December Yearling Update

The yearlings go through the same monthly health exams as the adults. There is much more humor involved in these exams and a great deal more patience is required.
These youngsters are sincerely happy, playful, exuberant and downright fun!

We brought all 13 yearlings into the garage - three or four at a time. Keeping up with them was like chasing rabbits: Spark tried to eat the foot ointment container while Violet ran off in the other direction with the lid. Commando and Amber wrestled in the work out room - now we can't find the sweat bands! Cayenne stole the dry erase marker and ran in circles with it so that we couldn't write down her weight. Chena didn't want to come out of the weigh-in crate, so Daisy and Champ decided to join her. FYI: all three of them weighed in at 121.8 pounds. Coal didn't want to get in the weight-in crate and howled desperately while getting weighed. Nomex had the most patience during his foot exam. Tinder stood by and monitored all of his siblings weights compared to his (Photo at right). Torch and Hotshot were the last to come into the garage and were so pleased to finally have their chance to run around that they were both "angels"!

L-R: Chena in the weigh-in crate; Champ joins Chena; Daisy joins the other two.

The Yearlings have had a very consistent training schedule thus far. They trained with the Adult Racers mixed into the same teams the entire month of September and through much of October. During November, they began to train in a predominantly "Yearling Squad". The focus of this young squad was manners and experience; not mileage. On average, the Yearlings have 50% of the training miles and 80% of the number of runs as the Adult Racers.

We have given many yearlings a chance to run in lead with a veteran adult. A few of them have really shined! In December, several Yearlings were "bumped up" to an Adult Racer team for a run or two. We watch their attitude very closely.

L-R: Allen with "the twins" Violet (left) and Amber (right); Cayenne wants her marker back!; Mark rescued the foot ointment container from Spark.


L-R: Nomex stands for his "mani-pedi"; Aliy gives some luvin' the angels: Torch (left) and Hotshot (right).