The Yakut people have numerous ways of preparing it. Sometimes it is even served raw, thinly sliced and frozen. The liver is particularly popular this way, with a little salt sprinkled on. Horse breeding, like most other agricultural activities, was collectivized into a system of state farms under Russia's former communist regime. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of these collectives have become privatized.
Herds vary in size from about thirty to several hundred horses.
Herding doesn't involve a constant watch over the animals, but herds have to be checked regularly. Herders ensure that none of the animals have strayed, that they are in good condition, and that they have sufficient food. If necessary, herders will drive the horses to new pastures. Normally, herders only move their horses twice a year. They travel from their winter to their summer pastures in May and then return in October.