The Baise (also known as the Guangxi) is a
pony
A pony is a type of small horse ('' Equus ferus caballus''). Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. Compared ...
-sized
horse breed native to the autonomous region of
Guangxi, in southeastern China. Like other Asian breeds (the
Mongolian horse
The Mongol horse ( Mongolian Адуу, ''aduu'': "horse" or ''mori''; or as a herd, ''ado'') is the native horse breed of Mongolia. The breed is purported to be largely unchanged since the time of Genghis Khan. Nomads living in the traditio ...
in particular), it thrives at high altitudes and roams freely when not working. Guangxi's mild climate has long favored
horse breeding; bronze statues from the third to the first centuries BCE exist of horses very similar in conformation to the Baise.
Breed characteristics
The Baise horse is small, with an average height of ; it is smaller than other breeds in northern and western China. Its head is heavy, with a straight profile and wide jaw; it has a medium-length neck, running down to straight shoulders. Its legs are strong and well-developed, with strong
hooves
The hoof (plural: hooves) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits, yet the rumi ...
The usual
coat colors are
black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
,
chestnut,
gray
Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...
and
bay. The Baise is strong and quick with a willing, able temperament. It is used as a riding and pack horse for tourism, on the farm and in harness; it is also used for
meat.
[ Ling 2010, p. 642.]
Baise horses are an important part of Guangxi village life, and are included in traditional wedding celebrations.
References
{{Horse breeds of China
Horse breeds originating in China