To Elista

Me on little Zorbee the toad horse by one of the steppe lakes

Apparently belabouring offending motorists on the backside with their stripey batons is recognised practice for traffic police in this part of Russia?

This floating police car is seemingly another effective means of traffic control. It is actually made out of plywood, and is surprisingly realistic from a distance - it fooled me though I was hardly breaking the speed limit on my horse.

Mischa was the first mounted herdsman I have encountered in Russia, compared with Kazakhstan where many herdsman are on horses. He is showing off some form of steppe dressage in response to a request to pose for a photo.

The first real grass that the horses have probably ever encountered as they were both born and bred in Atyrau.

Bolashan arrives at the Elistinka river, which apparently lives up to its name. A local warned us
not to let the horses drink from it as it carries a lot of effluent from the town of Elista where we are currently staying.