Shadai Horse Clinic, commonly known as "SHC," stood on the outskirts of Tomakomai.
Although the horse hospital near Mitsuishi could also handle examinations and treatment, as long as there was sufficient time and money, the farm had always given priority to SHC.
Other than its high fees as a private clinic and how difficult it was to get an appointment during busy seasons, SHC—hailed as the leading name in racehorse medicine—probably had no real flaws.
Still, it was indeed expensive, and with auction season approaching, the clinic was even livelier than usual.
The glaring sunlight scattered from the parking lot all the way to the clinic made the heat feel twice as intense.
For Traveler, and for Sawin as well.
This was their final stretch of time before entering the quarantine stables.
While Zepp parked the horse trailer, I went into the clinic lobby first to handle the paperwork.
It should not have been closing time yet, but the lobby looked completely deserted.
If this had been a human business, one might immediately have wondered whether it was struggling financially.
But—
For veterinarians, staying at the clinic and waiting for patients to come to them was actually the exception. Even SHC, at the forefront of racehorse medical technology nationwide, was no different.
In June and July, late-born foals needed care. Broodmares that had just retired from racing and entered their second careers needed their condition adjusted. Not to mention the foals and yearlings about to appear in the coming auction season.
Then there were the racehorses normally returning to Hokkaido for turnout, along with the many horses that, for one reason or another, had been injured, sent away to recover, or even forced into immediate retirement around this time every year.
Especially this year, when the early season had generally