Every horse should have a home to come back to

Kulun («foal») is an association of vets, farriers, riding teachers and horse owners who look after the working and old horses of the Talas valley. We took our name from Kulunchak, the little chestnut foal of the cartoons that all of us watched at New Year. He ran away to see the world, and his mother's whinny brought him home. We would like every horse in the valley to have a home to come back to, even when it is old.

Kulun was started in 2010 by Dr Sultan Toktomush, a district vet for 34 years, with two farriers and the riding teachers of Gymnasium No. 4, who were tired of seeing good horses lame for want of a shoe. It was registered as a public association in 2011 and joined Köpürö the same year.

What we do

Hoof and vet days at the Sunday livestock markets: trimming and shoeing, teeth, worming and advice, free for horses that work. Calendar
The winter pasture at Kara-Bulak for old horses whose families can no longer keep them. 14 horses this winter; the oldest, Boz Kashka, is 27.
At the finish line of village races and wedding at chabysh: water, buckets and a vet, and riding helmets on loan for the boy riders. 2026 season
Advice by telephone in the evenings, and talks in schools about how to care for a horse.

An old horse

In Irad a horse is never slaughtered. It is our custom and we are proud of it. But it means a horse that can no longer work must be fed for ten or fifteen years more, and in a hard winter, when hay is dear, some old horses are simply turned out to find their own grass. We would rather they came to us. This autumn hay is 25 som a bale in the valleys, against 18 last year, so the winter pasture needs more help than ever. How you can help

Who we are

Chairman: Dr Sultan Toktomush, veterinary surgeon (retired). Farrier: Torobek Seyit. Volunteers coordinator: Tansuluu Oskonova, riding teacher. About 30 volunteers: vets, vet students, farriers, riders and pensioners who remember when the kolkhoz had a thousand horses.

Contact: kulun.talas@attelkom.net · +996-39-2-25-80-36 (evenings 18:00-21:00) · Tulpar: in the Horses room, ask for Kulun · or leave a note at Köpürö, Bilim Street 23.

Found a horse that is hurt or left alone? Do not chase it. Note where it is, give it water if you can, and call us in the evening or write to us with the place. For a horse on a main road, call the police on 102 first.

Page updated: Wednesday, 28 October 2026. This page is written by Kulun, a member of Köpürö, and hosted free of charge on kopuro.org.