China imported around 2,000 horses between 2008 and 2012, with prices ranging between 200,000 and 3 million yuan ($32,177-$483,030) per horse depending on their age and level of training.
1. On average, how many horses were imported per year?
2. On average, how many horses were imported per month?
With more than 70 stables and 200 horse clubs, Beijing is the Chinese mainland’s equestrian capital.
Yao Jikun, marketing manager at the Mustang Club in Haidian district, an equestrian club that is home to more than 20 horses, said that most members at the club prefer to import expensive European horses rather than buy domestically-bred ones.
Although well-suited to long-distance riding, most Chinese breeds, many that are descended from wild Mongolian horses, are too small to compete in equestrian sports such as dressage or show jumping. Warm-blood horses stand up to 1.72 meters high, while the common Chinese guoxia horse breed ranges between 10 and 14 hands high, or slightly taller than a pony.
Riding the Silk Road
3. How many hands is a horse that measures 1.72 meters at the withers? (1 hand = 10cm)
4. What is the height range in centimeters for the Quoxia horse breed?
“There are many other reasons why Chinese prefer European horses,” said Yao. “Thoroughbreds have better appearances than Chinese horses.”
Three years ago Beijing began hosting China’s top international equestrian event, the Longines Beijing Masters. By 2013, 4 of the 9 riders making it into the jump-off were Chinese.
5. What percentage of the final 9 riders were Chinese?
The first place finisher was Laura Kraut of the United Staes on U-Prova with 0 penalties in a time of 37.46 seconds. The second place finisher was Christian Ahlmann of Germany riding Cinetto. They also completed the course with 0 penalties but their time was 38.97 seconds.
6. How much faster did Laura and U-Prova ride the course?
The top Chinese rider, Xiaokelatiabayi, riding Ukendy finished in third place with 0 faults and a time of 43.99 seconds.
7. What was the time difference between their ride and Laura and U-Prova’s?
What does a show jumping course plan look like? Would you like to see the course plan for the 2013 international event?
8. According to the information in the course plan’s right side column, what is the maximum height the jumps can be set at?
9. What was the speed the course was designed to be ridden at?
10. How would you account for the difference in the number of ‘efforts’ as compared to the number of ‘obstacles’?
1. On average, how many horses were imported per year?
Answer: 2,000 ÷ 4 = 500. An average of 500 horses were imported each year.
2. On average, how many horses were imported per month?
Answer: 500 ÷ 12 = 41.66. An average of 42 horses per month were imported each year.
3. How many hands is a horse that measures 1.72 metres at the withers?
Answer: Step 1: 1.72 metres = 172 cm
Step 2: 172 ÷ 10 = 17.2
The horse would be 17 hands 2 cm
4. What is the height range in metres for the Quoxia horse breed?
Answer: 10 hands = 10 x 10 cm = 100 cm
14 hands = 14 x 10 cm = 140 cm
The Quoxia horse breed ranges between 100 and 140 cm high.
5. What percentage of the final 9 riders were Chinese?
Answer: 4/9 x 100% = 44.44. 44% of the riders were Chinese.
6. How much faster did Laura and U-Prova ride the course?
Answer: 38.97 – 37.46 = 1.51. Laura and U-Prova finished the course 1.51 seconds faster than the second place team.
7. What was the time difference between their ride and Laura and U-Prova’s?
Answer: 43.99 – 37.46 = 6.53. Laura and U-Prova finished 6.53 seconds faster than Xiaokelatiabayi, riding Ukendy.
8. According to the information in the course plan’s right side column, what is the maximum height the jumps can be set at?
Answer: 1.45 m
9. What was the speed the course was designed to be ridden at?
Answer: 350 m/min
10. How would you account for the difference in the number of ‘efforts’ as compared to the number of ‘obstacles’?
Answer: Obstacle 6 has parts a and b, requiring the horse and rider to jump twice which equates to two ‘efforts’ for a single obstacle. Jump 11 is composed of three parts, a, b and c, requiring the horse and rider to jump three times (efforts) to complete ‘obstacle’ 11. This is why there are more ‘efforts’ than ‘obstacles’.
Photos:
Beijing 2008 Olympic Game – Equestrian Event – Cross-Country Test of the Eventing Competition by Tksteven (Self-work) CC-BY-SA-2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Bandit – Just me riding a horse on the path of the “Silk Road” by palindrome6996; CC BY 2.0
