Uma Musume: Why Do We, Horse Trainers, Still Have To Train Uma Musume? Chapter 142 142: Imanami: Yutaka, Do You Still Remember The

What was Imanami's impression of Yutaka Take? Being successful at a young age, considered as a genius Jockey—these didn't particularly matter to Imanami.

After all, how many Jockeys who can enter the JRA are truly diocre? diocre and genius are rely fancy titles; for Jockeys in the JRA, none of them were truly weak.

But what left the deepest impression on Imanami about Yutaka Take to this day was an incident that happened in 1998.

It was November 1, 1998. During this ti, the future so-called "Golden Generation" had yet to fully establish their dominance. On that day, a Racehorse Yutaka Take rode called Silence Suzuka tragically fell.

Imanami, as a Stableman, wasn't as old then as he is now, and Silence Suzuka wasn't a Racehorse he cared for. But when he heard the news, he still felt downcasted for a long ti, showing considerable sadness.

The fall of this Racehorse, famous for his Runaway running style, was undoubtedly a huge blow to the then-young Yutaka Take. He was still full of youthful vigor and had never experienced a Racehorse falling like that under his ride.

He even drank through the entire night that day to drown his sorrows and grieved. Later, this emotional knot was largely untied when he rode Special Week to win the Tenno Sho (Autumn), but Imanami never forgot this incident.

The sudden fall of a horse under one's care is sothing difficult for any Stableman to accept. Even an old Stableman like Imanami couldn't imagine what kind of intense reaction he would have if one of the little ones under his care were to sleep forever on the track.

Especially after coming to this world, Imanami realized even more clearly that these children called Uma Musu are each endowed with an innate instinct "to run." Each of them gallops on the racetrack for this mission, this calling.

Therefore, he found it even painful to imagine these children falling on the track, or never being able to walk again, condemned to a life tornted by stillness.

Now, facing the person who was presumably this world's "Yutaka Take," who has only taken in Super Creek at this point in ti, he felt that it was necessary to set her on the right path before she becos a mber of their team.

"Glory... is the goal that an Uma Musu pursues. As Trainers, we should strive to help Uma Musu achieve their goals and realize their ideals."

Trainer Nase Fumino answered almost instinctively, but for so reason, she felt a strange sense of guilt in her heart, which made Fumino a little afraid to look Imanami directly in the eyes. Even her voice lacked confidence, though she didn't know why.

"That's right, but that's just one of the responsibilities we as Trainers have." Imanami nodded upon hearing this.

Yet, the current atmosphere now felt peculiar, as if their grandparents were speaking, imparting their life experience.

Although Imanami looked younger now, his patient habits and rich experience gave him the air of an elder. Whether it was Wada and Gold Ship, who were already respectful of Imanami, or Super Creek and Fumino Nase, who just t him for the first ti, they all fell silent as they listened to Imanami's words.

"A Trainer, though it may seem to represent a single occupation, in actuality, it's actually three."

'Three?' As soon as Imanami said this, everyone around instinctively thought to themselves, while only Wada nodded with deep understanding.

"Yes, three jobs," Imanami said, nodding. "One of them is what you said: helping an Uma Musu achieve their goals and realize their ideals. That's the first."

"Another is the prerequisite for the first one, which is to train your Uma Musu, training their judgnt, training their bodies, and thereby teaching them how to win races. That's another one."

"And the last and most important one is to care for your Uma Musu, not only with your brains, but also your heart. What is she feeling today? What kind of hobbies do they have? What kind of foods do they like to eat? Is she overexerting herself?"

"These are rely so examples of what a Trainer needs to pay attention to."

"These three jobs combined ultimately beco the profession everyone knows as a 'Trainer.' Thus, the duties and responsibilities represented by this profession are more significant than any other in this world."

"Uma Musu are not animals; they have emotions, wishes, and worries. Though they might express their pain and fatigue during their training—most of them won't speak up about these kinds of things."

"I believe that even Super Creek must sotis feel tired, right?" As Imanami spoke, he suddenly turned his gaze to Super Creek, who was listening intently nearby, and asked with a smile:

"So, Super Creek, when you feel tired, have you ever told your Trainer about it?"

"Well, that... I..."

However, Super Creek, suddenly asked this question by Imanami, suddenly had a sowhat wavering gaze. Fumino Nase, on the other hand, was slightly taken aback and slowly asked,

"Super Creek, you... do you really find my training schedule too taxing? But you never ntioned it to ? Why? If you had told , I could have adjusted your training schedule right then..."

"...Because I didn't want to trouble you, Trainer."

Super Creek, hearing this, knew she couldn't hide it any longer. She imdiately looked at her Trainer with a gentle smile and said softly,

"I trust you, Trainer, and of course I trust your judgnt. Therefore, I take all the training you propose seriously. If I'm tired, a day of rest tomorrow will make it better. There's one day off every week, so it's fine as long as I rest properly."

"Exactly," Imanami said, nodding gently at the sight. He then turned his gaze to Nase Fumino and continued to ask:

"So now, Trainer Nase, why do you think Super Creek didn't tell you her fatigue?"

"...Her trust in ?"

"That's right."

Upon hearing Fumino's answer, Imanami nodded with considerable satisfaction, feeling that this girl can understand others very well, or at the very least, understood the lessons he taught more quickly than those two cent blocks in his team.

"The relationship between an Uma Musu and her Trainer, at its most primal level, requires mutual trust, but this trust often drives both the Uma Musu and the Trainer to push themselves to do things beyond their capabilities."

"If a Trainer overexerts himself, at most they'll get seriously ill. But if an Uma Musu overexerts herself and ends her career right there, then is that not a dereliction of duty on the Trainer's part?"

"That's..."

Fumino looked into Imanami's eyes, speechless for a long ti. She subconsciously glanced at Super Creek, who was smiling gently beside her, and for so reason, a sudden feeling of trepidation arose in her heart.

Especially now that Super Creek had admitted that she had indeed pushed herself during training, Fumino felt even more afraid. She couldn't imagine how she could continue on if Super Creek had collapsed in front of her back then.

Her bond with Super Creek was irreplaceable; a situation like that happening to her was simply unthinkable for Fumino Nase.

Recalling it now, she felt waves of lingering fear. Imanami also noticed the change in Fumino's expression and finally spoke:

"So, simply establishing a relationship of trust with Uma Musu is not enough. This is also why I value Wada and Ikezoe so much, because like , we all care for our in-charge Uma Musu as if they were our own family."

"Only when we treat each other like family can we truly trust each other and not hide our difficulties and fatigue. Wada, this rascal, may be a little lacking in knowledge, but the bond he has with his Uma Musu, I believe, is the most essential thing for a Trainer to have—that is, absolute trust."

"So, before joining our family, Trainer Nase Fumino, I ask you, do you intend to treat these Uma Musu, all of them, as family?"

Imanami said this, and his words made Nase Fumino pause slightly. After a long while, the Trainer, hailed as a prodigy, was seen bowing respectfully to Imanami and said with heartfelt conviction:

"I have learned a lot, Imanami-senpai. I now understand where the gap between and everyone in this Team lies."

"I will accept Trainer Wada's request to be his assistant, simply so that I can also learn more of what I lack within this Team."

"...That's good then."

Imanami nodded with satisfaction upon hearing this. At this mont, behind Fumino Nase, isho Doto, who was beside Wada, finally spoke after watching the whole scene unfold:

"Um... isn't our Trainer the one that was supposed to be assessed? Why—Wuwuwuwuwuwu!"

"isho Doto, I barely escaped a calamity; don't push under the bus just after I escaped it!"

Wada quickly used the cat plushie that isho Doto loved a lot to cover isho Doto's face, stopping her words, lest Fumino Nase hears it and rembers what she was originally supposed to be doing today.

But it must be said, Imanami is indeed a senior. He actually gave Fumino Nase a lesson in reverse, indirectly helping Wada avoid this difficult situation. Not only did he gain an assistant, but one could also say he brought an assistant to the entire team.

Compared to the past clashes with Yutaka Take, Wada now hoped he could work with Fumino Nase as they were now. This, he believed, would be the most effective way for their team to improve.

----- -----

Ran out of things to say here.

----- -----

If you spot any errors, feel free to comnt about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.