Since ancient times, Mongolians have revered horses not only as an inseparable part of daily life but also as sacred and symbolic beings. This deep respect is even reflected in the national emblem of Mongolia, which features a horse. For Mongolians, the horse has never been just a means of transportation or labor—it is deeply embedded in the people’s history, traditions, lifestyle, and identity, symbolizing freedom, courage, and prosperity.

In traditional Mongolian beliefs, the horse is considered a pure and sacred animal. In folk legends, epics, songs, and blessings, horses are often praised and portrayed as divine steeds blessed with strength and speed. When a horse dies, its owner performs special rituals to honor it, and traditionally, the horse’s mane or tail is preserved as a sacred keepsake.

Mongolian children learn to ride horses from a young age, and horse trainers and owners of racehorses are held in high regard within their communities. Every year, during the National Naadam Festival, horse racing is one of the “Three Manly Sports,” highlighting the central role of horses in Mongolian life and heritage. Special songs are sung for the racehorses, and caretakers devote their hearts and souls to preparing and nurturing them.

Even today, the horse remains a powerful symbol of national pride, ancestry, and homeland for the Mongolian people. Whether living in cities or in the countryside, Mongolians continue to cherish their horses and preserve their traditional customs and cultural heritage. The horse, to this day, represents the Mongolian spirit—sacred, free, and bound to the vast expanse of the steppe.

Aduunii Tamga (Horse Branding)

The tamga is a long-handled iron tool used for branding horses and is an essential element of Mongolian equine culture. Horse brands are deeply tied to tribal origins, spiritual beliefs, and royal lineage. With a long history of denoting ownership, these brands carry profound symbolic meanings.

Researchers have discovered over a thousand distinct tamga symbols carved on rocks across Mongolia’s vast steppes. These marks reflect the rich nomadic culture, spiritual beliefs, and symbolic traditions of the Mongols. During the feudal era, noblemen and wealthy herders used the term “tamga” for their livestock brands, while commoners referred to their branding marks as “temdeg” after receiving official permission to brand their animals.

A tamga is heated until red-hot and then pressed onto the horse’s thigh to leave a permanent mark. The selection, inheritance, and usage of horse brands follow strict traditional customs. Many of the tamga symbols still in use today preserve the emblems of ancient royal and aristocratic clans.

One of the most remarkable discoveries is at Rashaan Khad in Khentii Province, where over 300 horse brand carvings have been found. These carvings span from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages, highlighting the long-standing practice and evolution of branding in Mongolian culture.

The word tamga comes from the root “tam,” a Turkic term meaning “to burn” or “to pierce.”

Unaga Tamgalah (Branding Foals)

In late autumn, when the livestock have reached full fatness and strength, a special day called bar is chosen to brand the foals. This ceremony serves as a confirmation that the foal has a rightful owner and is ready for training and use. The foal branding day is celebrated as the last great festival of autumn.

Near the Guun Zel area, a fire is lit to heat the branding iron, and the foals are branded while the people recite the blessing: “tamga tasam bolog” — meaning that if the branding mark remains unbroken, the herd will grow strong and prosperous. After branding, the iron is dipped into a bucket of fermented mare’s milk (airag) called dallag, then brought back home and placed respectfully on the household altar.

People who participate in the foal branding ceremony are invited to drink airag together throughout the community. Afterward, the foals are allowed to graze in a distant pasture, and each participant cuts and marks their foal for a friendly race. This act is believed to reveal the person’s fortune and destiny.

There are many types of horse brands. For example, the Saran (moon) brand has about ten variations, including single, double, with a tuft, sun, moon background, and chandmani types. The Khas brand symbolizes eternal continuity and everlasting existence.

Foaling Ceremony or Breeding the Mare

In early summer, herder families choose a lush pasture with abundant water and vegetation to set up their camp. Following an ancient tradition, they select an auspicious day called bar in that month to breed their mares. On the day of breeding, neighbors and dairy workers from nearby families are invited to participate.

Early in the morning, they take down the corral fence (zel) and first breed the eldest foal born that spring, honoring it as the leader of many foals by tying a ceremonial scarf (khadag) around its neck. Then the mare is milked by a man, and the first milk is hung in a leather pouch (uurga). Two horse riders then lead the mare to circle the corral clockwise three times. During this ritual, they sprinkle sacred water using a nine-eyed ceremonial spoon, offering it to the four cardinal directions, the eight horizons, the sky gods, and the mountains, all while singing the chant “tsöön tsöd” — originally meaning “to be filled to the point” but later becoming “few and scattered”.

Nine riders accompany the mare during the sacred sprinkling, each riding white or bay horses. This tradition comes from the belief that the horse sky deity, Dalkh Burkhan, rides such steeds.

After the sprinkling ritual, incense is burned at the far end of the corral, candles are lit, and a table is set near the corral. Women from the family offer dairy products to all guests as a token of respect and blessing. A shaman or elder pronounces blessings, and pre-cooked mutton stew and broth are shared among the participants.

Following the ceremony of preparing the mare’s “soul chest” (güünii san), the foals are tied until late autumn, and the mare is milked 6 to 8 times daily. When releasing the foals, herders choose a dog day for good luck.

The Reason Why the Strirrup of the Stallion is Never Cut

Long ago, there was a herder who owned many horses, including a fierce black stallion. Every morning, he would gather and count his herd. One early morning, as he hurried to check his horses’ pasture, he found a dead gray wolf lying there. Though puzzled, he took the wolf home. The next morning, he saw another dead wolf and was very surprised. Curious about what kind of animal was killing the wolves, he stayed up to guard his herd.

At dawn, several wolves approached the horses, but the black stallion loudly gathered the herd and fiercely fought the wolves. During the fight, the stallion used its long stirrup to entangle a wolf by the neck and slammed it to the ground, killing it.

The herder took another wolf home, but his mind was filled with greed. He thought, “The stallion’s stirrup is a hindrance when hunting wolves. If I cut it off, my black stallion will be able to kill wolves in large numbers.” So, he caught the stallion, cut off its stirrup, and released it to the herd.

The next morning, the young herder woke early, eager to see his stallion catch wolves. But when he reached the pasture, he found that the wolf’s tooth had pierced the stallion’s neck where the stirrup used to be—and the stallion had died. The truth was that the stirrup was the stallion’s only weapon and the reason for its majestic power. It protected the herd from wild predators in the steppe.

Since then, herdsmen have never cut off the stirrup of the leading stallion.