Cossack Riding

Cossacks are a traditional community of people originating in the southern regions and steppes of Eastern Europe and Asian Russia. They are famous for their self-reliance and military skills, particularly with regard to horsemanship. Different Cossack groups can be identified by different regions of residence. Noble Horse Theatre brings Cossack riding to the public in each performance.

Jighitovka, or Russian stunt riding, has been practiced in Russia for centuries. It is considered both a sport and a martial art. Jighitovka is performed in a special Cossack saddle with the stirrups tied underneath the belly with a skashovka belt. Riders perform stunts on the saddle or croup of the horse. One interesting stunt involves a backwards dive to one side while the rider's foot is still in the stirrups. The rider's head is near the hind hooves and his arms on or near the ground. This particular move has roots from battle when the rider would imitate a dead rider. Another of the most difficult and dangerous moves is diving inder the horse's belly and climbing into the saddle on the other side.

Noble Horse Theatre features two trick riders from Kazakstahn. Omar Chintbekov is head of our Cossack riding team. He trained and performed with the Moscow Circus.

Sergey Latokhin also hails from Kazakstahn. He has been performing jighitovka for many years and also has a circus background.