horses could cover long distances in short amounts of time, with reserves of energy left for battle. Today, the Don is widely used as a saddle horse, and is also used in harness, often in the traditional Russian tachanka, where four horses are hitched side-by-side. The Don played an important role in the development of many other USSR-developed breeds, including the Budyonny. References External links International Museum of the Horse – An Extensive History of the Russian Don Russian Dons ride 2,000 miles Moscow to Paris Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in Russia Horse breeds originating in Ukraine