The Lithuanian and the horse are inseparable. In all times a horse was both a friend and a helper to a Lithuanian. Even today, when driving across Lithuania, alongside powerful tractors one can see a farmer toiling together with his horse in the fields. And next to a more beautiful homestead one can admire grazing beautiful racehorses. To have a horse on one’s farm is not only a necessity, preservation of the heritage but also a matter of prestige.

Races are held almost every weekend

At the present time, according to the data presented by horse-breeding specialists, this branch of animal husbandry is kept alive in Lithuania on account of the efforts made by enthusiasts. Only as little as 10 per cent of the representatives of this business make a living from it. Two spheres of horse breeding have been developed in Lithuania for long decades – racehorses and draught horses have been bread and reared. In Lithuania the most popular of the latter were horses of the native Lithuanian breeds – Lithuania’s carthorses and Þemaitukai horses. However, during the recent decade the situation has changed in essence. In soviet times racehorses were bread, reared and trained in state stud farms only, and today there are more than 40 horse racing clubs, more than 20 private horse racing bases that are luxuriously equipped and competently managed.
One of the most important goals of developing horse breeding in Lithuania is stud farms controlled by the state. Stud farms of the country carry out specialized activities as horse pure-strain stock breeding farms in which more than 80 per cent of registered shares belong to the state. Currently there are nine horse pure-strain stock breeding institutions (associations) recognized and approved by Orders of the Minister of Agriculture, which unite 424 associated members – horse breeders. They breed and rear 4306 thoroughbred horses. With the Ministry of Agriculture subsidizing them from the Special Rural Support Programme, during a year more than 90 horse races - tests are being organized. Almost every weekend horseracing competitions are organized in our country. By the way, a frequent weekend they are held in several places at a time.

Concern is shown for native breeds

Breeders of racehorses in Lithuania have gone through many ordeals, and the number of Lithuanian draught horses was so small that it was hardly enough to renew the herd. Considerable concern was shown for preserving the Lithuanian native breeds – Lithuanian draught, Þemaitukai and heavy-type Þemaitukai horses. “At one time we had as few as 60 mares in our territory that had documents of origin, because we had sold others. The Italians and the French consumed meat of the horses that we had bred. We had only eight thoroughbred studs. Had we waited a little longer the native Lithuanian breeds would have disappeared altogether, Lithuanian heavy-type horses, in particular, which are valued especially highly for their tender meat”, spoke Vidas Isoda, chief specialist on horse breeding of the State Animal Breeding Supervision Service under the Ministry of Agriculture, which serves half the territory of Lithuania
A long-time connoisseur of horse breeding assured that at the present time this business was profitable to a very small part of horse-breeders. Most often opposite is the case – owners keep horses at the expense of the funds derived from other kinds of their business. “Times when one could get rich from breeding horses have passed. There was time when the Lithuanians bought horses in Russia for roubles and sold them to the Germans, Poles, Swedes and Fins for the same amount in Dollars. Then the opinion formed that horse breeding was an auriferous vein. One only did not have to be lazy”, remembered Vidas Isoda. Today the situation is different. To keep an ordinary horse costs about LTL 4 thousand a year, and a racehorse requires as much as LTL 15 thousands from his owner per year. Currently native breeds are not only preserved but also supported from the European Union funds; hence, every owner who breeds horses of protected breeds can expect to receive assistance.

Lithuanian draught horses is the pride of the country

In what does the breed of the Lithuanian heavy-type horses distinguish itself? They are large, and so muscular that their sides sleek. This impression forms upon seeing these horses. The Lithuanian heavy-type horse is a native horse breed, which was threatened with extinction. However, it was due to the enthusiasts only that this native breed of horses has survived. One of such enthusiasts is Mr. Bekampis who has rallied owners of such horses into an association and who heads it at the present time. Guests from abroad come to his stud farm in the village of Kûlokai, Marijampolë municipality, to admire his horses.
Six years ago there were as few as 127 mares of this breed left in the country, and today the association boasts of as many as 745 horses of this breed. The European Union encourages keeping and preserving native breeds by allocating the support for that purpose. However, it is not the financial assistance that makes horse owners believe in the future. Mr. Bekampis’ parents used to, rear horses on collective farms already. There stands an old riding hall there. The Bekampiai generation has not lived a day without a horse. Mr. Bekampis was the first in the country to rear and breed heavy-type horses in Lithuania. He has done that since 1991. And it is for only for four years that he has been selling horses. Does it pay back? One does not have to wait for that”, says Mr. Bekampis. According to him, horses are not income, they are constant investment.

Þemaitukai is a part of the state’s history

By their history the Lithuanian heavy-type horses cannot be equal to the Þemaitukai – small pony-class horses bread in Lithuania. By the way, this is one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe known since the 6th-7th century. The Þemaitukai have been part of Lithuania’s history since olden times because they helped the Lithuanians in the years of wars and oppression. The historian Jean Krashevski wrote about the battle between the Lithuanians and the Mongols in 1241 the following: “….this battle put a stop to the Tartars’ invasion towards the West, hence Europe is indebted to Lithuania for not having been destroyed. These and other battles, sudden manoeuvres, distant marches were possible if one had fast, strong and tough horses. Therefore fame of the Þemaitukai had spread wide and far.
Their breed has remained unchanged during the past 100 years. These are tough, long-living horses that do not require special fodder, are noted for graceful movements and obedient character. Their legs are slim but very strong. Their gait is light, graceful. They trot especially well. They can be used for riding, drawing and farming. In ancient times this was an irreplaceable war riding horse. They are of bay, black, dark-bay, light bay, grey and other colours.
The Þemaitukai pass the qualities that have established in their genes for centuries down to their progeny very well: toughness, strong constitution, universal working capacity, energetic temperament, nice appearance, therefore they form an invaluable genetic fund of Lithuanian horse-breeding. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recognized the Þemaitukai as the protected breed and entered it in the Catalogue of Agricultural Animals of the World. The number of the Þemaitukai began to increase, however, the breed is still in great danger of becoming extinct. True, the association of
the Þemaitukai horse-breeders tries to increase this breed so that
the Þemaitukai should return to the life of the Lithuanians not only to remind us of the honourable past of our country and the singularity of the national genofund but also to be one of the horse breeds most often used for children’s sport, entertainment, export, household, hypo-therapy, tourism, etc.

Commercial stud farms operate

Due to enthusiasts and fans, quite a number of stud farms operate in Lithuania, which offer horse-riding services. For example, the stud farm of Petesh manor located near Vilnius is noted for its beautiful surroundings and the atmosphere of old times. Authentic buildings of the manor stables and the environs of the manor are all that lovers of an active rest need. The sports club Civinskø þirgai situated in the vicinity of Vilnius breeds and takes care of about 30 breeds of racehorses: the Þemaitukai, Lithuanian riding horses, Hanovers, Trakehners, Holsteins, pony breeds. There is a riding hall, sports complex on the stud farm, so that excellent conditions to train horses for professional and amateur riding are created. Sporting and physical culture, wellness, tourist, show events, sporting competitions and sports festivals are organized and held at the club. Meantime,
the Nemunas stud farm is located in Pagëgiai district, which has
been famous for horse breeding since olden times. As far as the 18th century a famous stud farm was established there. Today the Nemunas stud farm has 350 thoroughbred horses. By the number of horses and the area it covers it is the largest stud farm in Lithuania. Horses of the Trakehner breed are reared there. Riders of the Nemunas stud farm reap laurels in many horseracing competitions held in Lithuania. A sports school in which children are taught to ride, functions on the stud farm. One can hire horses for pleasure riding.
Thus, owners of stud farms earn greatest profit from export of racehorses and riding lessons. One should have to pay approximately LTL 70 thousand for a high jumping, well trained horse in any European state, including Lithuania. Fodder and a place on a stud farm would cost the owner of a horse LTL 3000-500 per month. Overcrowded stables testify to the fact that an ever larger number of Lithuanians can afford such amounts. Owners of stud farms state that the number of wealthy people who own horses in Lithuania is on the increase. A good decade ago it was mainly sports men who kept these animals.

The Sartai Race is a holiday of ardour

Those who are fond of horses and are not indifferent to ardour and excitement should come to Lithuania in deep winter, on the first Saturday of February. Lithuania prides itself not only upon native breeds of horses but also upon one of the largest winter holidays – the Sartai Horserace. With traditional biting cold, admirers of trotting races not only from Lithuania but also from all over Europe gather in Sartai (Zarasai region) on the first Saturday of February. More than one generation of spectators, reiners and horses themselves grew up in the Sartai races. This is the oldest and the largest trotting races in Lithuania.
The highest officials find it great honour to establish a personal prize in these races. Cups of the President, the Prime Minister, the Mayor, the Head of the Administration are awarded to the best reiners.
True, for many years the competition used to be held on Lake Sartai, but climate warming has had an affect on these competitions too and for several years horses and reiners have competed in the racecourse built next to the lake every winter. True, warm winters sometimes play tricks. For example, last year, due to a watery race-course it was decided to put off the races to a later date because races in such conditions are dangerous both to horses and reiners. In 2005 the Sartai Horse races commemorated the 100th anniversary.