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GOLESTAN, IRAN - JULY 13, 2023: Iran's Turkmen Horses, raised in the Turkmen Sahra Region, find buyers at prices exceeding 1 Billion Toman ($23.655). Turkmen horses in Golestan province, attract attention with their beauty and agility, and some of them are being sold at high prices. These horses, bred for long-distance riding, racing, and performances, also receive significant interest from tourists. Some breeders participate in beauty contests and showcase horses known as "ceremonial horses," while others offer horseback tours and camping services in the Gulistan Forest with their long-distance riding horses. The village of Sufyan in the Kalaleh region, where regular horse races are held, is recognized as the center of Turkmen horses. -“The Mother of Turkmen Horses" Years ago, there were rumors of the Turkmen horse's extinction or imminent disappearance, but American-born Louise Laylin's research and efforts led to their reintroduction and multiplication in Iran. Born in Washington and raised on a farm in Virginia, Laylin, who has had a fascination with horses since childhood, settled in Iran with Nersi Firuz, a prince from the Qajar dynasty whom she met and married during her university years. They began providing horse riding lessons to affluent families in an equestrian farm. After realizing that the horses they used were too large for children, Firuz embarked on a search for new horses and became aware of the ones in the north of the country. During her research, Firuz discovered that these horses, thought to be extinct, were known as "Hazar horses" and proceeded to acquire purebred specimens to breed and multiply their numbers. Further research indicated that these horses, with their short stature, slender waist resembling a greyhound, long neck, and refined head, were believed to be the ancestors of both Arab and Turkmen horses. (Footage by Eisa Mohammadi /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)