Police patrol on horseback in the Kaxajar area of Zhaosu county in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The team was set up in February to better protect the 400-square-kilometer area, which has less than 10,000 people, but where livestock thefts, petty crime and accidents occur randomly. The area is known as China's "county of magic horses" for its quality breed of equine species. Since the establishment of the mounted squad, crime rate has declined.

A new mounted police team has expanded the area patrolled by local police in the grasslands of Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture in Northwestern China. Photos by Wan Xiang / Xinhua

The squad breaks for lunch during a patrol mission. The flat bread called nan is a staple food. Photos by Wan Xiang / Xinhua