What would a Mongol archer pour onto his stirrups before a battle?

[BOD]

I’ve just been watching a documentary in Chinese in which a mounted Mongol archer pours a fluid onto his stirrups before a battle. Unfortunately my wife who speaks Chinese is away and I can’t understand what they are saying. Any ideas? Glue? Water?

Fascinating documentary. Shows them skinning a sheep with what looks like a Green River style knife and pounding dried meat into a kind of pemmican to eat while riding

 

[Retired Member southey]

I would gues it would be a glue to help stop them being unhorse even if wounded.

 

[Matt.S]

It's been a few years since I was last in the saddle and it's been even longer since I was last part of a Mongol horde, but I wouldn't want to pour glue on my stirrups.

The only reasonable explanation I can think of would be some ritual libation -- blood for good luck for instance.

 

[pwb]

Seems that they use milk for blessings and they ferment mares milk too .
I seem to remember that being mentioned in Rays program with the Mongolians.

When Mongolians go for a distant trip, the stirrups are blessed with milk and milk sprinkling ritual is done to wish the trip be without trouble and hindrance. Mongolians say

"The essence of food is the milk

The essence of belief is the soul"

http://www.legendtour.ru/eng/mongolia/informations/white_food.shtml