At Obihiro Racecourse in Hokkaido, draft horses began early morning training for traditional banei keiba races amid severe cold on Monday. With temperatures dropping to minus 15.9 degrees Celsius by 7 a.m., the horses pulled sleds to build cardiovascular endurance.
At Obihiro Racecourse in Hokkaido, draft horses underwent training for the traditional banei keiba races starting early Monday morning in severe cold. The sessions begin before dawn, aimed at enhancing the horses' cardiovascular endurance for the races where they pull sleds weighing up to one ton.
On that Monday morning in Obihiro, temperatures had fallen to minus 15.9 degrees Celsius by 7 a.m. Under the dawn-lit sky, the horses pulled sleds while exhaling visible breaths, working diligently in the freezing conditions.
Banei keiba is a longstanding Japanese horse racing tradition in Hokkaido, highlighting the strength of draft horses. Such cold-weather training helps build their resilience, preparing them steadily for upcoming competitions.