap instead). When I was there and talking with people about the trip (my ideal was to go to Vladivostok) they thought I was crazy to try it by bike and told me to get some good Russian horses to take us across instead. I had always loved horses and the thought of these horses that could travel such long distances stayed in my mind.

When I saw a newspaper article about Christy Jansen and Tang (our Canadian endurance champions) I went to talk with her about long distance riding. Christy sold me on endurance riding and I ended up buying two Arabians (the recommended breed). I had great times with them for a couple years, mostly doing competitive trail rides. Now that I have finished my studies (MSc, equine physiology and nutrition) and started my family I really yearned to get back into horses. This time I decided on these famous Russian horses, the Akhal-Teke.

So that is how we ended up with Darginka!

Note: One can now travel by road all the way from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok; Maybe in 10 years or so, when the kids are old enough, we will do it!