Modern yurts used for tourism in summer in rural Ordos.[Photo by Satarupa Bhattacharjya/Lin Hong/China Daily]

The banner had 2,913 horses in 2016. In 1975, there were more than 2 million horses in the region.

The annual Naadam festival has kept Inner Mongolia's equestrian tradition alive though.

A similar story is that of yurts, or the tent dwellings, which used to be made from a woolen fabric and wood. Many years ago, nomadic groups in the region would dismantle them and carry along the parts from place to place as they explored the steppe.

The present-day yurts in the banner, for instance, have concrete bases and serve as hotels in summer where visitors can experience Mongolian culture.