Buzkashi, which literally means"goat pulling" in Persian, probably originated in the wilds of Central Asia in the days of the Central Asian Horse empires. Its is still played in that nursery of the feared Mongols, the fore bearers of all the Turkic tribes, in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia. It is said that the Great Khan himself, Genghis Khan made this game up as an exercise to strengthen the legs of his soldiers for war.