The Karachai (also 'Karachay') is a Caucasian breed of a saddle mountain horse. It is named after Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast where it originated.

The Karachai and the Kabarda:
Although originally descending from horses who roamed Karachay-Cherkess at the beginning of the 20th century, the Karachai which we know today descends primarily from the Kabarda.

The Kabarda is a mountain horse breed that roamed Kabardino-Balkaria–a region neighboring Karachay-Cherkess–ever since the 16th century. By the beginning of the 20th century, it was known as one of the best mountain breeds one can lay a hand on.

Up until the 1940s, breeders in Karachay-Cherkess crossed their Karachai horses with the best Kabarda horses they could get hold of, making the Karachai so similar to the Kabarda that by the 1940s, in Karachay-Cherkess, the Karachai was officially considered to be absorbed into the Kabarda.

Re-establishing the Karachai:
As the 20th century progressed, projects were initiated to separate the Karachai from the Kabarda and breed it as a separate breed. During the 1980s, the official breed standard for the Karachai was set.

Today, the Karachai is still in existence and is used locally for crossing the local mountains, either under saddle or as a pack animal.

Conformation:
In general, the Karachai resembles another Caucasian breed called Kabarda, to which it is closely related. The main difference between the two is that the Karachai is heavier and longer than the Kabarda.

Karachai horses have a straight or convex facial profile, a low-set neck which is medium-to-long in length, a straight back which is visibly long, a deep girth, and a wide body. The mane and tail can grow thick and are usually wavy.

There are three subtypes within the breed–Base Karachai, Massive Karachai, and Saddle Karachai– all of which are found in Horse Isle.

Performance metrics:
The following are the: range, average, (SD), and MOE of performance metrics of ordered Karachai horses in Horse Isle (not bred ones). In rare cases, horses might have metrics outside of the range. Breeders can produce horses that are beyond this range.

Speed: 15.0-16.3, 15.6 (0.2), 0.05.
Sprint: 43-55, 50 (3), 0.51.

Accel: 0.86-1.03, 0.95 (0.04), 0.01.
Decel: 0.94-1.08, 1.01 (0.03), 0.01.

Jump: 5.11-5.38, 5.26 (0.05), 0.01.
Pull: 2.32-2.81, 2.55 (0.11), 0.02.

Turning: 51.46-66.38, 58.61 (3.02), 0.59.
Reverse: 2.4-3.1, 2.8 (0.1), 0.03.

Stamina: 44.31-48.04, 46.25 (0.84), 0.16.
Reaction: 0.73-0.82, 0.78 (0.02), 0.00.

Coats & Height:
Colors: usually brown or black. Less often, dark bay.

Additionals: sooty.

Height: 14.3 to 15hh.