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Beginning to settle

12 February 2013

Indy has settled in surprisingly well, given that she has been used to 24/7 access to her paddocks and field shelter. We are on well drained Chalk soils here at Chilham, and the Weald Clay at the yard is a different ball game altogether - the paddock she is turned out into in the afternoons is rapidly becoming a quagmire and is not fair on Linda and Karen, so her daily turnout (a condition of her being at the yard) will be in the sand school until Spring. Karen rode her on the all weather gallop today for the first time and was impressed with her fitness.

Walked well most of the way to the hill gallop with Karen on board. Decided to only do three runs up the long side after the hard runs last week. Getting better but still ran out of strength / stamina towards the top on the last and fastest run. She is much younger than the others she is alongside and still needs time to build this sort of stamina? Not so good on the jig jog back and met the refuse cart at the top of South Lane Hill!

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