Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 231 The Collective Pasture at the End of July
The last week of July marks the hottest time of the year in Hokkaido.

Stepping outside from the air-conditioned lounge, the warmth instantly returned.

It wasn't even noon yet, but the temperature had already exceeded 27 degrees Celsius.

Although the temperature appears to be slightly lower than on Honshu Island, the high-latitude sun quickly becomes intensely hot and stinging on the skin.

Looking at the cloudless blue sky above, Rachel Ho put on the baseball cap she had been holding.

Although the sky was gradually getting higher, the sunlight remained very strong.

Influenced by her, Kikuchi, who was the next to walk out of the lounge, also looked up.

Both of them sighed at the same time.

"It's still very hot today."

Although there is much to do, the first priority is morning herding.

"It's time to come back—"

A penetrating voice echoed in my ears.

While checking the GPS device to confirm the grazing route of the horses, Qianshan called out to the grazing area across the fence.

After a while, the silhouettes of a herd of horses slowly appeared on the horizon.

Initially, the leader was the oldest, Dober.

Pavlova 2026, who had just joined the ranch, clung to her side like a foal that hadn't been weaned yet.

Halfway there, Dober suddenly turned around and stopped, looking at his companions behind him as if checking on them or urging them on.

The mares with tufts of hair, who were acting as his sidekicks, also turned their heads and blinked.

Aru-chan, who had been walking slowly, finally quickened her pace.

Far behind was Megumi Sakuya, who had returned to the ranch to recuperate after receiving the Emperor's reward.

The deer-haired horse walked and stopped intermittently, occasionally lowering its head to nibble at the short patches of grass on the ground.

With the help of both lawnmowers and balers, the ranch managed to complete the summer harvest and baling on time.

The new grass that grows again in July is not as tender or nutritious as the grass harvested in the previous summer.

Nevertheless, they still couldn't escape the clutches of a certain gluttonous deer-haired man.

It wasn't until Asayama's shouts rang out again that Megumi Sakuya reluctantly raised her head.

After a while, when it raised its head and found that its companions had gone far away, the deer-haired horse slowly took small steps.

The first to approach the exit of the grazing area was Dober, the leader of the night group.

Although she is 33 years old, she looks as energetic as she did when she was young.

"That was a really intense workout today."

After putting away the monitoring equipment, Asahi looked up and waved happily.

However, his expression quickly turned into one of bewilderment, a mixture of laughter and tears.

"You've made a mess again, Sister Duobo."

Oblivious to the fact that he was covered in mud, Dober twitched his ears and continued walking with what looked like a rather dignified gait.

[Please give Sister Duo a bath in a moment.]

After sending such a message in the ranch's group chat, Asayama then looked at the next horse that was approaching.

Slightly sweating, Aru-chan immediately leaned her head into the basin of water.

After taking several sips, he looked up and exhaled, as if saying, "I'm finally alive again."

"Be careful not to choke."

As he said this, Asayama continued to look behind the herd of horses.

Finally, Sakuya Mejiro arrived late.

"I didn't eat that much!"

The deer-haired horse, with an innocent expression like this, had green stains around its lips, reeking of fresh grass.

"You can't not get some exercise while herding livestock, young lady."

Recalling the activity trajectory shown on the GPS, the stable boy couldn't help but shake his head.

If this continues, the amount of exercise they get while herding might not even match that of a retired horse.

[Also, Sakuya's feed should be the same reduced amount as yesterday.] After sending this message, Asayama led the Night Squad toward the stables.

On the other side of the pasture is the grazing area for a one-year-old boy.

Kikuchi crossed the fence and walked towards the center of the grazing area.

"Time to get up!"

She tried to wake the sleeping deer-mane pony in the gentlest of her voice.

however--

The Witch Queen 2026, curled up on the grass like a sea slug, merely twitched her ears slightly.

Then, he continued to sleep soundly on the grass, which had begun to get scorching hot.

"The sun's already high in the sky!"

Even with the volume turned up slightly, Deer Pony still looked like he didn't want to get out of bed.

With a sigh, Kikuchi skillfully pulled a mint from his pocket.

The deer-mane pony's ears, which had been drooping, suddenly stood up.

A thin, transparent line appeared between the relaxed lips, which had been drooping from oversleeping.

As it stood up shakily, it didn't forget to take a couple of bites of the hay around its mouth.

"This gluttony trait has certainly been passed down to her."

The work of the herdsmen can be considered to have been completed smoothly.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Asayama handed over the leash and bowed apologetically.

"Since coming to Mejiro, Sister Tohaku looks even younger than before!"

"Dober's fur looks like it's shimmering."

Many visitors to Mejiro Ranch share similar sentiments.

Some even suspect that veterinarian Kitano might have some secret formula to make racehorses young again.

However, the reality is—

Because of his boundless energy, Dober always ended up covered in dirt.

As a result, I started taking showers much more frequently.

That's why, to outsiders, Dober always appears to be dazzling and full of energy.

"It's nothing, much easier than Pegasus."

Smiling and giving a thumbs-up, Ravid skillfully took the leash and fastened it.

Avoiding Dober's sideways bites, the horse's body was washed with water at a pre-adjusted temperature.

Compared to the trials of a certain shower demon, this kind of work is something I can easily handle.

Humming a catchy tune, the Indian man effortlessly dodged yet another attack.

On the other side, the stables where herdsmen return from the pasture.

Kitano Masakazu and Ogawa Kanna, who had come to the ranch, discussed the taming plan for the Wizard Queen 2026.

"How about starting from Marubaba next week?"

After raising her head and shifting her gaze away from the stable, Kanna Ogawa asked.

"Isn't it a bit too early?"

Kitano's tone suggested some unease.

"His physique looks good, but his technique is too immature. He needs to learn to control the horse's physique before he can begin further development."

The girl kept writing something on the notepad in her hand, muttering to herself.

"The acceptance of saddle and bit is very high, and it seems that the temperament is also inclined towards a stable type."

Although I had considered proceeding cautiously at a normal pace, the situation with the little horse in front of me was different.

Therefore, the domestication and breeding programs must also be changed and adjusted accordingly.

After the pen stopped, only the sound of the deer-haired pony chewing its food remained in the stable.

(End of this chapter)