Guizhou Horse

Guizhou Horse

　　[Main Production Areas and Distribution] The main production areas are in Bijie Prefecture and Liupanshui City in Guizhou. Except for relatively small numbers in northeastern Guizhou and Tongren Prefecture, the breed is distributed across the rest of the province.

　　[Historical Background]

　　The development of Guizhou Province started relatively late. As a multi-ethnic region long isolated from the outside world, there is very limited knowledge about the ancient history of horse breeding within the area. According to historical records, the region was divided among the three ancient states of Yelang, Zangke, and Mimo starting from the Spring and Autumn Period. During the Qin Dynasty, Qianzhong Commandery was established in the northeastern part of the province, marking the beginning of relatively large-scale agricultural production. In remote areas, animal husbandry predominated, as noted in “Records of the Grand Historian – Biography of the Southwestern Yi Peoples”: “They moved about with their livestock and had no fixed abode.” By the Song Dynasty, the horses of western Guizhou began to gain recognition. For instance, in the early Daguan era (1107), Yang Rong, the patrol inspector of the Yi border region in Bozhou (now Zunyi County, Guizhou), was granted permission to purchase fifty horses annually from Nanping Military District (now Tongzi County, Guizhou), with generous compensation offered as a token of goodwill. During the Southern Song Dynasty, horses were purchased in Luodian (now southern Guizhou), where the Tea-Horse Trade system was further implemented. It mandated the annual purchase of 750 horses from the Tongzi County area. In the Yuan Dynasty, horses were bred in Yixibo Bei (now the Qianxi region), and salt was provided on the first day of the Chinese zodiac sign Yin each month to feed the horses, making it one of the fourteen national pastoral districts along with the southwestern provincial administration. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the breed also became famous for the horses offered as tribute.

　　 In modern times, the horse trade markets in western and southern Guizhou flourished significantly. Places such as Huajiang in Anshun and Guanling Counties, Huaxi in Guiyang, Zhongshan in Qianxi County, and Dushan County in southern Guizhou all served as major hubs for the trade and distribution of livestock, primarily cattle and horses. This contributed to the wider distribution of the Guizhou Horse.

　　 After 1939, the former Jurong Stud Farm was relocated to Guizhou and renamed the Qingzhen Horse Breeding Farm. Ten horse breeding stations were established in counties such as Tongzi, Huishui, Luodian, and Anshun. These stations used stallions of Arabian and Mongolian breeds to improve the local horse stock. By the late 1950s, stallions of Kabarda and Gucu breeds were used to continue the breeding efforts, although this did not last long and had limited influence. The operations were discontinued around 1960. Therefore, the Guizhou Horse remains a native breed.

　　 The Guizhou Plateau features rugged mountains and steep roads, making transportation difficult. Since ancient times, the transport of goods for daily life within and between provinces has relied heavily on horses. With the construction of roads, horse-drawn cart transport also increased steadily.

　　 The Miao, Hui, Yi, and Shui ethnic groups have a fondness for “horse performances.” They select horses with elegant appearances and strong builds, outfitting them with decorative bridles and saddles. During the annual Duanwu Festival’s “Flower Mountain Games” and the “Guo Duan” celebrations around the Double Ninth Festival in September, various equestrian events are held. These include flat racing, hill charging, gaited horse competitions, style comparisons, speed contests, and endurance tests, all of which help enhance the horses’ cardiovascular function and muscle strength. As a result, under the unique natural conditions of the Guizhou Plateau and the breeding expertise of the local people, the Qianxi Horse has been developed into an ancient mountain breed known for being compact, agile, and exceptionally strong for labor.