Kazakh Mares: Traditional Classification and Terminology

Kazakh Mare Terminology

Buaz bie (a pregnant mare; literally "mare covered by a stallion"): A mare currently carrying a foal.

Qulyndy bie (a mare with a foal at foot): A lactating mare accompanied by her nursing foal.

Taily bie / Kysyr bie (a barren mare): A mare that did not conceive or lost her foal during pregnancy. These mares are often milked while rearing a yearling.

Mesbie (a high-yield dairy mare): A mare with a large, strong frame and a deep barrel that maintains a stable, sturdy physical condition while producing high volumes of milk.

Sauuly bie (a foal-less lactating mare): A mare being milked despite having no surviving foal. This is achieved by using the skin of a deceased foal to trick the mare, or by training her to come for milking upon hearing a bucket or a specific call.

Tel bie (a foster mare): A mare that has adopted another mare’s foal after losing her own.

Saka bie (a mature mare): An experienced mare that has successfully foaled 5–6 times.

Saka kulyk bie (a late-first-time mature mare): A mare that remained barren until 5–6 years of age and then produced her first foal.

Ulken kulyq bie (a large mature first-time mare): A large, mature mare previously used as a riding or pack animal that remained outside of a harem and began foaling later in life.

Kishi kulyk bie (a young first-time mare): A young mare covered as a yearling that produced her first foal as a two-year-old.

Kasabaly bie (a prime-age mare): A mare in her prime, typically 7–8 years old, with a history of regular foaling.

Sharlangan bie (a dry fattened mare): A mare that lost her foal, stopped producing milk, and subsequently gained significant weight.

Asau bie (an unbroken mare): A wild or untamed mare not accustomed to being handled or milked.

Bosalauyk / Jershil bie (an "instinctive" homing mare): A mare that instinctively travels to specific seasonal pastures (jailau) or her birthplace specifically to give birth.

Kundy bie (a "valuable" mare): A hardy, cold-resistant mare with excellent milk production and a proven history of producing strong offspring.

Kutymsyz / Kunsyz bie (a "low-value" mare): A mare with low milk yield and poor resilience to harsh weather and cold.

Kut bie (a "blessed" mare): A highly productive dairy mare that consistently produces healthy, surviving fillies.

Kurtyk bie (a poor-quality mare): The smallest and least productive mare in a herd, known for having weak offspring and inferior genetic traits.

Classification Based on Physical Features

Aina koz bie (a "mirror-eyed" mare): A descriptive term for two distinct eye traits:

• Type 1: A mare with flat eyelids and shiny eyes; these mares often produce tears when exhausted from travel.
• Type 2: A mare with noble, deep-set, hooded eyes; her eyes remain clear even after long, exhausting journeys.

Kara jelin bie (a dark/muscular-uddered mare): A mare with a firm, muscular, "hard-fleshed" udder, typically associated with lower milk yield.

Kupshek sandy bie (a barrel-thighed mare): A mare with rounded, thick, barrel-shaped hindquarters.

Kamys kulak / Kayshy kulak / Siyyr kulak bie (a reed-eared / scissor-eared / cow-eared mare): Descriptive names based on ear shape and set (resembling reeds, crossed scissors, or cow ears, respectively).

Noktaly bie (a haltered mare): A synonym for a mare with a foal at foot; implies the mare is "tied" to her maternal duties.

Kosakty bie (a tethered mare): A term with two distinct meanings:

Meaning 1: A mare whose foal is tethered to her neck in the autumn to facilitate milking.

Meaning 2: A newly acquired mare tethered to another horse to prevent her from escaping back to her original herd.

Er arka bie (a saddle-backed mare): A mare with high withers and a wide, strong croup, making her ideal for comfortable saddling and riding.

Classification Based on Breeding and Foaling Timing

Kulyk bie (a young first-foal mare): A mare that produces her first foal at the age of three (donezhin) or five (besti).

Aighardan shykkan bie (a covered mare): A mare that has successfully mated with a stallion during her estrus cycle.

Erte bie (an early-season mare): A mare that mates early in the season and therefore foals earlier than the rest of the herd.

Kenzhe bie (a late-season mare): A mare that mates late in the season, resulting in her foaling after the other mares in the herd.

Aramza bie (an out-of-season mare): A mare that mates earlier than the natural breeding cycle, leading to problematic foaling during harsh winter months.

Classification Based on Condition and Vitality

Tu bie / Kur bie (a fleshy barren mare): A mare that has either lost her foal, aborted, or never foaled and has not been used for riding. These mares typically become very fat.

Tasyrkagan & Tosyrkagan bie (foot-worn and herd-shy states):

Tasyrkagan: A mare whose hooves have worn thin or become damaged.

Tosyrkagan: A mare that acts "stranger-shy" or alienated when introduced to a new herd, refusing to bond.

"Donen" bie (a low-stamina mature mare): A mare aged 7–8 years that is not resilient to winter, does not hold weight well, and has poor milk production.

Ashan bie (a gaunt/lean mare): A mare that fails to gain proper body condition or weight despite adequate grazing.

Bosan / Bosalan bie (a fragile mare): A mare of poor pedigree that loses weight rapidly, is unsuited for riding, and is difficult to maintain.

Jasymyq bie (a weak/poor-quality mare): A mare of inferior genetic stock that produces little to no milk, cannot maintain physical condition, and lacks cold resistance.

Classification Based on Age and Development

Toktagan / Jasamys bie (a mature / middle-aged mare): A mare that is either pregnant (mated) or past her prime (middle-aged and older).

Kulyn (a foal): A newborn or young offspring. The term "Kulyn-bodied" is a high compliment in Kazakh culture, describing a graceful, elegant young horse. Common descriptors include "onager-bodied," "noble-bodied," or "goose-necked."

Jabaghy (a weanling): A foal in its first autumn (6+ months), named after the thick, matted winter coat (jabaghy) it develops at this age.

Tai bie (a yearling mother mare): A one-year-old mare that has already produced a foal.

Buaz kunajyn baital (a pregnant two-year-old filly): A mare that mated at age one and is pregnant or foaling at age two.

Buaz donezhin bie (a pregnant three-year-old mare): A mare that mated at age two and is pregnant or foaling at age three.

Besti bie (a five-year-old mare): A mare that mated at age four and is foaling at age five.

Kartamys bie (an aging mare): A mare aged 11–14 years.

Kari bie (an old mare): An old mare aged 15–17 years.

Laksa bie (an elderly mare): An elderly mare aged 18–20 years.

Jasagan bie (a very old mare): A very old mare over 20 years old. Exceptional bloodlines can live up to 40 years without significant tooth wear.

Sary karyn bie (a prime-age mare): Literally "yellow-bellied," specifically referring to a mature mare in her prime (8–9 years old).

Kunajyn baital (a two-year-old filly): A filly over two years of age.

Donezhin shyghar / Donezhin baital (a three-year-old filly): A filly approaching three years old or over three years old, respectively.

Milking and Management Terms

Sauyn (milking): The general act of milking any lactating animal.

Sauym (a milking session): A specific milking period when the mare's udder is full of milk, signaling time for the foal to nurse and for the milker to collect milk.

Bas sauym (the first milking): The very first milking session of the day.

Kenzhe / Songhy sauym (the final milking): The last late-evening milking session before mares are released for the night.

Kojyragan bie (a drying-up mare): A mare in the late stage of lactation that produces very little milk, signaling she is beginning to dry up.

Kosak (autumn foal-tethering): The traditional autumn practice of tethering larger, older foals to their mothers' necks to limit grazing and keep them close for milking.

Iitu (milk let-down stimulation): The act of stimulating the mare's "milk let-down" reflex, traditionally done by allowing the foal to suckle briefly before milking begins.

Ak keuil (a cooperative dairy mare): A docile, cooperative mare that lets down her milk readily on her own without needing a foal present.

Jelini dertken (an engorged udder): Painfully swollen udder condition occurring when a mare is not milked on time.

Jebei sauu (a follow-up milking): Milking a mare a second time about 30 minutes after the initial session to extract remaining milk.

Boz emshek (the first autumn milking): The very first milking of the autumn season, characterized by an extremely tight and distended udder.

Udder Anatomy and Teat Morphology

Jelin (the udder): The glandular organ where milk is produced and collected.

Jelin saba (the udder sac): The skin or external casing of the udder. The phrase "jelin sabasyn salypy" (literally: "she has lowered her udder sac") indicates an udder starting to "bag up," showing foaling is imminent.

Tuiin salu (mammary gland development): The initial stage of udder development where glands begin swelling during pregnancy.

Urpi agharu (teat whitening): Whitening of teat tips; a key diagnostic sign that milk composition has changed and foaling will occur shortly.

Classification Based on Teat and Udder Shape

Shipi emshek bie (a small-teated mare): A mare with small, dainty teats.

Tar urpili bie (a narrow-orifice mare): A mare with narrow or tight teat orifices, making milking more difficult.

Ken urpili bie (a wide-orifice mare): A mare with wide teat openings, making her easy to milk.

Tik emshek bie (a straight-teated mare): A mare with teats positioned vertically and straight.

Synar emshek bie (a single-functional-teat mare): An unbalanced mare where only one side of the udder functions properly or provides enough milk.

Buien emshek bie (a thick-based teat mare): A mare with teats that are short but have a thick, fleshy base.

Byrtyk emshek bie (a lumpy-teated mare): A mare with irregular or lumpy teats that are difficult to grip firmly.

Taltak emshek bie (a splayed-teated mare): A mare with teats tilted outward in opposite directions.

Tostaghan jelin bie (a bowl-uddered mare): A mare with a bowl-shaped udder; considered the ideal, standard conformation for maximum milk yield.

Classification by Milk Productivity

Mama bie (a high-yield dairy mare): A highly productive mare whose milk output exceeds what her foal can consume, keeping her udder full for long periods.

Suti kaytkan bie (a declining dairy mare): A mare whose milk yield has significantly decreased due to age, illness, or poor care.

Sualghan bie (a dry mare): A mare that has completely stopped lactating.

Manersiz bie (a low-yield dairy mare): A mare with very poor milk yield.

Aktandyr bie (a non-lactating mare): A mare that produces no milk at all when milked.

Isinshek bie (a responsive-lactating mare): A mare that lets down her milk immediately upon sensing or nuzzling her foal.

Classification by Temperament

Bedireuik bie (a stubborn/slow-letdown mare): A mare that is difficult to milk due to slow milk release, often standing stubbornly and staring at the milker.

Tarpan bie (a wild/unruly mare): A skittish, flighty mare that kicks, bites, and resists handling due to lack of taming.

Zhebir bie (a greedy/indiscriminate mare): A mare that greedily eats or chews anything in her path.

Bezer bie (an aggressive/antisocial mare): An aggressive mare that bites and kicks any human or animal approaching her or her foal.

Zhanasqysh bie (an affectionate mare): An affectionate mare that constantly nuzzles or seeks to nurse her foal at the tethering line.

Classification by Mane and Tail Characteristics

Maida zhaldy bie (a fine-maned mare): A mare with a thin, silky mane (poetically called "silk-maned").

Kerege zhaldy bie (a lattice-maned mare): A mare with an upright, thick, uniform mane resembling the lattice wall (kerege) of a yurt.

Tokpak zhaldy bie (a thick-maned mare): A mare or stallion with an exceptionally dense, matted, thick mane.

Shubalan kuiryqty bie (a long-tailed mare): A mare with a long, thick, and flowing tail.

Soyau kuiryqty bie (a sparse-tailed mare): A mare whose tail hair has thinned out, leaving a sparse appearance.

Kelte kuiryqty bie (a short-tailed mare): A mare with a short or stunted tail.

Sympys / Kylysh kuiryqty bie (a sword-tailed mare): A mare with a thin, straight, sparse tail consisting of few hairs.

Classification of Non-Foaling Mares (Boidaq)

Kysyraq / Boidaq (a non-lactating herd): A collective term for all mares, fillies, and yearlings not currently nursing foals, kept in a separate herd.

Bordaky bie (a feedlot/fattening mare): A mare kept out of the main herd and hand-fed to build fat and muscle.

Kysyr bie (a barren mare): A mare that did not mate or lost her foal during pregnancy.

Tok bie (a well-conditioned mare): A well-fed mare in excellent physical condition and body flesh.

Tunghan bie (an over-fat barren mare): A barren mare that has become excessively fat.

Bedeu bie (a permanently infertile mare): A mare incapable of reproducing.

Tumsa kulyk (a maiden mare): A young mare that has not foaled by age 3 or 4 despite being mated.

Kyzyl mai (an exhausted/overworked mare): A mare overworked while fat and turned out without cooling down, leading to coat loss and exhaustion.

Bugezhik (a timid/clumsy mare): A timid, ground-shy mare that walks clumsily and lacks stamina.

Koben bie (a recovering mare): A mare recovering from overwork or winter harshness that is beginning to regain weight on spring pastures.

Ak zhilik bie (a well-nourished filly-mare): A mare well-nourished during foalhood because her mother was not milked.

Kara kemik bie (a neglected/heavily-milked foal mare): A mare that grew up undersized because her mother was heavily milked during her foalhood.

Kaghylzhyn bie (a continually worked mare): A mare kept in continuous labor and never allowed to fully gain weight.

Koltuma bie (a hand-raised mare): A mare kept individually by a single owner rather than in a large herd.

Tolghan bie (a prime-condition mare): A full-bodied mare in peak physical health and condition.

Shynyltyr bie (a hard-keeper mare): A mare that fails to gain weight or flourish regardless of feed quality or care.

Shatys bie (a crossbred mare): A common mare improved by crossbreeding with a superior stallion.

Nakuc / Kutamsyz bie (an inferior-quality mare): A low-grade mare with poor pedigree, low milk yield, sluggish temperament, and poor responsiveness to cues.

Classification by Breed and Build

Sungakty bie (a tall/well-built mare): A tall, large, well-proportioned mare of strong pedigree.

Kazanat bie (a noble war-horse mare): A tall, noble mare with strong limbs, durable hooves, high milk yield, and exceptional riding stamina.

Karabyaiyr bie (a heavy-set work mare): A common, heavy-set mare with a large barrel, thick legs, and flat hooves; slow-moving and less suited for high-speed riding.

Arghymak bie (a refined/noble mare): A refined, elegant mare (often Akhal-Teke lineage) with slender limbs, a fine mane, and a swan-like neck.

Zhalbyr bie (a shaggy-coated mare): A mare with long, shaggy hair and a thick mane and tail extending close to the ground.

Bukish bie (a roach-backed mare): A mare with a humped spine where the hindquarters stand higher than the withers.

Tobyshak bie (a hybrid draft-war mare): A crossbred horse resulting from a Kazanat and a Karabyaiyr.

Physical Characteristics and Temperament

Zhurdek bie (a fast riding mare): A spirited, fast riding mare.

Kuyma tuyak bie (a dense-hoofed mare): A mare with exceptionally hard, durable hooves that move quietly without loud clicking.

Kazan / Kaz taban bie (a flat-hoofed mare): A mare with wide, flat hooves that make a loud clattering sound on hard ground.

Otkir kozdi bie (a sharp-eyed mare): A mare with noble, hooded eyes that withstand extreme heat and cold.

Boken sandy bie (an antelope-thighed mare): A mare with tight, compact, well-muscled hindquarters like an antelope.

Serke sandy bie (a lean-thighed mare): A mare lacking muscle mass in her hind legs.

Shalkes minezdi bie (a temperamental/bucking mare): A skittish, unpredictable mare that is difficult to handle and prone to explosive bucking.

Young Fillies (Filly Stages)

Urghashy tai (a female yearling): A one-year-old female horse.

Urghashy tel tai (a foster female yearling): A one-year-old filly nursed by two different mares.

Urghashy kenzhe tai (a late-born female yearling): A filly born late in the previous season (after May).

Terms Related to Foaling

Tolghaq (labor pains): The stage of labor where a mare becomes restless, paces, stops eating, and repeatedly lies down and stands up in discomfort.

Tumba (fetal movement): Visible movement of the foal inside the womb observed near the mare’s flank prior to birth.

Kaghanaq (amniotic fluid): Clear fluid within the membrane that precedes the foal during birth.

Sharana (vernix coating): The yellowish-white, slippery substance coating a newborn foal's body.

Akton (amniotic sac): The thin, whitish membrane enclosing the newborn foal at birth.

Shu (placenta/afterbirth): The placental sac expelled by the mare shortly after giving birth.