In speaking to two friends, competent judges of such matters, about the breeding and training for long-distance races in Persia, and the time in which it was said the nine miles had been run, I found that, while one thought the time might be reasonably correct, the other was more than doubtful.  I have since then seen in the Journal of the United Service Institution of India, 1886, a paper on ’Horse-breeding in Central Asia, translated from the Russian of Kostenko by W.E.G.,’ in which the following details regarding the Kirghiz race-meetings and the pace and staying powers of their horses are given.  M. Kostenko mentions that the details are taken from an article by M. Garder in the Voyenni Sbornik for 1875.  He says that among the Inner Kirghiz Horde, races for prizes were instituted by the Minister of State Domains, beginning with the year 1851.  On October 4 of the same year a circular course measuring four miles was made, and the horses ran five times round it.  The winner did the 20 miles in 48 minutes and 45 seconds.  Commencing with 1853, the races were run over a distance of 13-1/3 miles on a circular course, and of these races detailed information from 1869 was obtained.

The greatest speed was recorded on October 2, 1853, when the distance (13-1/3 miles) was done in 27 minutes and 30 seconds.  The longest time, on the other hand, was 39 minutes 30 seconds.

The Chief Administration of the State Studs did not credit the information sent from the Horde, so that in 1856 there was sent to the sitting committee a second metre, for the speed to be followed on it, the circumference of the circle having been previously measured.  The president of the committee repotted that the measurement of the course was correct, except that in every 4 versts (2-2/3 miles) it was out 17-1/2 feet.  The deficiency was then made good.  Accordingly, on October 2 a trial was held, at which the speed was checked with the aid of the second metre that had been forwarded, and several watches with seconds-hands.  These showed the 13-1/3 miles run in 31 minutes.  Of nineteen races run over this course, the average time was 33 minutes 40 seconds.

In 1861 a race was run over another circular course, measuring about 3-1/2 miles, five times round.  The mare that won performed the distance—­about 17 miles—­in 48 minutes 45 seconds.  In the Kalmak uluses (groups of nomad tents) of the Astrachan Government, races of 10 miles have been held.  The greatest speed recorded was in 1864, viz., 23 minutes 56 seconds; the longest time was in the same year, viz., 27 minutes.  The average time between 1862 and 1865, and 1867 and 1869, was 25 minutes 15 seconds.

The riders in these races are lads of not more than ten or twelve years of age.  They are in no way specially trained, as from early age they are always riding, and grow up in good condition for hard exercise.  Their weights range from four to six stone.