Horse industry gallops ahead in Xinjiang with fresh ideas

Regional government hopes advances will help it earn high profits this year

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has been exploring multiple ways to expand its equine industry, from breeding horses for police forces to mounted tours and medical products.

The region has 57 million hectares of grassland and is home to 730,000 horses, which is more than 20 percent of China's equine population, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. With six different breeds, Xinjiang has the country's richest horse resources.

In April, the regional government introduced a plan to promote the horse industry this year and accelerate the development of related sectors in Xinjiang.

According to the plan, the output of the horse industry in the region is expected to be valued at 9.5 billion yuan ($1.34 billion) this year. The plan aims to further develop the horse-breeding system, build more breeding facilities, promote equine-related tourism and organize horse racing events.