For more than 40 years, Le Tien Tong has dedicated his life to raising and training horses in Ho Chi Minh City. His deep bond with these loyal animals once made his wife threaten to kick him out of the house.

Nestled behind roadside shrubs off Trinh Quang Nghi Street in Binh Chanh District is a sprawling five-hectare horse farm, where about 40 tall, athletic racehorses graze peacefully. Occasionally, they whinny loud enough to break the silence.

This is the home and lifelong project of Le Tien Tong, born in 1977, who has spent decades devoted to horses and their care.

Tong comes from a long line of horsemen. His family once operated horse-drawn carriages, and he began learning the craft from a young age. By nine, he was following his uncle, learning to feed, groom, and train racehorses. Later, he became a professional jockey at Phu Tho Racecourse and earned a reputation for his skilled riding and well-trained steeds that frequently won awards.

As he grew taller, he eventually became too big to race competitively, so he transitioned into training. Tong worked as a professional horse trainer at the racetrack and, in 1999, began supplying horses for film crews and tourist attractions - a shift that marked a turning point in his life.

“In 2011, when Phu Tho Racecourse closed down, horse owners were devastated. Many had to sell their horses for slaughter and dismantle their stables,” he recalled. “But I had started working with film crews and tourist venues, so I managed to keep my herd alive.”

Today, he continues to train horses for film and tourism purposes, and offers horseback riding experiences to visitors.

While raising and training horses for racing was intense, his current work still has its challenges. In the past, racehorses were treated like athletes - fed with precision, bathed in oil, and massaged with medicinal wine. Now, he not only maintains their sleek appearance but also teaches them to be calm around people, walk elegantly, and respond to rider cues.

“Many Vietnamese films, game shows, and live events with horses source them from my farm,” Tong said. “Training horses for acting or tourism requires a deep understanding of each animal’s temperament. You need to know which horse spooks easily, which one prefers head rubs, or which gets calmer when I’m nearby.”

Over the years, he’s sustained various injuries - broken arms, legs, and soft tissue trauma - from kicks and falls. Yet, he continues to care for his animals like family.

“There are horses that get agitated when strangers approach, but as soon as I walk up, they calm down. Some love it when I scratch their foreheads or wash their manes with cold water,” he said.

Whenever one of his horses goes on set for a film, Tong accompanies it for days, personally guiding the actors and ensuring the animal stays safe and focused.

Despite the hard work, Tong has never once considered quitting. He spends nearly every waking hour with his horses - feeding, helping them give birth, treating their injuries, and monitoring their health. When one falls ill, he sets up a hammock beside the stable and sleeps there to watch over it.

Currently, he feeds his herd with a mix of industrial feed, fresh grass, and rice. Each adult horse consumes about 5kg of food daily, adding up to over 40 million VND ($1,600) in monthly costs for his 40-horse stable. He also boards horses for other enthusiasts at 5 million VND ($200) per month, caring for them as if they were his own.

“Sometimes it’s exhausting, but I love it. This is my passion. I love horses too much to ever feel tired of this job,” Tong admitted. “My wife even got jealous once. She told me to pack my blankets and go sleep in the stable with my horses.”