Good 57º clear sunny morning.
The origins of the Bashkir horse are not known. In the nineteenth century its economic value was recognized, and steps were taken to increase both its working abilities and its traditional qualities as a producer of milk and meat. Breeding centers were set up in 1845.
The Bashkir horse has been crossed with other breeds of the former USSR such as the Russian Heavy Draught; experimental crosses with Kazakh and Yakut horses have also been made.
Bashkortostan has the third-highest horse population of the federal subjects of Russia, after the Altai Krai and the Sakha Republic. In 2003 the population of Bashkir horses was reported as 94,470.
The Republic of Bashkortostan, also called Bashkiria, is a republic of Russia located between the Volga and the Ural Mountains in Eastern Europe.
The Bashkir is a small horse, standing about 14 hands; 56 inches at the withers. It is wide in the body and deep-chested, with a thoracic circumference (girth) averaging about 70 inches, it has a large head and a short neck, low withers and a flat back. The legs are short with heavy bone; cannon bone measurement may reach 8 inches. The commonest coat colours are bay, chestnut, mouse grey and roan. The mane and tail are thick and the coat is also thick and often curly. A two-year study published in 1990 found it unlikely that the North American Curly Horse, which also has a curly coat and may be called "American Bashkir Curly", descends from the Bashkir breed.
There are two distinct types of Bashkir horse: a smaller, lighter mountain type used mainly for riding, and a somewhat heavier steppe type.
The Bashkir horse is remarkably hardy. Herds are managed extensively, and remain in the open in winter in snow and blizzard conditions where temperatures may reach -40°C.
The Bashkir horse is used for riding and for pack, harness, draught and farm work. It shows remarkable endurance; there are reports of Bashkir horses drawing troikas, three-horse sleighs, over distances of 75–87 miles per day.
Bashkir mares are prolific producers of milk. Average yield per year is 4,600 lbs in a lactation of 240 days, with the best mares reaching 6,000 lb. Much of the milk is made into kumis; kumis-making is a national activity of the Bashkiri people.
Hair combed from the thick winter coat of the breed can be woven into cloth.
- 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
- 1-1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
- 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- DUMPLINGS:
- 1 cup biscuit/baking mix
- 1/3 cup French-fried onions, coarsely chopped
- 7 tablespoons 2% milk
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- In a Dutch oven, combine the first 6 ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the biscuit mix, onions, milk and parsley just until moistened. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto simmering stew. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean (do not lift the cover while simmering).
1889 – The first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States is completed, running 14 miles (23 km) between a generator at Willamette Fallsand downtown Portland, Oregon.
1940 – World War II: The Luftwaffe bombs Paris.
1943 – In Los Angeles, California, white U.S. Navy sailors and Marines clash with Latinoyouths in the Zoot Suit Riots.
1965 – The launch of Gemini 4, the first multi-day space mission by a NASA crew. Ed White, a crew member, performs the first Americanspacewalk.
1968 – Valerie Solanas, the author of SCUM Manifesto, attempts to assassinate Andy Warhol by shooting him three times.
2013 – The trial of United States Army private Chelsea Manning for leaking classified material to WikiLeaks begins in Fort Meade, Maryland.
And births this date include....
1808 – Jefferson Davis, American colonel and politician, President of the Confederate States of America (d. 1889)
1925 – Tony Curtis, American actor and singer (d. 2010)
1967 – Anderson Cooper, American journalist and author
