Raising a mascot for the Year of the Horse.

Located adjacent to the former cradle of horse racing in the country, Phu Tho Racecourse (Ho Chi Minh City), Dong Nai has many places for breeding and caring for these animals, with parent horses that have participated in races.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, manager of Cam My Horse Farm, takes care of the horses. Photo: Van Truyen.

In recent times, while the number of jockeys and trainers dedicated to racehorses has gradually decreased, many young people have entered this field. Some raise horses as pets, while others raise them for a living...

Passion is selective about its players.

This is the account of Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong, originally from the former Long An province, now Tay Ninh province, who is currently caring for horses for several households in Long Khanh ward and Cam My commune.

Mr. Phuong said: "By the time my children and grandchildren are in their generation, four generations of my family have been involved in the business of raising and training racehorses. I myself am over 50 years old this year, but I have been involved in horse training for more than 30 years. Many horse owners in other provinces and cities know my reputation and often invite me to teach them how to care for racehorses and techniques for breeding horses."

A family's horses in Tri An commune are grazing.

Mr. Phuong's family owns a herd of horses in Tay Ninh province that they sell or rent (customers often rent them for weddings, festivals, and Tet). Bred from racehorses, the horses his family provides are quite expensive, sometimes costing over 200 million VND for a mature female horse and slightly less for a male. In contrast, horses raised primarily for meat or bone broth, with smaller stature and weight, are priced at only about one-fifth of the racehorse price. Nevertheless, that's still a significant amount for anyone wanting to own a horse as a pet.

Raising horses, while seemingly easy, also has certain requirements. Typically, horses are only suitable for saddlement when they are 2.5-3 years old. This means that owners must "wait" for around 3 years before experiencing the feeling of riding a horse.

According to Mr. Phuong, horses have a straight digestive tract and lack a rumen like buffaloes and cows, making digestion their biggest weakness. During feeding, fresh grass must always be supplemented with dry straw to improve digestion; otherwise, horses are prone to diarrhea.

In addition, horses need daily baths, and at least once a week with soap to keep their coat shiny and prevent certain skin diseases. Owners also need to diligently brush their horses' coats daily, pet them, and interact with them regularly to create a bond and establish a familiarity between owner and pet.

Ms. Thanh Huong (residing in Hang Gon commune) spends time each week walking with her beloved horse. She says: "The cost of buying and transporting the horse to my home is quite expensive. Then there's the time spent getting acquainted and training the horse so that the person and the animal understand each other – it's not easy at all. But in return, the feeling of caring for and walking with my beloved 'pet' is absolutely wonderful."

Job creation profession

Currently, the number of people raising one or two horses in Dong Nai is not large, but it's not rare either, and most are raised out of passion. However, according to Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong, it is thanks to these passionate individuals that many families involved in horse breeding, like his, have a market for the generations of foals they breed, thus preserving the traditional craft and maintaining their family's economy .

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, manager of Cam My Horse Farm (in Cam My commune) - a place catering to the needs of those who want to take photos with horses and ride horses in Dong Nai province - the cost of breeding seven horses at the facility, along with the stables, training grounds, and riding areas, is very high. At the beginning of 2026, right at the time of welcoming the new year, Cam My Horse Farm happily welcomed its first foal after the horses had been cared for and matured there. This is also a very good sign, as the horses have become accustomed to the living environment and climate of Cam My.

According to a representative from the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Nai province, during the horse breeding process, breeders must declare their activities to the authorities as required; and implement biosafety and environmental hygiene measures in livestock farming...

According to Mr. Phong, the horses are raised here primarily so that local tourists can see and interact with them directly through feeding, taking photos, and riding, instead of just seeing them in films or having to travel to distant horse farms or tourist areas for the opportunity. These activities generate additional funds to offset the costs of caring for the horses. At the same time, it creates jobs for five local workers involved in caring for the horses.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (a resident of Tan Trieu ward), on holidays, Tet (Lunar New Year), or weekends, she and her friends go to the garden cafe in Tri An commune to take photos with the horses being kept there. The drinks are slightly more expensive than at other cafes, but there is no extra charge for taking pictures with the horses. Thanks to this business, many local workers have found employment.

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Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202602/nuoi-linh-vat-nam-ngo-3bf0700/