(Ecns.cn)--For most common Chinese people, Ferghana horses, one of China's earliest major imports originating in Central Asia, are a legend that is often heard of in books or on TV, but seldom seen in real life. Nevertheless, a horse-riding event in Nanjing last Sunday brought people close to this valuable species.
With a height of 163cm and champagne-colored fur covering its entire body, a Ferghana horse named "Apachi" attracted the crowd's attention when it appeared at the Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club in Jiangsu Province on October 23.
The horse is worth 8 million yuan ($1.25 million)—much more expensive that many luxurious cars sold on the market, according to the organizer of the horse-riding stunt. The daily cost of raising the horse alone is hundreds of yuan.
"The fastest Ferghana horse can run a distance of 4,300 kilometers in 84 days. Generally speaking, the life span for a horse like this can be 30 years and 'Apachi' is three years old now," said an insider.
Ferghana horses originated in Turkmenistan and are now a rare horse species. They are seen as a national treasure in Turkmenistan and the horse's image is carved on the national emblem and currency of the country.
