"All the horses for the modern pentathlon at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be made-in-China," said Zhang Bin, Deputy Director of the Competition Office of the Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final, which was recently held in Beijing.

Differing from the full equestrian events, all the horses for the modern pentathlon at the Olympics are supposed to be supplied by the host country. However, the past Olympics have borrowed horses from abroad. This time they'll all be homegrown.

The modern pentathlon includes shooting, fencing, swimming, running and equestrian events. Riders pick their partner horses before the event by blind draw.

At the Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final, one of the "Good Luck Beijing" Olympic test events, all 25 horses came from China, among which 18 were used for the competition and seven as standbys. Having gone through strict screening and quarantine, the horses are also ready for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Sources say that the Beijing Olympics will demand around 60 horses, both for competition and as standbys.

The yardstick for selecting Olympic horses lies in their competitive ability, rather than appearance, said Zhang. Entrusted by the Organizing Committee of Beijing Olympic Games, the China Equestrian Association and China Modern Pentathlon Association jointly invited a handful of experts to help with nationwide Olympic horse selection. The selection program began in 2005 and more than 120 horses from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Inner Mongolia passed the primary selection stage. One year later, the number of candidates shrank to 60. Three months ahead of the "Good Luck Beijing" test events, just 25 horses were selected to race.

From 2006 on, the committee began to manage a record of the selected 25 horses. The condition of the horses is inspected every three months by specialized evaluators. Only those that qualify after an assessment of injuries, resistance to epidemics and athletic capability, remain in the Olympic horse reserves. "All the horses have to go through quarantine in terms of national criteria and are then transported to Beijing for the match," said Xu Haifeng, Vice Director in charge of modern pentathlon with the Cycling and Fencing Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China.

Success in equestrian events comes down to both horse riding skills and the quality of the horse. The competitor has only 20 minutes to acquaint himself with the picked horse, and thus the horses must receive special training so that they can do the best when partnered with anyone of the players.

The China Modern Pentathlon Association has hired a specialized horse trainer from Holland. His work is to guide several Chinese trainers through training the horses until the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics in August 2008.

English has become the language of communication with the horses for the trainers and they can often be heard saying words such as "come on" and "stop" to them.

Effective communication between trainers, players and horses has become a key link for the success of the competition. As well-bred horses with a track record of success are smart and familiar with both competition and people, they can even recognize the state of the players riding on their backs. If the player is nervous, the horse is likely to become disobedient. The trainer and the player keep constant communication with the horse through body contact and speaking. The trainer will also tap on the horse's neck as encouragement after completing each training program.

It usually takes two years to convert a horse into a qualified Olympian for the modern pentathlon. This batch of horses has to be strictly registered, with a complete record detailing their type, number, quarantine results and health conditions. Features of their appearance such as the color of hoof and coat are also recorded as a means of identification.

The match horses must reach the racecourse in advance of the competition to adapt themselves to the environment through a two-week pre-match training schedule. Every horse has a tailored training program.

Horses used to racing have to learn how to canter, a skill that requires endurance, rhythm and flexibility. The horses go through a compulsory daily lesson during which they canter around a 15 to 30 meter circle. This is the first step in fostering the flexibility and uniform speed the horses will need for the pentathlon.

Staff workers at the racecourse take care of these horses like children. The horses enjoy rolling in sand after a hard day of training and the staff has to clean it from their hair and hooves. Every detail of the horses is paid close attention.

The horses are so well looked after sometimes they seem to think they are the stars of the Olympic Games rather than the riders. During interviews with the press they are tame and understanding and even pose for the cameras.

Specialized volunteers for the equestrian events will be recruited from the national modern pentathlon team of China to ensure a good performance for the competitors. Their main work is to lead the horses, which is important for keeping them in a good mood. Employing professional competitors to lead the horses is not too much, said Xu, as this role is crucial to ensuring their good performance.