The word 'buzkashi' comes from words meaning 'goat pulling', which describes the original form of the game. Today, the sport is played with a heavy object weighing about 40 kilograms, which players must scoop from the ground, control on horseback and carry to the scoring area while rival riders try to take it from them. The horses trained for buzkashi are specially bred and conditioned, and can be worth a great deal of money.
A buzkashi horse is an athlete in its own right. These horses are trained from a young age to handle the chaos of many horses charging and jostling at once without panicking. They learn to respond to their rider's knee pressure and body weight alone, leaving the rider's hands free to reach down and compete for the object. The relationship between a buzkashi horse and its chapandaz — the skilled rider — is built over years.
Major buzkashi matches are big community events, drawing crowds of spectators who gather on hillsides and rooftops to watch. The finest chapandaz riders are celebrated as heroes in their communities, admired for their combination of horsemanship, strength, balance and tactical thinking. The sport is especially popular in the north of Afghanistan and is played at major festivals and on national holidays.