Horses in Cappadocia

Yilki horses in Swords’ Valley

The Yilki Horse is an ancient Anatolian Horse Breed. They are semi wild like those in the Camargue. The Yilki horse has a different gait called “Rahman”, which is similar to the Icelandic Horses. They are smaller than the traditional horses we are used to see. Their unique walking style makes them very comfortable for their riders.

Their history goes back a long time to Turkish ancestors like the Mongolians. Farmers have caught them in the wild and domesticated them and used them as working horses and of course for transportation. When winter comes they were released to take care of themselves. The harsh winters were difficult for them and some succumbed due to the cold and different predators. When spring came the farmers came back and reclaimed the surviving horses. I will later publish a different post of how the herds were caught and brought back into the folds.

This post show some horses running through the fields at Swords’ Valley, and we also had an opportunity to see a beautiful white mare resting in a mysterious cave just above the valley.

The horses coming towards me
The Yilki Horses spotted from the hills above the valley

From the valley Jennifer and I withdrew to the hills above, where a beautiful white horse was very happy staying in a cove. A little smoke made it even more mysterious.

The mare captured as she looked out over the valley below

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