In the Far East of Russia, in the Republic of Yakutia, lies the cold pole of all inhabited areas of the earth. Here, in the endless, often impassable forests of Siberia, the Yakut horse was born. The rough nature, it seems, even ensures that the Yakut remain pure-bred: No other breed can cope with the extreme climate. The foals are born on ice and snow and have to endure temperatures of - 40° Celsius and more from the first day of life. The 48-year-old breeder Irina Vinokurova rides up to 30 kilometres into the taiga every day to track down foaling mares or sick animals and bring them into the camp to search for grazing grounds or hunt wolves.
12,000 kilometres further west lies the Caucasus, the highest mountain range in Europe. On the mountain pastures and valleys of the Northern Caucasus, one of the best mountain horse breeds has been bred for hundreds of years - the Kabardiner. The animals are characterised by their enormous physical condition as well as great sure-footedness and rideability in rough terrain. The 55-year-old Moussa spent the summer as a mountain shepherd on a summer pasture at an altitude of 3500 metres. In mid-October the days became short and the nights cold. Now the 300 stallions, mares and foals are facing a 70 km long, dangerous descent into the valley. The onset of winter with snow, cold and fog comes on the eve of the onset of winter...
Film author Thorolf Lipp and his team spent a winter in Yakutia and the North Caucasus, where under extreme conditions only exceptionally strong horse breeds exist.
D 2016.43 minutes, commissioned by ZDF/ arte
Idea, script and direction - THOROLF LIPP
Co-Director - ANASTASIA VINOKUROVA
Dramaturgy - MARINA KLEINERT
Camera - THOMAS KULIK & THOROLF LIPP
Sound & translations - ARTEM FUNK
Editing & Color Correction - THOMAS KULIK
Graphics - SASCHA WERNER
Mixture - JAN DEJOZÉ
Music - ILJA CORIC
Research - ARTEM FUNK & ERIK LEMKE
Production management - ANKE MEYER
Producer - MARTINA SPRENGEL
Editorial assistance - ULLI LEINER (ZDF)
Editorial Office - MARITA HÜBINGER (ZDF)