csikós

Csikós is a traditional Hungarian mounted herdsman who tends horses and livestock on the Great Hungarian Plain, known as the puszta, with the Hortobágy region being especially associated. The term comes from csikó, meaning foal, reflecting the horse-centered nature of the craft.

Historically, csikós were employed to manage large herds of horses and cattle across the steppe. Their duties included driving and muster of stock, branding and veterinary checks, breaking in and training young horses, and ensuring the health and movement of the herds over long distances. The skill set centers on expert horsemanship, subtle horse handling, and the ability to control animals in open terrain, often with minimal equipment.

In culture and heritage, the csikós figure has become a symbol of Hungarian rural life and pastoral tradition. The Hortobágy National Park and other puszta settlements host demonstrations of stock work and horsemanship, where riders display coordinated teamwork, roping, and guiding of large numbers of horses and cattle. The tradition appears in Hungarian folklore, literature, and film as a vivid representation of the plains horseman.

Today, while large-scale traditional herding has diminished, the csikós craft survives as a living heritage and a tourist attraction. Training and performances help preserve practical knowledge about horse handling, breeding, and the historical role of horsemen in Hungarian agricultural and pastoral life.