Horsewomen of Tibet: An Introduction to Nomadic Women
This horse is my friend—if you ask me who my friends are, I would say the steed beneath my saddle. (Daofu, Sichuan) "Are you traveling from above or below? If you come from Shangser above, tell me—is my horse still at Shangyun'er? Is it doing well among the herd, at ease? Do not conceal the truth, speak plainly—I miss it so much I can hardly endure my days." (Xiahe, Gansu) "This horse is just like me. Both of you, ride swiftly back to the master." Having said this, he dismounted from the black horse and handed the reins to his two friends.
Neighing and whinnying in reluctance, the black horse wept tears as large as eggs. This depiction, taken from Xia Min's Horse Culture and Tibetan Folk Life, illustrates the words of Padmasambhava's disciple as he said goodbye to Zesei and Vuzha, a scene found in *The Five Treasured Instructions: The Chapter on Consorts*. Since ancient times, horses have played a vital role in nomadic peoples' production and everyday lives.
For the Tibetan people, horses were among the most closely associated domesticated animals in everyday production and life. Over time, they assumed important roles across many social functions, such as ritual culture, labor, military readiness, and seasonal pasture rotation. They were also vital means of transport for nomads moving in search of water and grazing land, and they constituted a key element of nomadic culture.
In Tibetan history, the Tibetan Empire saw the creation of various official roles for managing horses, stemming from the growth of herding and the frequent military reliance on horses. For instance, the 'Stable Official' of that era was designated to oversee the care and management of the riding horses belonging to rulers, ministers, and military steeds.
Within Buddhism's array of protector deities is Hayagrīva (Horse-Headed Vajra). Meanwhile, those who keep horses must give their animals devoted daily attention: watering, feeding, grooming, checking on them, and safeguards such as picking appropriate stirrups and saddles, tending hooves and shoeing, and choosing bits and harnesses for driving. Only through such painstaking care can a steed reach its full performance.
Wrathful and formidable, this horse-headed human figure originates from India and is thought to embody the essential nature of Avalokiteśvara. He has the power to subdue demons and malevolent forces. "In both the upper and lower tantric colleges of Tibetan Buddhism, he is revered as one of the protective deities, regarded as an emanation of the compassionate Avalokiteśvara and other Buddhas." Specialized teachings on Hayagrīva exist within the ancient tantric traditions.
In Tibet, the horse has been domesticated, personified, and deified, giving rise to a distinctive equine culture. The Sanskrit-Tibetan bilingual work "A Brief Treatise on Hayagrīva" is still held by a number of monasteries. Among the Gelug school, both the eight-headed and six-headed forms of Hayagrīva are venerated, and the Hayagrīva Chapel at Sera Monastery is the most prominent and frequently used place for this worship.
An important component of horse culture, folk horse racing has a long history in Tibet, as recorded in the famous Tibetan epic "Gesar." The epic recounts how the hero Gesar became king through a horse race and also won his beloved consort through racing. The horse racing festivals built around this tradition embody the Tibetan people's celebrations of harvest, rituals to honor deities, remembrance of ancestors, heroic competitions, and emotional exchanges.
Many renowned horse racing festivals are celebrated in Tibet, both within China and abroad. Through these events, it can be said that Tibetan people show reverence for heroes and admiration for strength, wisdom, and courage.
Falsalama captured an image of horse racing in the Kham region. Each year, many Tibetan-inhabited areas host horse racing events of varying scales, among them the Damxung Horse Racing Festival, the Northern Tibet Horse Racing Festival, the Gyantse Dama Horse Racing Festival, the Kangding Horse Racing Festival, the Panpo Grassland Gathering in Qinghai, and the Tianzhu Horse Racing Festival in Huarui, Gansu.
When I recall my childhood, the highlight of every summer pasture was accompanying my parents to horse racing festivals, whether big or small. Beyond the famous large-scale occasions, Tibet also hosts numerous smaller local horse racing meetups that run steadily from late spring and early summer until late autumn. These vibrant events roused the meadows once the extended winter ended, uniting communities in festivities and offering the thrill they had eagerly awaited.
In discussions of female horse racers, Tibetan women at festivals are typically envisioned as beautifully adorned, gracefully poised figures. Yet their actual presence on the racetrack is rare. Following a season of rest and recovery, riders led their radiant horses onto the grounds—a display of utmost grace.
Tibetan women's ties to horses are mainly centred on herding, seasonal pasture shifts, and life-cycle occasions like weddings and funerals, owing to differing social roles. In marriage, horses count among the dowry livestock for Tibetan women, and upon a family member's death—whether male or female—a fine horse is commonly presented to the local living Buddha as the deceased's mount. However, the link between horse racing and women, in terms of competition, is probably less familiar.
A woman from the Joru family, a lineage of officials who looked after horses, is credited with writing the folk text *The Explanation of Horses by the Daughter of Joru*. Enthusiasts of folk horse culture speculate that Tibetan women's equestrian skills have a long lineage. Zaxi Ye, a practitioner of folk horse culture, notes that women whose work involved horse breeding and the study of equine culture already existed during Songtsen Gampo's era.
During my childhood, I was fortunate enough to see women's horse racing firsthand, and it left a lasting impression on me. Additionally, there is a folk saying: "No woman's knowledge of horses surpasses that of the daughter of Joru." This points to the long and deep tradition of Tibetan women studying horses. The present work provides meticulous coverage of horse origins, the bond between humans and horses, naming practices, criteria for judging horse physique and weight, breeding methods, and other related subjects.
Through conversations with friends in different regions, I discovered that the custom of women participating in horse racing is present throughout Tibetan areas, although the number of female riders is still quite limited. By consulting a range of sources, I managed to reach out to several women from my own region who are passionate about horse racing. During our discussions, I frequently found myself struck by the appealing image of Tibetan women riding swiftly across the open grasslands.
Rinchen Wangmo, aged 37, hails from Yeniugou Township in Qilian County. Since childhood, she has been passionate about horse racing and breeding, and she has kept three horses so far. The oldest of these is now over twenty years old and has been set free in the wild. She married at 17, and her parents included a fine horse among the dowry livestock they gave her. Her sole worry was whether she could keep up her interest in her new household; fortunately, her husband is sympathetic and encourages her hobbies of raising and training horses.
Since taking on the role of director in the local village women's federation organization in recent years, she has begun rallying village women who love horse racing to join racing festivals. As of now, she has competed in horse racing festivals of every scale, large and small; the best prize she has earned from horse racing over the years is a blanket.
These women-only horse racing events, which she has organized on International Women's Day, have achieved positive results and have steadily expanded in scale. In the beginning, only women from her own village were involved; later, women from other villages joined, bringing participation numbers to anywhere from over twenty to thirty or forty.
At other horse racing festivals, female riders sometimes join the men's field when there aren't enough women to form their own division. If the number of participants is sufficient, a separate women's race may be held. The rules and race distances are exactly the same for both genders. Still, most competitors ride at a walking pace, and only a minority gallop. In recent years, a WeChat group has been started by women horse racing enthusiasts, with the membership drawn mostly from women in pastoral regions.
NO.20388 (screen name) NO.20388 (screen name), aged 35, hails from Mole Township, Qilian County, and took up horse racing at 18. In the period before the pandemic, she was able to attend racing festivals at locations including Sunan, Gansu; Haibei Prefecture, Qinghai; and Zoige, Sichuan. Her current wish is that things go back to normal, allowing her to join horse racing events when spring arrives.
After she married and established her own household, she relocated away from the elders. Since the older members of her family had always been devoted horse lovers and attended to the animals with great care, her sole responsibility during racing festivals had been to display her riding abilities. Once separated from them, however, she was forced to acquire the skill of horse care from the very beginning and take on the full burden of raising the horses herself. It is a demanding discipline, though fortunately her husband lends a hand with looking after them.
She regards winter as a vital period for horse care, since it is necessary to assist horses in coping with the harsh plateau winters. This season demands not only meeting the animals' nutritional requirements and making sure they receive consistent exercise, but also paying close attention to their grooming—managing shedding, trimming manes, and caring for tails. Through this kind of upkeep, when spring comes, the horse can progressively be introduced to racing.
At horse racing festivals, she rides her own horse and occasionally takes on other people's horses to assist them in winning prizes. Her performance has so far earned her consistent top rankings, and on strong showings, she has taken first place multiple times. Regarding horse adornment, she especially favors saddles and saddle blankets that are visually appealing. Previously, the older members of her family used to keep saddles stored with great care; she now follows that same practice, making sure not to leave them out casually because she worries about damage from rodents.
Taimao, 28, from Gangcha County, Qinghai Province, uses the screen name NO.3 Taimao. He still looks after his horse as always and frequently takes it out for exercise. Even though no proper horse racing festivals have been held in various regions in recent years, he believes that once they resume as usual, he and his horse will be able to perform well. In fact, most of these items originally formed part of her dowry when she married and have been preserved in excellent condition until today.
By Qinghai Lake, the 14-year-old girl and her beloved horse were a breathtaking scene. That was in 2012, when she entered the Qinghai Lake Fish-Watching and Release Festival as the sole female rider in the men's group and claimed second place—her best finish yet. She had first taken up riding at age 8, and up to now has taken part in horse racing festivals 19 times. Her debut in such a festival came at 14.
Having developed her own theories and skills in horse breeding and training, she never let her passion for horse racing fade after marriage. In her approach, the strictest form of horse care is to prevent the horse from grazing freely; rather, it is fed once in the morning and once in the evening. Such strict dietary management helps the horse maintain good posture and physique. During winter, placing a blanket over the horse helps preserve the coat's color and texture.
Silent Rider. To my regret, I never tried to talk with my father, a quiet and strict herder. She often finds it hard to be very firm with the horse, preferring to let it graze and drink as it pleases on the grassland. Since horse racing is only a pastime, she thinks both the horse and the rider ought to experience joy and satisfaction in it.
Every summer in my childhood, during the horse racing festival, I rode with my father to the event while my mother and older sister stayed behind to look after the livestock. The quiet bond between us often seemed like a strange, mutual respect between two odd individuals—each careful not to cross or intrude upon the other's space. In truth, one could say that I never truly understood him, and he never truly understood me.
According to my recollections, my father spoke little, yet he had a great passion for life and paid close attention to customs. He had a deep love for horse racing and attended every festival without exception. When he brought me with him, he would carefully groom his horse before leaving and also have my mother make me presentable. At the event, he never failed to buy me ice cream. On the festival’s second day, I was scheduled to accompany my father at herding, while my mother and sister went to the horse racing festival.
Coincidentally, I was planning to write an article about women's horse racing in my hometown. In my memory, the grassland's small summer ritual consisted of ice cream and the horse racing festival. If he was unable to take me to the festival, he never failed to bring back a gift for each of us—always ice cream. Remarkably, it had not melted by the time he returned. In hindsight, he must have galloped straight home on horseback without pausing.
His screen name—རྟ་མཆོག་རྒོད་པོ། (Wild and Noble Steed)—already makes his passion for horses clear. Over several days, I spoke with my father, aware that he had deep expertise in horse racing and horse breeding. Although our chats were usually reserved for holidays, we now held one conversation after another about fine horses and horse racing festivals. As we remembered the horse racing festivals we had attended together in childhood, I was struck by how detailed and nuanced his recollections were.
In sum, this short article has given me a renewed view of my father, broadened my grasp of the essence of Tibetan women galloping on horseback, and instilled in me both reverence and confidence for the herding women of Tibet.
Perhaps the pleasure I get from writing about the grassland comes down to this: it becomes a kind of collecting ritual, where I recover what I cherish yet had forgotten, see how love and life carry the grassland's feel, and grasp the appeal of its herding women—who are marked by honor and courage—as well as the deep, wordless attachment between grassland fathers and their mounts. That may be why these subjects draw me. Glory, Courage With Women