The shimmering coat of the Akhal-Teke is caused by the special structure of each hair. Unlike a normal horse hair, which scatters light in every direction, an Akhal-Teke hair is built more like a fibre-optic strand — it bends light through itself and then reflects it outward, creating that famous metallic glow.
Akhal-Teke horses are lean and athletic, built for speed across long distances in hot, dry conditions. Turkmen nomads bred them over thousands of years to survive with very little water and food in the desert — qualities that made them prized across all of Asia and as far away as Persia and China.
The horse is a national symbol of Turkmenistan and appears on the country's coat of arms and banknotes. Turkmen people have a deep bond with horses; there is a saying that a Turkmen and their horse are inseparable, like a person and their shadow. Horse-riding competitions and festivals are held throughout the year.
Today Akhal-Teke horses are kept and bred in many countries, but Turkmenistan remains their true homeland. They excel at long-distance racing, dressage and show jumping. Their unusual beauty means they are sometimes described as looking more like a sculpture than a real animal.