- Hequ -

The Hequ originated in the Qinghai Province of China. It is used as a pack and draft horse, as well as for riding and racing. Hequ means "river zig". The breed came from the border area of Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu provinces where the Yellow River makes a large "zig". Hence, the name "river zig". Before 1954, the breed was known as the Nanfan. This name is often misapplied to the Tibetan horse. During the T'ang dynasty, the Hequ horse was a favored spoil of war in the region.

During the T'ang dynasty, the emperor of the time established a large horse facility to develop the cavalry. In order to do so, he imported a lot of horses from western Asian countries to use on the local Tibetan stock. Chief among the breeds influencing the Hequ were the animals imported from Dawan. Dawan was the ancient Chinese name for the kingdom in China that included Fergana, which was the home of the Akhal-Teke breed. During the Yuan dynasty, the Mongols invaded the area and mixed Mongolian stock with the Hequ.

The Qinghai province is around 11,000 feet in altitude, where the temperature is low but the climate is temperate and moist during the summer. The Hequ mares mature at two years old, and are usually bred around age three. Conception rate is around 70%, although good food and care can result in fertility rates as high as 80 to 90%. Hequ mares can produce as many as twelve or thirteen foals in their lives.

The Hequ is pretty much a draft/riding animal, solid and coarsely built. They may be black, brown, or gray. There are three varieties of the Hequ breed: the Jiaode, the Suoke, and the Kesheng. The Jiaode is found in the southern parts of the Gansu province, and are rougher in constitution and have a larger, coarser head. Their hooves are not as strong, and they are mainly gray and stand around 13.3 hh.

The Suoke is located in the western Sichuan province. They have a relatively large head and ears, and short loins. They carry their tails very high, like the ancient T'ang horse. The third strain, the Kesheng, is found in the Kesheng Mongolian Autonomous Region, in the province of Qinghai. The breeding of the Kesheng is often mixed with Mongolian horses.

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