Of particular significance is the Akhal-Teke horse, one of the rarest and most highly prized horse breeds in the world, featured as a symbol of freedom on Turkmenistan’s national coat of arms.

Niyazov’s golden stallion, Yanardag, now decorates Turkmenistan’s coat of arms and a monument in the capital of Ashgabat. In February 2011, current President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expanded ...