| Color: | Various colors, including white, black, buckskin, brown, grey, and mixed. |
| Distribution: | All over Kurdistan, most commonly in Iranian Kurdistan |
The Kurdish horse (Kurdish: ئەسپی کورد; Hespê Kurd; Persian: اسب کرد; Asb-e Kord) or the Kurd horse, is a horse breed of the Kurds. The horse is native to Greater Kurdistan. It is considered one of the main horse breeds native to Iran, alongside the Caspian, Turkoman, Assil (also known as Persian-Arab) and Dareshuri.
The Kurdish horse has three strains, the Afshari, the Sanjabi, and the Jaff.[1] The Kurdish horse has a medium height (140 to 155 cm) and a compact, muscular body with sturdy bone structure. It has very thick skin and a dense coat as well as a thick mane and tail. As opposed to other native Iranian horse breeds such as the Turkoman, which have long backs and a skinnier length, the Kurdish horse has a stocky body structure. The Kurdish horse has large eyes that are deep in its socket, and for the most they are not prominent, although some strains of the breed have more prominent eyes. Its eyes are more oval-shaped. The Kurdish horse appears to have a shorter neck, although its neck is of an average height and appears short due to being wide, broad, and muscular. It has muscular shoulders, and a wide chest. It holds its neck in an upright position. The breed is known for having a high tail and head carriage. Its ears are set wide on the poll and are of medium length, however they may appear small due to their thick forelock. Their ears' auricles (pinna) are wide open. The Kurdish horse is an active and passionate breed.[2]
The Kurdish horse is believed to be descended from an extinct population of horses named "Nesayee." As of 2022, the Kurdish horse population in Iran was estimated at 2,700 individuals.[3] The horse was first bred in the province of Kermanshah, and later was brought to the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. The horse was bred and used by Kurds for several millennia until today. The horse has an ability to survive in moderately-cold climates and mountainous regions, which have made it resistant to harsh environmental conditions.[4]
During the 1991 Iraqi uprisings, the Peshmerga (when they were a rebel group rather than an official armed force) rode the Kurdish horses and used them to transport weapons thru the mountains.[1] In 2019, Iran hosted the first National Kurdish Horse Beauty Festival in Ardebil province.[5] A two-day festival dedicated to the breed was held in Kermanshah province in 2023.[6] A festival was also held for it during 2023 in Sulaymaniyah.[1] In May 2024, the third such festival was held to celebrate the breed.[7]
In January 2023, the Kurdish horse was added to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list of Iran.
In December 2022, Iran announced they were developing a dossier for the horse for a possible inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.[8] In November 2023, Iran and Iraq announced they were seeking a shared UNESCO status for the breed.[9]