A rider gives a horse a treat. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

Some of the fruit and grain mixtures the Shanghai Songseng Equestrian Club's horses enjoy Photo: Yang Hui/GT

 

China's first Olympic equestrian rider, 24-year-old Alex Hua Tian and his horse, Temujin, competed in their first Asian Games in South Korea in September and won a silver medal - the first medal a Chinese horseman has claimed in an international competition.

A horse enjoys a hose down after a training session. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

 

Saddles and gear hang on a wall at the club. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

Though China has a long history of equestrian sport that dates back thousands of years, modern equestrian events have not really been seen in China until recent decades. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a Chinese show jumping team competed for the first time in an Olympics and this proved a turning point for the country's horse event industry.

This curious gelding called Wealth looks out from his stable. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

 

A horse and rider clear a jump in practice. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

Backed by the fast-growing economy, many wealthy people in China have begun getting involved in equestrianism, which is often regarded as a symbol of social status. Today China has more than 300 clubs, according to the China Horse Industry Association, the official body coordinating the development of the industry.

A trainer teaches a horse to obey orders by longing, walking it on a long rein. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

 

A horse works up a sweat during a training session. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

In Shanghai there are now nearly 100 horse clubs and more than 10,000 riders and enthusiasts. The Shanghai Songseng Equestrian Club spreads over 100,000 square meters in Fengxian district and keeps some 90 thoroughbred horses in its stables. Most of these horses are from Australia or Europe and some of them are champions and cup winners. They are valued at hundreds of thousands yuan - some are worth more than 1 million yuan ($163,000). All the horses at the Songseng club dine on imported food. Every day the horses go through a series of exercises and training runs including jumps, dressage and barrel racing.

"To promote the development of equestrianism in China, more qualified trainers and higher standards are needed," a senior manager at Songseng Equestrian Club told the Global Times.

Global Times