China has a vast territory and diverse climate and environment. Almost all horse species in the world can find an environment suitable for their survival. In ancient Chinese history, the horse-riding nation has created a glorious history, and the relationship between Chinese people and horses is inseparable. Horse breeds in China can be roughly divided into two categories; one is local breeds, such as Mongolian horses, Kazakh horses, Hequ horses, Yunnan horses, etc.; the other is cultivated breeds, such as Sanhe horses in Inner Mongolia and Ili horses in Xinjiang.
mongolian horse
Mongolian horse is one of the older horse breeds in China and even the world. It is mainly produced in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia and is a typical grassland horse breed. Mongolian horses are not big, with an average height of 10 to 15 centimeters and a weight of 67 to 70 kilograms. The body is stout, the limbs are solid and powerful, the physique is rough and strong, the head is large and the forehead is wide, the chest is deep and long, the legs are short, and the joints and tendons are well developed. The coat is dense and complex in color. It is hardy, not afraid of cold, can adapt to extremely extensive feeding and management, has strong vitality, and can survive in harsh and harsh conditions. It takes about 8 hours to cover a distance of about 60 kilometers. The tamed Mongolian horse is neither frightened nor deceptive on the battlefield, and is extremely brave. It has always been a good military horse.
trois
Sanhe horse is a horse breed with extremely complex pedigree. At the beginning of the 20th century, some Russian nobles came to Northeast China, and they brought with them Orlov horses, Pichuk horses and other excellent breeds. During the Japanese occupation, horse breeds such as thoroughbred horses and Anglo-Arab horses were introduced. These horses were interbred with local horse breeds, gradually forming today's Sanhe horses.
The Sanhe horse is taller than the Mongolian horse. It has a strong and compact shape, a handsome appearance, a deep and long chest, well-developed muscles, a strong physique, a straight back and waist, strong limbs and obvious joints. The main coat colors are velvet, millet and black. The average body height is 140-147 cm, and the weight is 0-80 kg. The Sanhe horse has a majestic temperament, but a docile temperament, is resistant to rough feeding, and is adapted to a more extensive herding life. It is an economical type that can be used as both a carriage and a ride. It only takes 1 minute and 10 seconds to run 1 kilometer by horse. A single horse can lift a rubber-tired cart with a load of more than 500 kilograms and cover 10 kilometers in half an hour.
Ili horse
The Ili horse is based on the Kazakh horse from Xinjiang and is hybridized with the Don horse and Orlov horse from the former Soviet Union. Local herdsmen call it "Er Chuan Zi Ma". After the 1960s, the breeding of Ili horses was mainly based on Don hippopotamus, and the blood of Don hippopotamus reached more than 50%.
Ili Horse The average body height of Yili Horse is 144-148 cm and its weight is 400-450 kg. It has a tall body, a well-proportioned structure, a small and smart head, big and bright eyes, a high head and neck, and strong limbs. When its neck is held high, it looks powerful, and its coat is shiny and beautiful, making its appearance even more handsome. The coat colors are mainly velvet, millet and black, and there are often white patches called "white patches" on the limbs and forehead. Yili horses are docile, agile and good at jumping. They are suitable for carrying packs on mountain roads and working on plains. In a long-distance race of 16 kilometers, it can be reached in 7 hours and 1 minute with a load of 80 kilograms. It is an excellent light riding horse.
Kazakh horse
The Kazakh horse produced in Xinjiang is also a grassland horse breed. Its morphological characteristics are: medium-large head, delicate and short ears. The neck is slender and slightly raised, the chin is high, the chest pin is narrow, and the hind limbs are often knife-shaped.
The present-day Yili Kazakh Prefecture is the Wusun Kingdom in the Western Regions of the Han Dynasty. Two thousand years ago in the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian three times to the Western Regions in search of good horses. The horses he obtained may be the predecessor of Kazakh horses. By the middle of the Tang Dynasty, Uighurs were selling horses to the Tang Dynasty, as many as 100,000 horses per year. Many of them belong to Kazakh horses. Therefore, most of the horse breeds in northwest China have some blood relationship with Kazakh horses.
Hequ horse
The Hequ horse is also an ancient and excellent local horse breed in China. It was often used as tribute in history. It is native to the grasslands at the junction of the three provinces of Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. Because it is located in the winding Yellow River, it is named Hequ horse. It is the largest and most outstanding horse among the local breeds in China. Its average body height is 1 to 19 centimeters and its weight is 50 to 450 kilograms. The Hequ horse's head is slightly longer, the bridge of the nose is slightly raised in the shape of a rabbit's head, the neck is wide and thick, the torso is straight, the chest is deep and wide, and the body is thick, which has the absolute advantage of being a draft horse. It can carry 100 to 150 kilograms and travel 50 kilometers a day. Hequ horses have a docile temperament, a calm temperament, strong endurance and quick recovery from fatigue. Therefore, it is used for many tasks. A single set of carts can pull 500 kilograms of weight. It is a good agricultural draft horse.
southwest horse
Southwest horses are distributed in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi. It is characterized by its small size and good walking on mountain roads. Southwest horses have larger heads, high necks, and long manes, tails, and manes. The body structure is good, the tendons are well developed, and the hooves are solid. Good at climbing mountains and ridges, they can carry more than 100 kilograms of cargo and travel 0 to 40 kilometers a day. They are a much-needed transportation force in the southwestern mountainous areas. Among the more famous ones are Sichuan Jianchang horse, Yunnan Lijiang horse and Guizhou horse. (To be continued)