As we have learned in the section on purity, the Turkoman breeders employed a mixture of natural selection and assortative breeding methods. Similar breeding mores are known for practically all early "breeds", regardless of species, roughly up to the times of Darwin and Mendel in the western countries, and quite a bit longer elsewhere.

What we have up to 1900 is a very large gene pool of Turkoman horses, consisting of smaller specialized (geographically and work-related) gene pools interacting at the fringes. These sub-groups actually are what was later translated into the different breeds (like Akhal Teke, Ersary, Yamoud, Karadashly etc.). A loose ranking existed insofar that the warrior horses usually had superior qualities when compared to the breeds and strains employed in less demanding usage. The nomads were certainly not shying from occasionally using horses in their herds which they thought to be enhancing whatever they were planning to do with them.

This means, given the huge numbers of horses we talk about here, the best possible genetic diversity, including a wide and free choice of possible outcrossing and reaping of heterosis effects even within the same strain/breed whenever a breeder thought it necessary.

What we also clearly had at this time was both homozygosity and/or dominance of the most desirable traits, within the sub-groups as well as within the whole group of Turkoman horses. This is proven by the ability of these horses to ameliorate other breeds in a universal manner regarding these traits. Both natural selection and assortative breeding for certain employ and climatic/geographic conditions over several thousand years achieved this while keeping the gene pool extremely diverse and rich.

A breed or species in such a practically perfect state of genetical health and diversity is able to tolerate the occasional negative recessive and even a genetical bottleneck can be passed without major harm, as has been proven by various species and breeds, if allowed to breed at random until the population size is past the minimum viable population point.

To be a bit more precise, some of the major traits we talk about here are:

• excellent health
• easy keeper
• longevity
• high fertility
• stress-resistance
• excellent character
• superior speed over medium and long distances
• (weight carrying) strength
• independence
• high intelligence
• high courage
• excellent adaptability
• large height (compared to surrounding breeds)
• surefootedness
• smooth, effortless gaits
• strong, dense bones
• long muscle fibres
• large hearts
• hardiness
• ability to pace or amble
• extreme stamina
• superior general systematic values
• tight and dense conjunctive tissues
• asthenic built
• hard hooves
• high pain threshold
• large, acute eyes
• superior respiratory system
• thin skin and coat
• high (often metallic) sheen

The legacy of the Turkoman breeders hence was a set of strains or breeds of Turkoman horses which were genetically healthy, diverse and of superior quality, having had traits fixed into them that made them the superior horses they were up to 1900. Whenever looking at or judging modern Turkoman horses, there included the Akhal Teke, this is what we ought to bear in mind.