The Persian Empire controlled a large area of ​​the Middle East. The people of Persia had an eye for horse breeding and the development of sporting, beautiful and fiery horse breeds.

At its height, the Persian Empire covered modern Iran, Egypt, and Turkey, along with parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The most famous Persian horse breeds still in existence today are the Arabian Thoroughbred, Caspian, Turkmen, Kurdish, Tchenarani, Darashouri, and Bakhtiari. These wonderful horse breeds date back to Persian times.

Below are seven breeds of indigenous Persian horses.

1. Aseel Arab

Thoroughbreds come from a long line of Arabian horses that never left Persia. Traditionally, these horses were bred and bred by local families and tribes.

Thoroughbreds are among the purest horses in the world, as they have gone without any crossbreeding to non-Arabian horses. Their breeds have always been protected for thousands of years. Breeders believe that these horses will bring both spiritual and material gains to those who keep them, making them highly valuable possessions.

Purebred Arabs, sometimes referred to as Persian Arabs, are intelligent, strong and of good temper. They are about 14.3-15 hands long and are grey, bay and chestnut. They have a small straight, not very concave head, slender legs, a well-arched neck, and a lean, athletic build.

Thoroughbreds excel in endurance, racing and show horses in all English and Western disciplines.

2. Caspian Sea

The Caspian Horse is an ancient, small and elegant breed of horses originating from Iran that was commonly found in Persian art. For more than 1,000 years, the Caspian breed was believed to be extinct.

Then, in 1965, American Louise Firoz discovered a small number of Caspian horses in the mountainous regions south of the Caspian Sea. Upon the rediscovery of these horses, a breeding program was initiated to preserve this special breed.

Included in our list of unique horse breeds, Caspian horses have five unique structural differences that separate them from all other breeds.

Caspians are small horses, 10-12.2 hands in height, and have a similar appearance to Arabian horses. They have polished heads, athletic bodies, and well-arched necks. Caspian horses are versatile, excelling in driving, jumping, competition and dressage.

3. Turkmen

The Turkmen horse or Turkmen origin from the Turkmen desert. They are closely related to the Akhal-Teke horses, which are their modern descendants.

Thanks to their slender build, Turkmen horses have excellent endurance. Many experts believe that they are extinct in their pure form. However, breeders work hard to preserve the purest descendants of these noble horses.

Turkmen horses have a length of about 15-16 hands. They have a unique metallic sheen to their coat and are generally gray, chestnut, chestnut or black. With a light sporty build, they excel in racing and endurance riding.

4. Kurdish

The Kurdish horse or the Persian Kurd originally comes from western modern Iran. For thousands of years, they have been an important aspect of the life of the Kurdish people.

Although they have a long history, there is no official book or breed record. However, those dedicated to the Kurdish horse are working to establish a breed standard.

Kurdish horses are of medium height, with a compact and muscular body, and a strong, erect neck. They are strong sporting horses suitable for polo or polo, exhibition dressage and pleasure riding.

5. Tchenarani

The history of the Tchenarani or Chenaran horse dates back more than 2000 years. It is a rare breed, of which only a few pure horses are left in Iran.

Tchenarani horses were developed by crossing Persian Arabian horses and Turkmen horses. The locals were once great military horses that they now use for races and rides. They are about 15 hands high with an athletic build that shows their Arabic heritage.

6. Darashuri

Darashouri originates from the central and southern regions of the Zagros mountain range in modern Iran. The dynasty received its name from the Darshuri tribe of the Qashqai Tribe Confederation.

Their true origins are unknown, however, experts believe that they belong to Arab-Persian breeds. Although they were once a popular breed, their numbers are now critical.

Darshuri horses are about 15-16 hands long and are usually chestnut, grey, black and bay. They have a muscular body, an arched neck and a wide chest. Smart and friendly, the Darashouris makes reliable riding mounts.

7. Bakhtiari

The Bakhtiari is a variant of the Persian plateau horse of Iran. They have the same heritage and conformation as these ancient Persian horses.

These unique horses got their name from the Bakhtiari tribesmen in Khuzestan Province. Bakhtiari goes back to the Hamdani, Khuwailan and Nassam dynasties of Arabia. However, they are taller and thinner than their Arab ancestors.

They have an elegant and graceful build, but do not have the specific traits that other breeds of Arabian horses have. Bakhtiari horses are about 15 hands long and are a popular choice for pleasure riding as well as racing.