Riding the winds of change in China

When I held my four-year-old daughter onto the back of a tethered pony at an equestrian club in suburban Beijing last weekend, she could not help crying: "I am scared, mummy. I don't want to do this!"

But 20 minutes later, with the help of an instructor, she sat well on the saddle and began to follow the motion of the horse, cheerfully.

I was amazed, not only at my girl's natural intimacy with horses, but also at the popularity of this niche sport among today's young people.