Oleg Mandzhiev, How Kalmyks Trained Their Horses

Abstract

Oleg talks about how Kalmyks trained their horses in the past. It is known that horses can see flying objects and that they are also afraid of snakes. Horse training was based on these two principles. When foals were in, children put snakes inside the enclosures so that the foals would get used to them. As foals grew up, snakes were chopped into small pieces and tied to arrows. Then the young horses were shot with these arrows. When horses saw arrows they jumped aside to avoid. In the past during battles Kalmyk warriors dropped their reins loose so that their horses could avoid arrows by themselves.