Setting out on the wind

It was an evening in mid-October, with a distinct chill in the wind.

Two weeks had passed since the discussion about establishing the club.

Building the official website, renting a Tokyo address for the corporation, making the preliminary arrangements, submitting an owner application to the JRA, and handling the farm work—which remained heavy despite being reduced by not attending the auctions—had kept everyone so busy that the seasons had changed before they knew it.

By the time they brought the horses in for the evening, half the sun had already sunk behind the distant mountains.

From here on, the days would grow shorter and shorter.

Even so, the two little ones in the pasture still dawdled until the very last moment.

"We really have to head back now!"

Only after that call went out across the pasture did the bay and dark bay figures, still playing to their hearts' content, reluctantly come over.

Little Light and Hibae.

Unsurprisingly, they had gotten themselves filthy again.

"Thanks for all your hard work today, too."

With those words, a hand reached out to stroke Hibae's head as he approached.

I did great, too!

As though saying just that, Little Light suddenly lifted her head from the bucket, where she had buried almost half her body while gulping down water.

She really was a handful—but it was thanks to Little Light's company that the less spirited Hibae could fully enjoy his time out in the pasture.

His frame had been slightly small at birth, and his weight offered none of the advantages enjoyed by other early-born foals. Even now, at a year old, he occasionally suffered from digestive problems. His post-weaning feed was a special formula developed through repeated consultations with an animal nutrition specialist.

For Hibae, wholehearted days of grazing and play since