Mongolian Horses with Herdsman
Mongolia 2014
Herds of animals are a common sight in Mongolia. This scene was only an hour from the capital of the country, Ulanbaatar. The land is open grassland, but I read that there are forests north of Ulanbaatar. When I was there, only last week, the grass was dead, a grayish-yellow color but apparently it contains sufficient nutrition for the many herds of goats, sheep and horses that graze upon it.
The Mongolians, descendants of Genghis Khan, look as if they could join the Golden Horde at a moment’s notice. Often seen on horseback, the men wear a knee-length woolen robe called a d’ell. A colorful silk sash cinches the waist. They wear high black boots and a hat that reminds me of a cowboy hat (that is, when they aren’t wearing the ubiquitous baseball cap).
Many families have returned to a nomadic, livestock raising culture that was their tradition before communism destroyed it, but others have moved to Ulanbaatar and taken up modern occupations. Tradition is still alive even in the suburbs: the homes on the outskirts of Ulanbaatar have gers or yurts (the round felt covered home of the nomads) in every front yard.
Mongolian Ger