Chapter 354: Buying a Horse

Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Buying a Horse

This was the second time Ji Huan and Dabao had come to Yeyang.

Dabao, perhaps still remembering his experience of being sold to the Orphanage, held tightly to Ji Huan’s hand and refused to let go.

But his face showed no signs of resistance, panic, or fear. ’Does this mean that Dabao is finally starting to feel a little bit secure?’

It seemed so.

It was just like on her wedding day, when Dabao had overheard some gossip and asked if she would abandon him. He had been a little anxious when he asked, but it was more like he was seeking attention. So, after a little coaxing from Ji Huan, the storm had passed.

He’d been clinging to her like a shadow these past few days, not because he was truly afraid she would abandon him, but because he was worried Guan Shan would steal his place.

In truth, he was slowly beginning to trust the fact that Ji Huan would not desert him, that she would never abandon him.

Ji Huan’s mood lifted, and she began to swing Dabao’s hand back and forth. Dabao looked strangely at his suddenly whimsical sister, forced to swing along with her.

Guan Shan followed behind them. Before they came, Ji Huan had redone his hair, letting more of it fall around his temples, and had him wear a conical hat with a black veil that hung down halfway, so he didn’t attract any attention.

They entered the city through the North City Gate, asked for directions, and turned left directly onto Shuangjing Street.

After about fifteen minutes of walking, they arrived at the Horse Market. At first glance, it looked like a large square, a vast open space surrounded by a high wooden fence. Inside the fence were rows upon rows of sheds, each with a varying number of horses tied up within. Some were tied up outside as well.

Common folk liked to get a head start on everything, and coming to the Horse Market was no exception. If too many people got there early, wouldn’t the latecomers be stuck picking over the leftovers?

Ji Huan and the others hadn’t arrived late, but the place was already packed with people.

Potential buyers would come out of one shed and enter another, inspecting them one by one. Then they would return to the center of the square, either to find a horse expert or to exchange tips and experiences with other customers.

It was called the Horse Market, but it didn’t just sell horses. On one side, there were also cattle, mules, and donkeys. Still, a quick glance around showed that horses were the clear majority.

Some of the sellers were from horse ranches. These were big spenders, renting out several sheds at once.

Others were just selling one or two horses they had raised at home. They would simply tie their animals to a wooden post or walk them around, actively seeking out customers.

As for Ji Huan’s group of three—a woman, a child, and a man trailing behind them—they didn’t look like the ones in charge.

This type of customer usually couldn’t afford a high price, so they weren’t the ideal clients in the eyes of the horse traders. Consequently, almost no one proactively invited them to look at their horses.

’That’s fine by me.’ Ji Huan hated it when people chattered endlessly while she was shopping; it affected her judgment and her mood.

She put on a professional air, planning to inspect every single shed. ’It’s a "luxury item," after all. What if I get a bad deal because I didn’t shop around?’

First, Ji Huan observed how the people around her were judging the horses.

Most of them would lead a horse to a flat, open area and let it stand naturally. Then, they would walk a circle around it from a distance of three to five meters, observing its overall silhouette before moving closer to inspect its individual parts for coordination and symmetry, as well as its responsiveness to its surroundings.

Occasionally, she could overhear a horse expert quietly advising their employer.

"The art of judging a horse begins with the head and ears... Ears like sliced bamboo, eyes like a bird’s... A tail like a hanging broom. Next, the skull... The bones should be narrow from the side, the skin thin... From the front, it should look like a crowing rooster; from the back, a crouching tiger..."

"Avoid a large head and small neck, a weak spine and large belly, small shins and large hooves... The hooves should be three inches thick, hard as stone, deep and defined below, and splayed like a hawk’s wings at the back for endurance..."

"...In short, this is an absolutely fine horse. Trust me, you won’t lose out on this purchase..."

Ji Huan made a mental comparison and decided that Guan Shan’s explanation was still the easiest to understand.

To distinguish a good horse from a bad one, you first checked its age by its teeth; second, its pedigree; third, whether its build was well-proportioned and sturdy; fourth, its temperament; and finally, its speed, stamina, and jumping ability.

Ji Huan roughly summarized the specific factors to consider.

First was its looks.

This meant observing the horse’s external appearance to understand the quality of its physical structure, and from there, deduce its potential working capacity.

Second was its gait.

The so-called gait referred to the horse’s stride. This was directly related to a horse’s performance in terms of ability and speed, so it absolutely could not be ignored.

If a horse had proper posture and hoof shape, its forelimbs and hindlimbs would stay on the same vertical plane as it moved, striding straight forward.

However, improper posture, hoof shape, or physical defects would cause its hooves to knock against each other or its hind hooves to strike its fore hooves, resulting in an overlapping or interfering gait.

Third was the coat.

This mainly referred to the color and luster of the fine hair and guard hair covering the horse’s body.

Fourth was its age.

A horse’s natural lifespan was generally between twenty-five and thirty years, and its working ability was strongest between the ages of four and fifteen.

Fifth were its measurements and weight.

Relying solely on one’s eyes and experience was not always accurate. Measuring a horse’s dimensions and weight could compensate for the limitations of visual observation, allowing for a precise understanding of its growth, health, and nutritional status, thus enabling a proper choice for its feeding and use.

And finally, its temperament and constitution.

Constitution was the comprehensive expression of a horse’s external form and physiological functions, reflected in its appearance as the robustness of its body tissues—in other words, its sturdiness.

Temperament was the horse’s personality, a manifestation of its sensitivity and mental reaction to external stimuli, also known as its spirit. Each horse’s spirit was different, generally categorized as fiery, high-spirited, medium-spirited, and low-spirited.

Ji Huan tried hard to recall all this information, her eyes wide as she inspected the horses one by one. For any that caught her eye, she didn’t let a single hair escape her scrutiny.

But by the time she got to the third shed, they all started to look the same.

These horses all seemed more or less alike. Other than their height and build, it was really hard to tell them apart just by looking.

’If I had to say anything... they’re all pretty cute.’

’And ferocious, of course...’

’Forget it. I’ll let the professional handle this.’

Ji Huan turned to look behind her, gave a deliberate little cough, and said, "Why don’t you take a look?"

Guan Shan did not refuse. Upon seeing the horses, he became uncharacteristically talkative.

"This horse’s eyes are large, round, and bright—a good sign. But its ears are large, drooping, and slow to move—a bad sign."

He paced over to the next horse.

"This horse’s ears are small, pointed, and move nimbly, which is good. Unfortunately, its head is coarse and heavy, short and wide, with fleshy jowls—a bad sign."

He moved on.

"This one’s neck is high-set, long, and curved—a good sign. But its eyes are small and dull—a bad sign."

And the next.

"This one’s back and loins are straight, strong, and flexible—a good sign. But the definition of its limbs is poor, its pasterns are too long, and its stance is improper—a bad sign."

He continued on.

"This one has strong, sturdy, and upright limbs with moderately long and sloped pasterns—a good sign. But its hooves are too thin and the horn is brittle—a bad sign."

He stopped in front of the last horse in the shed.

"Now look at this one. The fore hooves are round and the hind hooves slightly pointed, of moderate thickness and size, with tough horn—all good signs. However, its neck is low, flat, and short, its rump is sloped and narrow, its back and loins are stiff and weak, and then there’s its head and shoulders..."

"Wait, wait!" Ji Huan snapped out of her daze and hurriedly cut him off.