The horse has been the best friend of nomads since ancient times. During ancient nomadism, the horse was a tool that would take people to wherever they wanted, and it was a sacred animal that gave strength and spirit to its owner. For this reason, all nomadic peoples especially respect horses. Mongolian people also treat horses with special respect. They also attach great importance to the care, condition, and health of their racehorses. Horse branding is a long-standing tradition among Mongolian peoples. Branding a horse with iron was not only to mark the owner of the horse but also to protect it from various evils and calamities (trouble), according to Mongolian beliefs. The horse was generally marked by the time it was foal. Special traditional events and festivities were held during the process of branding horses. Apart from a few books and some articles written in Mongolian, there is little research in other languages about the Mongolian horse branding tradition. No specific scientific study has been conducted. In our article, we aim to discuss the subject in more detail by making use of some sources and scientific research on the Mongolian horse branding traditions. In addition, the Mongolian respect for horses, their traditions, and beliefs are also discussed.

Mongols, horse, stamp, tradition, nomad.