Extraordinary animals

Bayangol's father was of Han ethnicity, and his mother was from the Mongolian ethnic group. Both came from families of herdsmen who had long depended on horses for transportation.

The climate and weather in the region is harsh, with winds and dust in the spring. There's typically no precipitation during 90 percent of the days each year. Winters can be bitingly cold, with lows reaching-30 C. Scant relief comes in the rainy season, from July to October.

"The harsh weather has made the local horses different from other types in other places in the world," Bayangol said. "Our horses are accustomed to tough living conditions. At the same time, because they are affected by the natural environment, their character is wild and they are hard to tame."

Foreign-bred horses in the area may run faster than local horses for a short distance, he noted, but they lack stamina. They are also dependent on humans. They must be fed manually, rather than living on the scraggly grass of the open range.

"Once an ordinary foreign horse is tamed, it will always be docile. But a tame Mongolian horse will only allow its owner to get close. Even after taming, it will become wild again if you don't ride it enough," Bayangol said.

In addition, Mongolian horses are strong-willed, with great perseverance. "As long as they can run - and even if they're injured - they'll run until their guts fall out," Bayangol said. "They will keep running to the last breath. That's a precious characteristic that other animals, such as sheep, cows and camels, don't possess."

Moreover, he said, "Mongolian horses are loyal to their owners. No matter how far they are taken away, if they can find a way to escape they'll run back home. I was absent for half a year, and when my horses saw me coming home, they whinnied to express the feeling of missing me. It was very touching."