Just in case you are in any doubt about whether horses can handle a cold Queensland winter,
we thought we’d share some insight into this most amazing breed.  As you might expect, the Yakut hails from Yakutia which is in Northern Siberia – and that’s pretty darn cold.  The MAXIMUM recorded temperature in January for this place is -6C.   Of course, it’s typically not that warm, usually the horses will need to endure something closer to -42C degrees.

Ten fun facts about the Yakut

• In the wild they survive temperatures as low as -70C (no blankets either)
• Their thick winter coat creates an insulating layer of warm air around their body
• Fat stored just under the skin creates another heat insulator
• In winter their breathing rate reduces to only 10 breathes per minute (it’s usually 20)
• The Yakut is the most northern based equine
• Its range extends from the Arctic Circle to the Mongolian tundra
• They live outdoors of course
• Many explorers took this breed on treks across both the North Pole and Antarctica
• Serko is a Russian language film about a Cossack’s 8,000km trek to St Petersburg in 1890
• To date, no Yakut horse has ever won the Melbourne Cup