Horses in Chinese culture

In China, horses are present both physically and in art and beliefs, particularly those relating to astrology. In 1985, China had the world's largest herd of horses, numbering 11 million. China was at the origin of post houses in Eurasia. Since the 2000s sport and leisure riding have been developing in China, mainly for wealthy people.

History
A 2000-year-old tomb discovered in Xinjiang, northwest China, revealed the remains of two horses, one of them had a palomino coat.

Control of horses is a key strategic issue in China, influencing diplomatic relations, military strategy and the economy. For example, horse imports from Ferghana are aimed at securing the Silk Road.

Development of post houses
The Chinese seem to have been the first to set up a system of post houses in antiquity, a peculiarity that can be explained by the need to transmit information efficiently in an empire that was both vast and endowed with a solid administrative system. This system was adopted by the Mongols during their invasions.

20th century
In 1949, the Chinese Communist Party banned horse betting (a law still in force today), believing it to be the result of the decadent influence of foreign occupation. Throughout the 20th century, China remained very rural; horses were widely used for all aspects of daily life. In 1985, China had the world's largest herd of horses: 11 million, according to a FAO report. This represents one-sixth of the world's horse population.

21st century
Since the 2000s, horse-riding has been on the rise in China, but only among the more affluent segments of the population. In 2002, the China Equestrian Website opened and listed the number of equestrian clubs, which reached 500 in 2012. The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing accelerated the phenomenon. In 2011, the city of Tianjin announced that it was investing $2 billion to create a horse city with two racecourses, 4 000 stable spaces, a training center and a veterinary clinic, but the future existence of the project remains uncertain. Many investors are hoping for the opening up of the horse betting market. Horse-riding is seen as an expensive leisure activity and a status symbol. As Chinese breeds are too small for the sport, many animals are imported, in particular polo ponies from Argentina and riding horses from France. Polo is very popular. In 2014, to celebrate the Year of the Horse and the fiftieth anniversary of the Franco-Chinese friendship, Nantes-based company La Machine created a gigantic animated dragon horse and produced a show entitled L'esprit du cheval-dragon. On 20 June 2015, the first FEI-approved endurance race was run in China.

Breeding and breeds
There is very little reliable information on Chinese horse-breeding. Several books refer to a breed of "Chinese pony"; there is no such breed - China is home to a large number of different breeds and types of ponies, probably of Mongolian origin. These animals have been influenced by other breeds - notably Russian and European horses - through migration and military history. By convention, Chinese zootechnicians distinguish between native Chinese breeds and "hybrid breeds", the result of crossbreeding with horses from outside the country. The notion of "introduced breed" can also be added. Five main types exist:


 * Mongolian type
 * the South-Western (or Southern) pony
 * the Hequ
 * the Tibetan pony
 * the Kazakh

The number of Chinese horse breeds exceeds thirty. Of these, only one is recognized locally as a pony, the others being considered small horses. The distribution of horse breeding in China is very uneven - it is particularly prevalent in the north and west of the country, from the vast plains at moderate altitudes to the mountainous areas of Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and the Tibetan Plateau. Horses are also fairly numerous in the north-east. However, they are absent, or almost absent, from the south-east of China, where the majority of China's urban population lives.

A book published by the FAO in 2003 mentions a breed of gaited horses called "Haomeng".

Art
The presence of horses in Chinese art is remarkable, particularly during the Tang dynasty. Many of the Empire's masterpieces feature horses, such as the famous Flying Horse of Gansu and the Six Steeds of Zhao Mausoleum. The horse seems to have become an artistic subject in its own right very early on. A particular feature of Chinese art is the presence of numerous depictions of naked horses, testifying to the Chinese admiration for the horse "in itself".

Beliefs
While there are many beliefs featuring horses, they are not as important in China as mythological animals such as cranes, phoenixes, dragons and tigers. Similarly, the association of the qilin with the unicorn, and therefore the horse, is controversial. The horse seems to have been considered by the Chinese above all as a utilitarian animal, which explains the rarity of legends of winged horses and the absence of an equivalent to the myth of the centaur. The horse is also present in the Chinese zodiac.