The vast plain of the Hungarian Puszta is not only known for its breathtaking landscape, but is also the home of Hungarian horse herders. In this blog article, we will take you to the beautiful Puszta and introduce you to the Csikós and their working riding style. They occupy a special position among European shepherds because, in comparison to most other nations, they herd horses on horseback rather than cattle.

• The History of the Csikós in Hungary
• The Nonius horses of the Csikós in Hortobágy
• The working riding style of the Csikós
• The Equipment of Hungarian Horse Herders

The History of the Csikós in Hungary

In the 18th century, more and more horse and cattle breeders settled in the Hungarian Puszta, a treeless steppe landscape, with their stud farms. Due to its huge area, the Puszta offered ideal pastureland for keeping large herds of cattle. Shepherds were employed to look after the large herds of cattle. The Gulyás were responsible for the cattle herds, while the Csikós looked after the horse herds. Unlike other European working riding styles, the mounted Csikós were solely responsible for herding horse herds. But their job was not just to look after the herds; the entire horse husbandry was left exclusively to the Csikós. The Csikós also looked after the foals and took care of their rearing. The Csikós therefore had a very high social status. It was known that without them there would soon be no more horses in the Hungarian Puszta. Unlike working with large herds of cattle, which could be quickly recaptured in the event of an incident, working with herds of horses was much more demanding. It required the Csikós to have a great deal of skill, a cool head and complete trust in their own horses. As international trade gained momentum, the demand for Hungarian horses was very high. They were valued throughout Europe, and the best breeds were sold abroad by Hungarian stud farms. The Csikós thus bore not only a social burden, but also a financial one.

As horse breeding was increasingly revolutionized in the 20th century, the tradition of the Csikós gradually came to an end. The Hungarian horse herder was no longer needed to look after the large herds of horses. Since the Csikós were highly valued for their excellent horse-handling skills, they were used as trainers during the First World War. Their job was to prepare the horses for combat situations and, above all, to lower their panic threshold. After the war, there was no longer any job for the Csikós. The calling of the horse herders continued to die out.

Today, visitors to the Hortobágy National Park, which was founded in 1973 with the aim of preserving the former Puszta landscape, can marvel at the Csikós' demonstrations of horsemanship. Around 200 shepherd families live here as they did in the past. In addition to the shows, the Csikós are still horse herders and breeders as their main occupation. The Hortobágy Riding Days in particular, which are internationally known, are always worth a visit for horse lovers. Here you can look back on half a century of Hungarian horse history. In addition to many demonstrations and shows, visitors get an insight into the past and present of the shepherd culture in the Hortobágy region. You can learn more about the work and horse breeding of the famous Mátai stud farm, which is mainly dedicated to preserving the Nonius horse breed.

The Nonius horses of the Csikós in Hortobágy

The Nonius breed of horse has been bred in the Hortobágy Puszta region since 1885. The Nonius has a strong and large-framed physique. This makes it an ideal carriage horse, but thanks to its versatility it can also be used as a riding horse. The Nonius' character is calm and balanced, it is good-natured and very willing to learn. It is characterized above all by its reliability and robustness. Nothing can easily unsettle it. The herds of breeding and young horses usually have a size of 50 to 100 animals. In the open Hortobágy Puszta they live completely freely and are looked after by the Csikós. The Csikós know every animal in their herd by name and know important details such as age, lineage and character traits.

💡Did you know... The Nonius horse breed owes its name to its founding father, the breeding stallion Nonius Senior. Nonius Senior was born in France in 1810 and was therefore not a real Hungarian. His exact lineage was not known, but it is known that he had a high proportion of English thoroughbreds. Nonius Senior was captured by the Hungarians in 1813 during Napoleon's defeat and found a new home in Hungary. He was used as a stallion at the Hungarian state stud farm in Mezöhegyes until his death in 1832.

The working riding style of the Csikós

Hungarian horse herders are known all over the world for their riding skills. Their working riding style is characterized above all by its speed, agility and elegance. Looking after the large herds of horses in the vast Puszta requires a lot of skill and ability, so the Csikós have gradually developed a number of maneuvers and tricks that allow them to herd and control the herds more efficiently. Classic tricks include riding without a saddle or hanging sideways on the horse and then jumping from one side to the other without falling off. The horse herders can also get up briefly while riding and continue riding standing or crouching on the horse's back. The most well-known maneuver is the Hungarian post. Here the Csikós stands on the back of two horses while letting three other horses trot in front of him as a team. Traditionally, the Csikós were able to get a better overview of the herds by standing on horseback and thus spot approaching dangers more quickly. The horses are also taught to lie down on command so that they cannot be seen from a distance. The Csikós then stands on the horse's belly and cracks his whip to imitate the firing of a gun and thus make the horses bulletproof. 

The Equipment of Hungarian Horse Herders

The clothing and equipment of the Csikós was adapted to life as horse herders and to the climatic conditions in the Puszta. The Csikós' work clothes were tied to specific items of clothing, but not all Csikós dressed the same. The most famous horse herders in Hungary are the Csikós of Hortobágy in their royal blue work uniform. In the past, the blue clothing emphasized their social status, as not everyone could afford clothing in the royal color blue. It consists of a blue linen shirt and blue wide-cut trousers that give the wearer plenty of freedom of movement. On his head, the Csikó wears the famous tricorn hat, which is usually made of felt or leather. The hat is a symbol of the Csikós' identity and protects him from sun and rain. 

The two most important pieces of equipment for a Csikós are the whip and the saddle. Many Csikós also ride without a saddle so that they don't have to carry the saddle around unnecessarily. The whip is not used by the Csikós to discipline the horses, but rather serves as a way for the horses to follow instructions.

Still a proud equestrian and horse nation today

Hungary is still a horse country today and is known for its horse tradition and horse breeding. Horse lovers should definitely visit the Puszta during a holiday in Hungary. Here you can not only experience the Csikós, their tradition and working riding style, but there is also an extensive network of riding trails that invite you to go on long rides.

For working riders of all nations

Here you will find a selection of traditional equipment: