Normally, herders only move their horses twice a year. They travel from their winter to their summer pastures in May and then return in October. On these journeys, which can be as long as several hundred kilometers, they follow established routes with good pastures and resting places along the way. The herders usually have either log cabin or traditional Yakut sod houses (called yurts) at both their winter and summer pastures.

Not surprisingly, the most difficult time of year for the horses is the winter months. In December and January there is little daylight in northern Yakutia. During this period of darkness, the horses rely on their acute sense of smell to locate suitable grazing beneath the snow. In the severe cold, horses avoid wasting energy and will only dig and clear snow from areas where there is a lot of edible vegetation.
       
The gestation of the Yakut horse is approximately eleven months. The first foals are born in late March. They enter a freezing world, in which night temperatures can drop to around --50*F. Foals are usually stable on their feet and able to travel long distances within twenty-four hours of their birth. For the first two years of their lives, Yakut horses are usually given supplementary food during the winter (as are adult horses that have lost condition). In spring the herders feed mares with early born foals.
       
The animals that are broken in for riding or as draft animals are normally cared for year round. In winter they are fed hay every day after work and are regularly groomed to remove any ice that has formed in their hair. A strong bond is formed between the herders and their horses. The Yakuts are understandably proud of their unique herds. The people's own survival has been intimately linked to the hardy animal that adapted so well to the most extreme climatic conditions in the world.

Bryan Alexander, a freelance photojournalist specializing in Arctic issues, is based in the United Kingdom.