Sun 8, January

Life, love, livestock 

Avaz Galan, 55, is a horse breeder living in Raz and Jargalan, North Khorasan province. His father was an immigrant from Turkmenistan. Avaz lost his wife eight years ago and now he is living with his two daughters, Zeinab and Khadijeh, his old aunt, Shah-Soltan, and his two nephews, Mohammad and Ahmad.  Zeinab, 19, and Khadijeh, 23, are like mothers to Ahmad and Mohammad who lost their father to hepatitis and their mother left years ago. Shah-Soltan is a pretty old widow who is paralyzed and is suffering vision loss due to cataract and has been living with Avaz’s family since her husband died.  Despite all the hardships and the sever poverty Avaz loves horse breeding and has a deep affection for horses. He has devoted his life to his fondness for his job and currently he owns seven horses. However, he can’t afford a stable for his horses so he keeps his horses kilometers away from his house and visits them twice a day. He feeds them by the wild grasses grown in nature. He earns an honest living by selling the mares’ foals. Tehran Times / Laleh Khajoei

Avaz, his aunt, Zeinab, Khadijeh, and his two nephews all live together and Avaz does his best for them to feel happy and live a peaceful life. Aside from helping their father, doing house chores and taking care of Mohammad and Ahmad, Khadijeh and Zeinab weave carpet to help their father financially. Avaz is posing in front of the camera holding the photo of his favorite horse he had to sell due to financial problems. In spite of his financial worries Avaz is always kind to his late brother’s sons and is like a father to them.   Every day he takes his mares to the plains kilometers away from his house to feed.  Avaz breeds his horses in the nature. Some believes this is the best way to breed the animal while it is the most difficult method too but what keeps him doing this is his deep love for them.  Avaz have his horses drink from the springs and feed in the plains. Avaz is embracing Ashkan, his 19-year-old mare. He cares too much about his horses and he says he would never let them feel hungry because he considers them as his family members.   He loves horse racing and he always attend the races but it’s been so long since last he participated in one because it is pretty expensive to hire a horse trainer and a jockey. 

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