Northwest China – once the land of Genghis Khan – has an ancient tradition of breeding war horses: the 'warhorses' who led Genghis to extend his dominion and create the largest empire in history. But Shandan Horse Ranch is shedding its skin, and it's the biggest transformation in its 2100-year history. The ranch, of about 220 hectares, is the largest in Asia, and is abandoning the breeding of horses for military use in favor ofbreeding of racehorses and for equestrian sports.
The Chinese domestic market requires these types of horses, and the more Western tastes of the middle class drive demand.
Shandan Horse Ranch began breeding war horses with the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and maintained this 'mission' for centuries and through many regime changes. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, it supplied tens of thousands of horses to the People's Liberation Army (PLA). But now that the PLA has other priorities, market pressures have forced the ranch to change. The local breed – the Shandan horse – is sturdy but not beautiful. It has been crossed with other imported horses and today it is meeting the favor of the markets.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-08/27/c_131810717.htm
