"When I felt frustrated during training, I turned to senior members of the cavalry, and a key piece of advice I received was to not be afraid and never give up."

Some disciplines require more than just strength and agility, they also involve developing a bond with the horse.

One such example is teaching the horse to lay down on command to hide from potential foes. "We start by gently touching and stroking the horse's body, particularly its neck, to encourage it to lay down. I also use verbal cues," she said.

When the horse shows signs of laying down, Mareyam emphasized the importance of quickly removing the saddle to prevent harming the horse.

A trick is to tuck a cube of sugar in a pocket in advance and feed the horse as a reward when it successfully follows directions, she said.

Mikrayi Sidik, who is only four years older than Mareyam, is already a skilled rider and acts as a mentor for beginners like Mareyam.

Growing up in Laohutai township, Uygur Mikrayi learned horse riding from a very young age and used to ride a donkey to deliver food to relatives tending to herds on mountain grasslands.

"Where I grew up, horse riding is an essential skill for children and everyone takes pride in our ability to ride horses," she said.

Following in her father's footsteps, a well-known local veterinarian, Mikrayi studied veterinary medicine in college and sometimes accompanied her father on medical consultations.

"In 2015, my father was called out to treat one of the cavalry's injured horses. He took me along and I got the opportunity to have a close look at the cavalry's training and drills for the first time," she said.

Mikrayi was instantly fascinated. "It felt like I was under a spell. I was leaning on the door frame, staring intently at the riders training in the field. My father had to yell at me to snap me out of it so that I could come inside and lend him a helping hand," she said.

When she expressed her desire to join the calvary after graduating in 2020, both her father and the calvary officials initially rejected her proposal.

"My father hoped that with a college degree, I would move to the city and find a more relaxed job," she said. "The calvary turned me down at first because they hadn't recruited female members for a long time due to the physically demanding nature of the job," she said.

Nevertheless, Mikrayi's determination was so unwavering that she began practicing horse riding while working after graduation and grabbed every opportunity to visit the calvary's training grounds to learn from them.

In time, her perseverance changed the mind of her father and her increasingly proficient equestrian skills impressed the cavalry members.

In August of 2022, she officially became a calvary member and was recently appointed head of the calvary's female unit.

Reflecting on her journey, Mikrayi admitted to moments of panic and tears under intense pressure.

There was one day when Mikrayi found herself unable to grip the reins no matter how hard she tried because her hands were frozen and numb in the heavy snowfall.

"At that moment, scenes of my friends of my age relaxing in their warm houses flashed through my mind. I questioned myself on why I had to shiver in the coldness and felt on the verge of crying," she said.

"But I soon collected myself, reminding myself that it was not easy for me to join the cavalry and realize my dream of becoming a professional rider and protecting my home and country," she said.

As the only horse riding calvary in China, it has become a bit of an attraction for tourism. The cavalry now puts on equestrian shows in Laohutai township for paying visitors.

The influx of tourists has led local officials to encourage residents to open shops, guesthouses, farm stays and yurts, creating jobs for more than 240 local people as a result. On average, their monthly income has risen by over 2,000 yuan ($275), officials said.

[email protected]