{"id":49337,"date":"2026-08-28T13:50:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T11:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/?p=49337"},"modified":"2026-08-28T13:50:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T11:50:56","slug":"chaar-horse-kyrgyzstan-indigenous-spotted-breed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/kyrgyzstan\/chaar-horse-kyrgyzstan-indigenous-spotted-breed\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe Chaar is much more than a horse\u201d: reviving Kyrgyzstan\u2019s indigenous spotted breed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSupport Novastan, the European Central Asia magazine \n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\tBy supporting Novastan, you are supporting the only English, French and German-language media specialising in Central Asia. We’re independent and we need your help to stay that way! \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSupport Novastan<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than a decade after the documentary True Appaloosa<\/a> brought attention to Kyrgyzstan\u2019s spotted horses, breeder Munarbek Kuldanbaev is trying to turn a handful of surviving animals into a viable population. He speaks to Novastan about genetics, Soviet-era crossbreeding, the Chaar\u2019s place in Kyrgyz heritage and the long road towards official recognition.
<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When True Appaloosa<\/em> (available in Europe on Prime Video) was filmed more than a decade ago, the question at its centre was whether Kyrgyzstan\u2019s spotted horses might be related to the American Appaloosa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Munarbek Kuldanbaev<\/strong>, founder of the Chaar Appaloosa Foundation<\/a> and a breeder of Chaar horses, that question eventually became the beginning of a much larger project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kuldanbaev now insists on an important distinction. Whatever ancient connections may exist between spotted horse populations, the American Appaloosa and the Kyrgyz Chaar should not be treated as the same breed. They developed in different environments and cultural traditions, he argues, and the Chaar should be understood on its own terms as an indigenous Kyrgyz horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The breeding programme began with the stallion Chaar Suluu and five mares<\/strong>. Today, according to Kuldanbaev, it numbers more than 80 horses<\/strong>, while other breeders in Kyrgyzstan have also begun developing Chaar lines of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenge, however, is not simply to produce more spotted horses. Kuldanbaev says decades of crossbreeding have altered indigenous Kyrgyz horse populations, particularly during the twentieth century. His project therefore combines genetic research, physical characteristics, historical references and traditional knowledge in an attempt to identify and restore what he describes as the Chaar\u2019s \u201coriginal type\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That raises a more difficult question: when does conservation become reconstruction?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a question Kuldanbaev does not avoid. He acknowledges that no living population remains unchanged over centuries and that restoring the Chaar inevitably contains an element of reconstruction. His argument is that such reconstruction must be guided by evidence rather than by aesthetic preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His longer-term ambition is formal recognition of the Chaar in Kyrgyzstan. The project is working towards a population of 500 horses with documented pedigrees<\/strong>, which Kuldanbaev says would provide the basis for an application for official breed recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, the stakes go beyond horse breeding. Preserving the Chaar, he argues, also means preserving part of Kyrgyzstan\u2019s nomadic history, cultural heritage and biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Novastan English Editor-in-Chief Mathieu Lemoine spoke with Munarbek Kuldanbaev about how the project has evolved, what genetic research can – and cannot – tell us about the Chaar, and what role Kyrgyzstan should play in preserving indigenous breeds.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Novastan: True Appaloosa<\/em> documented the early years of your search for the Chaar horse. More than a decade later, what has changed most since the film was made – both in your understanding of the Chaar and in the project itself?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Munarbek Kuldanbaev:<\/strong> As you can see in the film, True Appaloosa<\/em> was not really about the Chaar horse. At that time, we were trying to answer a different question: whether the Kyrgyz spotted horse was related to the American Appaloosa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is that they do share some genetic similarities, but we have to be very careful about saying that the Kyrgyz spotted horse is a \u201ctrue Appaloosa\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if they may have some common roots, the Appaloosa and the Kyrgyz Chaar horse are different breeds, each with its own history shaped by the land where it developed, as well as by the culture and traditions of the people who bred and used these horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the film was released, I began asking myself what should come next. I already had Chaar Suluu, I had learned about the extensive crossbreeding of indigenous Kyrgyz horses before, during and after the Soviet period, and I had a strong personal ambition to change the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Years later, I can see what that decision has led to. The revival programme started with Chaar Suluu and five mares. Today, we have more than 80 Chaar horses. I see more and more local breeders becoming interested in breeding the Chaar and participating in its reintroduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For me, this is probably the biggest change since the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back then, I was searching for answers. Today, I can see, touch and feel the result of that search. The work has become something bigger than my own story – it has become a living population of Chaar horses and a growing interest in preserving them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme began with Chaar Suluu and five mares. What happened to Chaar Suluu after the documentary, and how important is his genetic line today?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chaar Suluu remained at the heart of the project after the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the filming of True Appaloosa<\/em>, he was one of the horses from which we collected material for genetic research. The results showed that, among the horses we tested, he had one of the lowest levels of genetic influence from other breeds. That was one of the reasons I considered him so important for the revival programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also carries the LP gene associated with leopard spotting. Around 90% of Chaar Suluu\u2019s foals have been spotted, and he produces many of the coat colours and patterns traditionally associated with the Chaar and Appaloosa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Chaar Suluu could not do this alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I began the programme, I also had another spotted stallion, Chaarat. Two of his sons, Ak-Suluu and Tan-Suluu, have become important breeding stallions and are now being bred to Chaar Suluu\u2019s daughters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal was never simply to reproduce one exceptional horse. It was to build a viable Chaar population and establish several breeding lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chaar Suluu was the foundation, but the future of the Chaar has to be bigger than one stallion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What historical evidence is there for the Chaar as a traditional Kyrgyz horse?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, there are very few written historical records from ancient Kyrgyzstan itself. But that does not mean there is no historical evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great deal of information about horses and nomadic peoples in this region was recorded by Chinese chroniclers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese historical records speak of the famous \u201cheavenly horses\u201d of Central Asia, sometimes described as horses that \u201csweated blood\u201d, and of the nomadic peoples who bred them. There are also representations of spotted horses in ancient Chinese ceramics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But perhaps the most important evidence survives in Kyrgyz culture and tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Spotted horses have played a special role in ceremonies and traditional practices. They could serve as a protective symbol or talisman for a family or clan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chaar also appears repeatedly in Kyrgyz oral tradition. In folk tales, legends and traditional stories, the Chaar is mentioned as a distinctive horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also an important reference in the epic Manas<\/em>. The first horse of Manas is named Toru Chaar<\/strong>, which can be translated as \u201cbrown spotted\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more on Novastan<\/strong>: Manas and the Making of Kyrgyzstan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of these pieces of evidence on its own proves the complete genetic history of the modern Chaar. But taken together – chronicles, artistic representations, oral traditions, ceremonies and Manas<\/em> – they suggest that spotted horses have deep roots in Kyrgyz and wider Central Asian horse culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you define a Chaar horse today? What distinguishes it from another spotted Kyrgyz horse or from an American Appaloosa?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, I define the Chaar as a distinct Kyrgyz breed with its own history, genetic foundation, physical characteristics and behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spotted coat is one of its most recognisable characteristics, but spotting alone is not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, the Chaar is a combination of coat pattern, origin, conformation, temperament, endurance and genetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physically, it should be a strong, hardy and functional horse adapted to Kyrgyzstan. It should have good bone, strong legs and hooves, balanced conformation and the ability to travel long distances across difficult mountain and steppe terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more on Novastan<\/strong>: Siblings on horseback<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperament is equally important. It is an intelligent and independent horse that can work with people while retaining its natural independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not a decorative horse. It should be able to work and live in the conditions in which it developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is also where I make a distinction between the Chaar and the American Appaloosa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They share visible characteristics, especially their spotted coats, and there are genetic similarities. But they developed in different regions, environments and cultural traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Appaloosa developed in North America. The Chaar developed in Central Asia and is closely connected to the history of the Kyrgyz nomadic people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why I do not call it a \u201cKyrgyz Appaloosa\u201d. The Chaar has its own identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You describe your work as restoring the Chaar in its \u201coriginal type\u201d. How do you determine what that original type was, and where does preservation end and reconstruction begin?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Determining the original type of the Chaar is not simply a matter of choosing horses that look the way I think a Chaar should look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have tried to approach this scientifically, combining genetic research with physical observation, traditional knowledge, history and folklore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genetic studies helped us understand what remained of the population and how much it had been affected by crossbreeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We identified a group of horses with relatively low levels of influence from outside breeds and then examined their conformation, physical characteristics, temperament and behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, we compared those observations with descriptions of the Chaar in Kyrgyz history, folklore, legends and oral traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, this is where preservation ends and reconstruction begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more on Novastan<\/strong>: Equestrian link<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preservation means protecting an existing population and maintaining its diversity and characteristics. But when a population has been heavily affected by crossbreeding and some of its original characteristics have been partially lost, simply preserving what exists today can also mean preserving the result of that change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why I use the word \u201crestoration\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are not trying to create a new breed according to our own preferences. We are trying to identify the characteristics that survived, understand them through genetics and historical evidence, and then use careful selection to bring those characteristics together again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is inevitably an element of reconstruction because no living population remains completely unchanged over centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that reconstruction has to be guided by evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What has the genetic research told you about the ancestry and distinctiveness of the Chaar?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The genetic research helped us look at the history of the Chaar from a completely different perspective – through its DNA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers compared the Chaar with horse populations from different parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results place the Chaar among Central Asian horse populations, with particularly close relationships to Mongolian and Yakutian horses and links to other traditional populations in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The population also retains significant genetic diversity, which is important for its future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most interesting findings concerns the spotted coat. Many of the Kyrgyz horses studied carried the Leopard Complex<\/strong>, the same genetic mechanism associated with spotting in breeds such as the Appaloosa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When researchers compared the DNA region around this mutation with Leopard Complex horses from Europe and the United States, their results suggested that the mutation may have originated in Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this is not proven. More research, including horses from other parts of Asia, is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is important to emphasise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genetics does not give us a final story about the origin of the Chaar. It gives us evidence with which to test hypotheses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did that research confirm the ideas explored in True Appaloosa<\/em>, or did it change what you believed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an important sense, it confirmed what we were exploring, but it also made the story more complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spotted horses of Kyrgyzstan and spotted horses in America share the same Leopard Complex mutation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, that supports the possibility that, very far back in history, these horses belonged to a broader ancestral population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at some point their histories separated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Horses in America were shaped by the American landscape, climate, history and the people who bred them. Horses that remained in Central Asia were shaped by its mountains, climate, nomadic cultures and breeders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So today, I would not call the American Appaloosa and the Chaar the same breed. They are clearly different horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may, however, carry a much older common genetic story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research has given us important pieces of the puzzle, but not the whole picture. Where exactly did the Leopard Complex mutation arise? How did those horse populations spread? At what point did they separate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every answer opens another question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a relatively small founding population, how do you avoid inbreeding?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the beginning, that was one of the main risks I was thinking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We started with Chaar Suluu and five mares, but I also introduced a second stallion, Chaarat, which gave us another male line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chaarat became the sire of several important stallions, including Besh, Ak-Suluu and Tan-Suluu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are now carefully planning matings between the different lines to avoid breeding animals that are too closely related.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, we believe we can maintain genetic diversity within our own herd for approximately another five to seven years. After that, we will need to introduce new mares from outside our herd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The encouraging development is that two other breeders in different regions of Kyrgyzstan have now begun their own Chaar breeding programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the future, we may therefore be able to exchange mares between breeding programmes and create a wider population rather than depending on one herd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal is not simply to increase numbers. It is to build a genetically sustainable population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does the Chaar fit into Kyrgyzstan’s broader equestrian heritage?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chaar has always been part of the broader story of the Kyrgyz horse, but for a long time very few people outside a small circle knew that this type of horse still existed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When True Appaloosa<\/em> was shown on television, it was almost a discovery for the Kyrgyz public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many breeders became interested. That was positive, but it also created a danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some began crossing spotted horses with other breeds in an effort to make them larger and heavier. For us, that risks changing the qualities that make the indigenous horse distinctive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our project is therefore not simply about increasing the number of Chaar horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is about preserving the characteristics that developed through environment, history and traditional breeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An indigenous breed should not be frozen in the past, but neither should it be changed until the characteristics that made it distinctive disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the Chaar is much more than a horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By preserving it, we are also preserving part of Kyrgyz history and nomadic culture, as well as an element of the biodiversity of Central Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your long-term objective is official recognition of the Chaar as a breed. Where does that process stand?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At present, the Chaar is not officially recognised as a breed, either internationally or in Kyrgyzstan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formal recognition is an important next step because it would give the Chaar official status and create a stronger foundation for long-term conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To submit an application in Kyrgyzstan, we are working towards a sufficiently large population of purebred horses with documented pedigrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The target we are using is 500 horses with reliable pedigree information<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We are therefore building the population, documenting the bloodlines and developing a breeding system that preserves what we consider the original type while maintaining genetic diversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognition should not simply be a certificate or a name in a registry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before seeking it, we need to demonstrate that there is a stable population, a documented pedigree structure and clear characteristics distinguishing the Chaar from other populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What support do you currently receive from the Kyrgyz authorities?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment, we do not receive financial, veterinary, scientific or institutional support from the Kyrgyz government for the conservation of the Chaar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have approached government institutions several times, including on recognition and conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My impression is that the system in this field has not yet fully moved away from approaches inherited from the Soviet period. There is still a strong reliance on established standards and procedures, and new research or approaches can be viewed cautiously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For several years I tried to combine the Chaar breeding programme with my business. It became increasingly difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also faced serious losses from wolf attacks, including animals representing genetic material that had taken years of breeding to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, I decided to devote myself completely to the Chaar project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With friends in France, we then launched an accelerated breeding programme. In 2023, an international structure was established in France to support the conservation work and make private fundraising more transparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, conservation has been driven primarily by private initiative and international cooperation rather than government funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But we would welcome serious cooperation with Kyrgyz government agencies, veterinary institutions, universities and scientists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More broadly, what should the state do to preserve indigenous horse breeds?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe the state’s role should be limited, but important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government does not need to manage the breeding itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What it should do is recognise indigenous breeds officially, protect their legal status, support scientific research and provide reasonable benefits or exemptions for breeders genuinely preserving them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It should also support veterinary work and traditional pasture systems without trying to control individual breeding decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The actual preservation and breeding should remain in the hands of breeders, researchers and local communities who understand the horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, the best model is simple: the state should recognise and protect; the people should preserve and develop.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interview conducted by Novastan English Editor-in-Chief Mathieu Lemoine.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More than a decade after the documentary True Appaloosa brought attention to Kyrgyzstan\u2019s spotted horses, breeder Munarbek Kuldanbaev is trying to turn a handful of surviving animals into a viable population. He speaks to Novastan about genetics, Soviet-era crossbreeding, the Chaar\u2019s place in Kyrgyz heritage and the long road towards official recognition. When True Appaloosa […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":358,"featured_media":49342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4667,4939,3],"tags":[5028,5030,2578,5029],"coauthors":[358],"class_list":["post-49337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","category-interview","category-kyrgyzstan","tag-chaar","tag-chaar-horse","tag-kyrgyzstan","tag-munarbek-kuldanbaev"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/358"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49337"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49337\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49363,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49337\/revisions\/49363"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49337"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novastan.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=49337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}