Horse Racing, the Three Arts of Mongolian Men

Horse racing: Horse racing is also a traditional sport favored by the Mongolian people. Together with wrestling and archery, it is known as the "men's triathlon" in the steppe. It is also known as the "Men's Triathlon", which is one of the indispensable programs of the annual Naadam Festival.

Since ancient times, the Mongolian people have had a special affection for horses. There is a proverb in the steppe: "Mongolians boast of the horse, carpenters boast of the saw", "to see how the young man's skills, first look at the horse he rode". Whether or not to ride a good shot, has also become a standard to identify a good herdsman. Horse racing is not only a sports competition in the annual Naadamu conference, but also a game in the daily grazing and life, often in the mood, the bold Mongolians will whip the horse, than whose horse is good, than who rides high.

Mongolians since ancient times live in the north of the vast grasslands, "to the horse for home" year-round migration by water and grass. The harshness of the natural environment, they must have a strong body, strong perseverance, as well as the skills of the Gotham, in order to adapt to the needs of nomadic production and life, so the Mongolian people have always attached importance to and love of sports competitions. According to the "Yi vulgar record - teaching war", "Hu children five, six years old, that is taught to ride a horse ...... A little longer is taught to coiled saddle super ride, curved arc Ming store, and teach the above horse is chasing foxes and rabbits, off the horse is controlling fist Prime Zhang, less and practiced, long and refined, do not see a different thing and move. They extracted from the daily production, life far from the growth of physical strength and improve the skills of the project, which is known as the men's three skills of horse racing, wrestling and archery.

Mongolian Khanate period, Genghis Khan and other rulers in view of political and military needs, highly respected riding, horse racing in the army and the upper class society is very prevalent. To the yuan dynasty, the horse movement and military service system, formed a system at that time. Whenever held "Kuli Le Tai" (large-scale assembly), in addition to and steep laws and regulations, the appointment and dismissal of officials, rewards and punishments, but also horse racing as the activities of the General Assembly. The thirteenth century Italian traveler Marco Polo has recorded the Mongolian horse racing scene. In the Ming Dynasty, the Mongol Yuan royal family retreated to the north of the desert, still advocating riding and archery, horse racing is still one of the most enthusiastic activities.

Mongolian horse racing in a variety of ways, generally walking horse, running horse, upside down horse 3 kinds. Walking horse, the main competition horse running steady, fast, beautiful; running horse, the main competition speed and endurance, in the stipulated course of the first to reach the finish line for the winner.

Mongolian sports and recreation conference called Naadam, participants in the horse race voluntary enrollment, regardless of age and gender restrictions, fewer than dozens of people, more than hundreds of people, is one of the people's favorite activities. Horse racing distance varies, from the ancient times of 20, 30, 40 kilometers gradually shortened to 3000 meters, 5000 meters, 10,000 meters and other short races, the race to reduce the horse's load, most of the saddle is not equipped with a horse, participants do not wear boots and socks, only with gorgeous colorful clothes, the head bunch of ribbons, the road horse whips, and struggle to be the first, it is very windy, spectacular.

Participating horses are not divided into varieties, group draws lots, divided into race, according to the time how many admissions rankings. In the race, participants are allowed only one person a horse, no special circumstances are not allowed to change the horse, the race is divided into straight runway and round field runway, not allowed to use the horse whip Palmer hit other people's horses; if the athlete fell off the horse in the middle of the race, allowed to get on the horse to continue to race. The rules require that after the start of 100 meters are not allowed to run in the circle, over 100 meters after the pressure of 10 meters before the time in the circle. Otherwise it is a foul. The winner, the ranking of the horses, in the Naadam conference concentrated in front of the podium in order to line up, by the excellent national singers recite "horse racing poetry". The content of the poem is colorful, such as describing the horse's majestic steed, introducing the rider's deeds, describing the characteristics of the race, declaring the name of the race, and so on, to win the first place is very eye-catching, on the head of the horse, the horse body sprinkled with milk wine or fresh milk to celebrate.