Chapter 44 – Humans Really Can’t Be Helped

The stalls at night are boring.

We can’t go outside.

Humans always tell us to sleep, but horses actually spend a surprising amount of time chatting.

Since I don’t have anything better to do, I usually talk to Mom.

“Hey, Mom.”

Stonebreak—my mother—turned toward me with a half-asleep expression.

She was my mom, the ranch’s graded-stakes winner. Although she was usually arrogant and sharp-tongued, she was a remarkable mare who always indulged me when I cuddled up to her.

“Hm?”

Her reply was low and lazy.

“I want to race already.”

After I said that, Mom paused for a moment before snorting softly.

“Even at the earliest, you’ve got another two years.”

“Ehh…”

That’s so unfair.

“But I’m the fastest horse on the ranch.”

That was simply a fact.

I’d been alive for about four months now.

Whenever we ran around the pasture, I could leave the other foals behind without any trouble.

Lately, I’d even started beating some of the yearlings.

Sure, once in a while they’d get serious and outrun me.

But that was only because they were cheating.

Mom let out another amused snort.

“Heh. There are plenty of horses much faster than you at the bigger ranches.”

“There are!?”

I leaned forward in surprise.

I had no idea.

“That’s what horse racing is.”

She said it as though it were obvious.

“Grrr…”

That honestly caught me off guard.

…No, wait a second.

Then if I beat all of them, that would prove how amazing I was.

Simple enough.

But then another question popped into my head.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you race?”

I knew most things about this ranch.

Grandpa.

Saku.

Yayoi.

But I didn’t know much about the places outside where horses raced.

Mom fell silent for a while.

At first I thought she’d fallen asleep.

But no, she was thinking.

“Let’s see…”

Then she answered slowly.

“Instinct… and a little bit of ‘obligation,’ I guess.”

“Obli… what?”

What’s that?

Can you eat it?

Mom chuckled softly.

“I wanted to help make this ranch just a little bigger.”

I nodded immediately.

“I get that!”

I really did.

This ranch was a little small.

Sure, there was enough room to run, roll around, and nap.

It wasn’t bad, but…

I’d love to sprint across a huge, wide-open place.

“And…”

Mom’s voice became a little more serious.

“I also wanted to make Saku someone important.”

“Eh? Why?”

I genuinely didn’t understand.

Saku was just the human who brought food, brushed us, and got angry all the time.

Sure, he was useful…but why would Mom go that far for him?

My mother gave me an exasperated look.

“Saku’s about the only human who can understand what horses are saying.”

“What!?”

I was stunned.

Really stunned.

I bounced right up off the straw.

“I thought everyone could understand us! I just figured Yayoi was the weird one, but Grandpa and everyone else could hear you!”

“I won’t deny Yayoi’s a little odd, but she can’t hear us either.”

“Whaaaat…”

As I sat there genuinely confused, one of the broodmares in the neighboring stall sleepily joined the conversation.

“Humans are awfully inconvenient creatures.”

“Exactly. That’s why we have to make so many allowances for them.”

“And even when we do, they still don’t understand.”

Were humans really that hopeless?

“They seriously can’t understand horses!?”

“Most of them can’t.”

“But we understand human language!!”

“That’s right.”

“Humans really can’t be helped.”

…Wow. Humans are pretty doomed.

No wonder they did such strange things sometimes.

“So…”

Mom’s voice carried clearly through the quiet stable.

“If Saku could tell everyone which foods we like, when we’re feeling sick, or when we’re about to get hurt…Wouldn’t that make life easier for us?”

“Absolutely!!”

I nodded enthusiastically.

For one thing, I’d rather have Fuji apples than ordinary apples!

“Then Saku has to become someone important!”

“Exactly.”

Mom gave another small snort.

“So if you kids work hard, people will probably think, “If that’s what the owner of that horse says…””

“I get it!!”

I understood.

I really understood.

In other words, this was what she meant.

We become strong.

Everyone says, “Wow! That horse is incredible!”

Then Saku, that horse’s owner, says something, and all the humans go,

“Oh! If the owner of such a famous horse says so…”

Grandpa will be happy.

Yayoi will be happy.

Perfect.

“Humans really can’t be helped.”

I let out an exaggerated sigh while lying on my straw.

“Leave it to me, Mom!!”

If that was all it took… it would be easy!

Mom answered with what sounded almost like a smile.

“Well… just don’t get yourself hurt.”

“Yep! First, I’ll become an undefeated Triple Crown winner!”

The instant I declared it with complete confidence…

The entire stable fell silent.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Huh?

What’s with the awkward pause?

Were they all just overwhelmed by how amazing I was?

Then one of the broodmares across the aisle spoke in an unusually quiet voice.

“…Ah.”

Another mare continued.

“That’s definitely Crown.”

“Without a doubt.”

“The only kid who throws around the words ‘Triple Crown’ that proudly is him.”

“I’m gonna be a Triple Crown winner too!”

For some reason, everyone’s attention shifted away from me and toward somewhere else.

When I tilted my head, Mom made a face full of genuine displeasure.

“…I’m going to scold Crown later.”

Huh? Why?

All he said the other day was, “Rudolf! You’re going to become an undefeated Triple Crown champion!!”

He’s getting yelled at for that?

…Oh well.

At least I’m not the one getting scolded.