For over a month, the Mounted Mobile Police Regiment under the Mobile Police Command, Ministry of Public Security, has been training daily in Song Cong, Thai Nguyen province, to prepare for the parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on 2/9.

Alongside the 62 mounted officers are a team of doctors, drivers, and a logistical support team.

Officer Nguyen Nam Hai carries horse equipment to the training ground. Each officer is responsible for maintaining and cleaning their horse's equipment.

The 62 mounted officers, like Hai, were rigorously selected. In addition to health, professional skills, and technical abilities, they must also have a love for animals.

Each officer bonds with a horse from the beginning of the 8-month training course, through the taming process and into training and performance. Each horse has a "birth certificate" and receives regular health checkups.

Every day, starting at 4:45 a.m., the officers begin their day by feeding the horses and preparing equipment. They saddle the horses, attach bridles, face masks, leg guards, and other support tools.

The entire regiment arrives at the training ground at 6 a.m. to begin training.

Officer Tran Trung Hieu checks his horse before the training session. He explains that the face mask protects the horse's face and eyes from impact, while the leg guards protect the hooves during combat exercises or obstacle courses.

Hieu says that initially, the horses were quite "difficult," prone to jumping and kicking unexpectedly. However, this breed is intelligent and adaptable, so after a period of bonding, they become more accustomed to the officers. Now, with just small gestures, words, or even eye contact, Hieu can control his horse.

During training sessions, the officers wear their parade uniforms to get accustomed to them. Each officer receives two sets.

Before each session, the regiment's leaders inspect each officer and horse, adjusting posture and uniforms, and arranging the horses in formation by color and size for a uniform appearance.

Horses are trained to march in formation, with the officers performing a right-hand salute.

Through extensive training, the horses have mastered the maneuvers. However, training must continue regularly and with discipline to achieve perfect synchronization.

Lieutenant Nguyen Xuan Hoat, head of the mounted training unit, says he has bonded with his horse for over five years, since it was imported from Mongolia. Now, his horse, over 11 years old, is considered well-built, about 1.4 m tall from the withers to the ground, and weighs over 340 kg.

Officer Nguyen Van Hai maintains discipline during off-field training, despite being drenched in sweat on a hot day nearing 40 degrees Celsius.

At the end of the day, the officers bathe, groom, and brush the horses before leading them to the stables for the night.

The horses' hooves are checked after each training session. The horseshoes are replaced monthly, a process that takes about 45 minutes.

The horse training center is temporarily located at the Mountainous Livestock Research and Development Center in the former Binh Son commune, Thai Nguyen province, about 90 km from Hanoi. The area features low hills and vast grasslands.

The regiment currently has over 173 horses, including over 70 working horses, over 70 foals bred and born on-site, and the rest are breeding stallions.

Giang Huy - Pham Du