The horse trainer: Guardian of the grassland's soul

For the people of the Mongolian ethnic group, horses are their wings on the boundless grassland.

"Without horses, the grassland loses its soul." This is the belief of Manlai, a horse trainer in Hulunbuir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, who once set a Guinness World Record atop his trusted partner — a 31-year-old yellow horse, whose golden coat had faded over three decades of harsh winters and open skies.

But records and titles were never the heart of their story. For Manlai, the 31-year-old yellow horse long ago ceased to be merely an animal or a partner. He became family.

Now, Manlai is no longer young. Yet each morning, he still enters the stable, and the horse still turns at the sound of his footsteps. Manlai insists that the craft of horse training must be passed down through generations. "I'm passing my skills to my apprentice, who will pass them to his."

The mini-documentary "The Horse Whisperers" will be released on February 16 and air during the 2026 CGTN Super Night. It portrays the profound, wordless bond between human and animal, reflecting the traditional Chinese ethos of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

Stay tuned!