**Chapter 31: The Horse Trailer Hustle**
"It's not even as good as the stuff you'd find on Rakuten's used horse listings," Ogawa Take said bluntly, sizing up Ocean Fleet 2024.
Still, when Kitano asked him to arrange a stable transfer for the horse, Take didn't hesitate to say yes.
Most yearlings bought at auction stay at the breeding farm for a while before moving. But sometimes, if the buyer's a breeder themselves or has ties to a closer stable, they'll request a transfer right away. Ocean Fleet 2024 came from Murata Farm, a place known for turning out solid performers in both local and Central races. Their setup—staff, facilities, everything—was leagues above a small outfit like Nishiken. And yet, Kitano wanted the horse moved.
Take, a veterinarian by trade, knew an animal's personality came from a mix of genetics and environment. Ocean Fleet's skittish nature wasn't entirely Murata Farm's fault, but it was hard to deny the farm had played a role. And from what he could see, that role hadn't done the horse any favors.
"Total comes to 6.6 million yen, tax included. Hang onto your receipt," the Hokkaido Market staff said, handing over the certification papers. With that, the deal was done.
Take took charge of the handover paperwork, while Masaru and Kanna were tasked with getting the two yearlings—Ocean Fleet and Kanna's dark bay mare—onto the horse trailer. Nishiken, being a small-scale breeder and owner operation, had its own transport gear. Around Niikappu Town, a hub for horse breeding, "horse buses" like theirs were a common sight.
In South Kanto, owners often hired JRA's transport services, but here in Hokkaido, where roads were long and farms were modest, most breeders invested in their own trailers.
Nishiken's trailer was a beat-up Mitsubishi Fighter, its compartment rigged to hold four horses and two stablehands. Kanna had no trouble guiding her dark bay mare inside, her movements smooth and practiced. She crossed her arms and leaned against the trailer, watching her younger brother struggle.
"C'mon, easy now, no need to be scared," Masaru said softly, patting Ocean Fleet's back. The Kurige horse was a nervous wreck, eyes wide, nostrils flaring. Even the staff member helping out looked defeated.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, buddy," Masaru murmured, moving as carefully as he could. One wrong step, and the horse might lose it completely. Thoroughbreds were sensitive—five to ten times more than humans when it came to sudden sounds or movements. And Ocean Fleet? It was in a league of its own, jumpier than any horse Masaru had ever handled.
"Try putting its gear on," Kanna called out, her tone casual but pointed.
"Gear?" Masaru paused, glancing at her.
She shrugged, and he took the hint. For horses that hated transport, gear like earplugs, headgear, blinders, or shadow rolls could sometimes calm them down. Desperate, Masaru grabbed the full set and started fitting it on Ocean Fleet. The horse squirmed but didn't fight too hard, which was a small mercy. Once the gear was on, it finally took a hesitant step forward. With the staff's help, they coaxed it into the trailer's compartment.
"That looked like a war zone," Take said, walking over after wrapping up his chat with Kitano.
"We're in for a rough ride, Dad," Masaru said, rubbing his sore arm with a tired grin. Even that short tussle with Ocean Fleet had left him drained. Compared to this, handling Mejiro Pegasus on a bad day felt like a breeze.
"Just the beginning, kid. Buck up!" Take gave his son a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Gotta say, Kitano's got a weird knack for picking horses."
The three horses Kitano had entrusted to Nishiken so far were all… memorable, to put it kindly. It was almost a talent, spotting horses that stuck in your head for better or worse.
Take shook his head, climbed into the driver's seat, and shut the trailer's compartment. As the engine rumbled to life, Ocean Fleet let out a sharp, anxious whinny. It tried to turn in the cramped space but got nowhere. The trailer's compartments were tight, the lead rope clipped firmly to the railing. Space was limited—partly for safety, mostly because Nishiken couldn't afford anything fancier.
This Mitsubishi Fighter, even used and well-worn, had set them back over 6 million yen. Horse racing wasn't a cheap game. Take had heard of big-shot owners in Central who decked out custom trailers for international hauls, but for Nishiken, that was a pipe dream.
"Play some music for it, Masaru" Take called, glancing at the compartment through the observation window behind him.
Transporting a horse this tense was a gamble. A bad trip could set a horse back weeks, especially a small one like Ocean Fleet. Weight loss from stress was a real risk, and for a horse this slight, it could be dangerous.
"Music?" Masaru blinked, confused.
Kanna rolled her eyes. "You've got a lot to learn, dummy." She pulled out her phone, opened her music app, and hit play. A soft, calming melody filled the compartment.
"If it's still got an appetite, try feeding it something to distract it," Kanna added. "But if it's motion-sick, don't bother."
She watched Ocean Fleet closely. The music seemed to take the edge off, though just barely. Meanwhile, her dark bay mare was already bobbing its head to the rhythm, looking almost content.
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