An article published by Hong Kong’s Ta Kung Pao noted that in Beijing today, an increasing number of young riders are receiving professional equestrian training, and many parents in the city are keen to encourage their children to make friends and build character through horseback riding.
In recent years, a wave of equestrian enthusiasm has swept through major cities like Beijing, with the middle class sending their children to learn horse riding.
The following is an excerpt from the article:
It wasn’t until the glow of the sunset began to rise that 14-year-old Zhang You was willing to put down the reins and ride his tall brown horse out of the arena. Dressed in black — helmet, jodhpurs, and boots — he looked dashing. In Beijing, nearly a thousand young riders like Zhang You receive professional equestrian training every weekend. In the words of Chen Che, director of the Youth Committee of the Beijing Equestrian Sports Association, many parents in Beijing are happy to encourage their children to make friends and build character through horseback riding, so these riders on horseback are never alone.
The history of horse keeping in China can be traced back to the Warring States period, and during the glorious Tang Dynasty, various equestrian events flourished even more, with riding being one of the traditional Six Arts. After the reform and opening up, the mainland gradually resumed Olympic equestrian events such as dressage, show jumping, and the three-day event. Five years ago, when Hong Kong hosted the Olympic equestrian competitions, it pushed the national equestrian craze to new heights.
Noble Sport, Common Fees
In the UK and Hong Kong, equestrianism can be described as a thoroughly “noble sport.” However, in Beijing, which now has nearly 200 equestrian clubs of all sizes, due to relatively “common” fees, equestrianism is gradually becoming as widespread as piano lessons or English education.
Wang Qiang, operator of the Tianxing Tiaoliang International Equestrian Club, said that the club’s annual individual membership fee is only 2,000 RMB, and a single lesson costs about 600 RMB. Having served as the equestrian sports project manager during the Beijing Olympics, she said that many Hong Kong residents living and working in Beijing often take their whole families to learn horseback riding. “One veteran Hong Kong member even moved from the city to live near the stables just so he could ride more often.”
Yang Fujun, the club’s deputy head coach, added that unless you own a horse, the cost of equestrian lessons is generally affordable for middle-class families. “The club also serves as a platform for only children to make new friends, and many parents strongly encourage their kids to develop social awareness from a young age here.” On the other hand, Chen Che noted that horses are naturally fearless animals, and to ride one well, a rider must have a strong character and patience — qualities that the current generation of only children often lack.
Global Horse Dealers Come to China for Gold
China’s equestrian craze has also caught the attention of global horse dealers. Equestrian coach Zhang Ke clearly remembers that ten years ago, the Beijing equestrian scene was dominated by foreigners. Later, not only did Chinese people start riding themselves, but they also became the main buyers of horses, making equestrianism an emerging recreational sports industry.
At the club managed by Wang Qiang, the reporter saw that nearly half of the horses came from Europe. In fact, China and Belgium signed a protocol on quarantine and health conditions for the import of horses in April this year. Kristof, the Minister-President of Flanders in Belgium, said at the time, “From now on, China can directly import warmblood horses from Belgium, and Belgian experts can also provide more business consulting and services to equestrian clubs across China.”
However, to become a horse owner, the “entry fee” is by no means low. Yang Fujun explained that the fixed annual cost of owning a horse is about hundreds of thousands of RMB, while the price of buying a horse can range from several hundred thousand to over a million RMB.