Lokai

The Lokai, a mountain horse bred in Tajikistan, is used as a riding horse, a packhorse, or even sometimes a light draft horse. Although small, the breed is agile and hardy. The breed was developed by crossing native mountain horses with a mixture of Central Asian and European bloodlines.

==History== The Lokai was developed in the mountainous areas of central and southern Tajikistan, where it was developed to be an agile, hardy pack and riding horse. The breed has been in development since the 16th century, when Uzbek Lokai tribesmen began improving the local horses with a mixture of Central Asian breeds, including contributions from the Iomud, Karabair, Turkmene and Akhal-Teke breeds. Later, Arabian stallions from Bukhara and Thoroughbred and Tersk horses were used to improve the breed.