Racehorses at Pasture and Expectant Mothers

[Happy Spring Festival, everyone! Wishing you all the best in the new year o(〃＾▽＾〃)o]

Although Zhang Jun had spent New Year's Eve and the Spring Festival with the young horses, only a few days later, he went to the ranch again.

After parking at the ranch entrance, Zhang Jun carried a bag of treats toward Pasture No. 3.

From a distance, he saw Shadow Hunter and Jianzhou Warrior running across the grass.

The two horses chased each other, their manes flying through the air like flowing flames and lightning.

"Shadow Hunter!"

Zhang Jun called out. The chestnut colt's ears twitched (*°ω°ฅ), and he immediately stopped, turning toward Zhang Jun.

The next moment, he broke into a run, clattering over with all four hooves going tap-tap-tap ε≡ﾍ(´∀`)ﾉ.

Jianzhou Warrior stopped and watched as Shadow Hunter left him behind and ran to the pasture fence. Then he snorted.

Tilting his head as he watched Shadow Hunter charge toward Zhang Jun, Jianzhou Warrior lowered his head to graze as if nothing had happened, wearing an expression that said he did not care at all.

Shadow Hunter did not care about any of that. He shoved his head into Zhang Jun's arms and skillfully nudged at Zhang Jun's pockets.

Zhang Jun smiled and pulled out a treat. "All right, all right. I saved some for you."

Shadow Hunter snorted, rubbed against Zhang Jun's hand, and ate the treat.

After finishing it, Shadow Hunter gave a satisfied snort and called toward Jianzhou Warrior.

Jianzhou Warrior raised his head and sauntered over.

Zhang Jun took out a treat and offered it to him. "Keep it up this year too, Warrior."

Jianzhou Warrior finished it with reserved dignity, then contentedly rubbed his head against Zhang Jun's hand—the kid was actually quite the tsundere.

After playing with the two young horses for a while, Zhang Jun headed to Pasture No. 5, where Flying Cloud Colt, River Moon, Forest Hero, and Mountain Patrol Leopard were grazing.

Zhang Jun clapped his hands and called out. All four young horses came clattering over, tap-tap-tap ﾚ(ﾟ∀ﾟ;)ﾍﾍ(ﾟ∀ﾟ;)ﾉ, gathering in front of him.

Four little horse heads stretched out over the fence together. Zhang Jun smiled, petting them one by one as he took out horse treats.

After spending some time together, the four young horses had already established their hierarchy. Flying Cloud Colt was the first to stretch his head above Zhang Jun's palm and eat his treat.

River Moon was second, followed by Mountain Patrol Leopard and Forest Hero, who shared two portions of horse treats between them.

After taking out the ball kept in the pasture and playing a game of nudging it around with the four young horses for a while, Zhang Jun headed toward the broodmare stable.

Luo Heng was already there inspecting the situation, while Yang Fan was leading Du Chun and the others in sharing their experience caring for young horses.

"Brother Jun, you're here." Luo Heng waved. "Look, River Snow's coat has gotten another shade whiter than before."

Zhang Jun walked over and took a look. Sure enough, River Snow's coat had become lighter than before, with hints of white already showing through. She looked gray and white all over, like a cloud with legs.

"In another year or two, she'll probably be completely white," Luo Heng said.

When River Snow saw Zhang Jun, she excitedly ran to the wooden stable door and rubbed against the railing (੭ु´ᐜ`)੭ु⁾⁾.

"All right, all right."

Zhang Jun smiled and gently stroked her neck, handing her a specially made watermelon-flavored treat. "I know you missed me."

After playing with River Snow for a while, Zhang Jun went to see the other mares.

Quiet Night Thoughts still looked as aloof as ever, but the moment Zhang Jun took out treats, she came right to the door without any delay and gobbled them down in just a few bites -- an aloof-looking glutton on the surface (σ′▽‵)′▽‵)σ.

Drunken Flower Shade fell somewhere between River Snow and Quiet Night Thoughts. She did not excitedly rub against the railing like River Snow, nor did she only come over once treats were brought out like Quiet Night Thoughts.

She quietly waited by the door. When Zhang Jun came over, she would take the initiative to stretch out her head for him to pet and feed her.

Shangcheng Heroine was even less proactive than Drunken Flower Shade. Although she waited by the door, she would only lower her head after Zhang Jun reached out his hand.

Gentle Breeze Arrives had now become a social butterfly. No matter who passed by her door, she had to rub against them, leaving Luo Heng's hair and face covered in saliva.

Zhang Jun laughed so hard that he clutched his stomach. "O(∩_∩)O Haha~, Gentle Breeze Arrives, are you trying to lick him bald?"

Because of her personality, Stormcloud Lightning lived in the innermost stall among the six mares.

When Zhang Jun walked over, she was standing in the middle of her stall, her ears slightly pinned back.

At the sight of Zhang Jun, Stormcloud Lightning's ears twitched. She slowly raised them and walked toward the stall door.

Zhang Jun took out the grape-flavored treats he had specially prepared -- whenever Stormcloud Lightning had grape flavor, her movements were always a little faster.

She lowered her head and gently touched Zhang Jun's palm with her pink nose before opening her mouth to eat the treat.

After finishing it, Stormcloud Lightning did not leave. She remained by the door, quietly watching Zhang Jun.

Zhang Jun understood what she meant and reached out to gently stroke her forehead. Stormcloud Lightning lowered her head slightly, cooperating with his movements.

After visiting all six broodmares one by one, Zhang Jun asked the four stable hands, "How are they doing?"

Because Qi Fei had the greatest talent, he was now the leader among the four and answered Zhang Jun on their behalf.

"Other than Stormcloud Lightning, who is still only close to you, all six horses are in good physical and mental condition.

The physical conditioning for Gentle Breeze Arrives and the other five mares is complete, and they can be bred at any time; Stormcloud Lightning still needs a little more time and will have to wait until March."

Zhang Jun understood. After praising the four of them, he headed to the ranch's young horse area.

The new year had passed, and Wind-Chasing Hound and Lightning Chaser were both two years old now.

Although Wind-Chasing Hound was still shy, she had improved tremendously. When she saw Zhang Jun, she no longer hid. She merely stood where she was, looking a little nervous ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡, with her ears pricked forward, before slowly approaching. It took her a minute or two to reach him.

Zhang Jun took out a treat. Wind-Chasing Hound carefully ate it, then lifted her head and looked at Zhang Jun with her large eyes.

Zhang Jun reached out and gently stroked her neck. "Good girl. You're not scared anymore, right?"

Wind-Chasing Hound snorted, and her ears relaxed.

Lightning Chaser, on the other hand, was completely different from Wind-Chasing Hound.

The moment this little girl saw Zhang Jun, she became wildly excited. She ran to the stable door and tried to squeeze her way out, making little "yip yip yip" noises like a puppy begging for affection.

＼(●´ϖ`●)／

"All right, all right, be good."

Zhang Jun smiled as he stroked her head. He played with her for a while using the toys in the stable, fed her some treats, and then asked the trainers about their plans for the two young fillies.

Although Lightning Chaser was more afraid of unfamiliar environments, she adapted better. Her pre-race development stage was nearly complete.

The development trainer planned to have the girl enter the training center during the first week of May to familiarize herself with the environment. After spending a month or two getting used to it, she would begin race training.

Although Wind-Chasing Hound was not as timid as Lightning Chaser, she was more wary of unfamiliar environments and people, and her development stage still needed more work.

The ranch trainers believed that she would need to wait until September before entering the training center, and her debut might have to wait until she was three.