Pretty crap video quality as it's just from my digital camera, (hopefully a Flip is on Santa's pressie list) but it shows the type of one armed training we have been doing for the past month.
Ever since Ivy arrived, I have been writing a list of the things I want to focus on with her each month and putting it on the fridge as a reminder but thanks to my own stupidity resulting in an accident involving a broken window, jagged glass and severing muscles and a nerve in my arm, the November list certainly hasn't gone to plan.
It could have been a lot worse and I am truly thankful that I am still around to blog about it, but I figure that almost 6 weeks of splinting, huge discomfort, feeling helpless and the ugliest scar out at least gives me some credibility in having a little pity party - but on the scale of things I promise it's very little indeed.
Training related, the things that I am most pissed about are:
-Missing the Susan Garrett seminar, especially after I had paid for both the seminar and accommodation.
-Missing my favourite trial, Warrnambool, with the kelpies. At least Ivy got to go along for a beach holiday and some more trial socialisation and focus work outside the rings.
-Having to put an enforced halt on a lot of the work we were doing, espcecially when she was making such good progress. We were just about to start alphabet drills and double box work, but these have been put on the back burner - hopefully for not too much longer. Seesaw training has also been put off for a bit as I really feel I need 2 arms to train it safely the way I want.
My long hair has also gone as I couldn't manage it with one hand, so I now have a new much shorter haircut to get used to which will also take me some time.
Luckily there are a lot of positives to come out of our revised training plan for the past month. Not being able to do so much has meant that I have probably looked a lot more closely at what we have done, rather than just thinking 'that's ok' and moving on. So our focus has been:
-more crate games, and trying to invent some creative ways of using crates. We have been using two crates to teach a verbal left and right cue. I don't know that I will ever use this on course, but she is totally nailing it and we have had a lot of fun with it. I have also been recalling from the crate with a high value ball on the ground in various positions where she has to come to me and tug first before I release her to the ball.
-lots of startline work and lead outs, as you can see on the video. I have been trying to vary the angle and distance of the jumps to really get her to think about her jumping.
-revisiting 'jump around the clock' type work with one jump, varying how close I set her up to it. She generally finds her take off point a lot better when I set her way back compared to when I set her up close so this is something that I need to be aware of and may need to use a stride regulator at some stage.
-set point exercise using the spread jump in loads of different configurations.
-recalling through the weaves, which is something that I always focused on when teaching channels but haven't done so much with 2X2's.
-continuing with lowered contacts, the A Frame is almost at full height now and I am planning on the dogwalk going up next week, once I can get back to adding some run bys to the recalls and sends.
-some straight line work involving a tunnel, 2 jumps and a table. (Thanks Trish)
Last week my splint was shortened so I now have 2 good hands at least, and the splint is a lot lighter so I don't need the sling any more. Yesterday I was able to start on push through threadles with her which she had no problems with. I have to say this whole experience has also made me realise how much more important good positioning and shoulder movement is rather than sticking your arm out and pointing, so another positive thing to come out of it and a lesson I need to remember. Plus I already have a training list ready and waiting for me for the next couple of months when this splint finally comes off.
So I am grateful that I am still here to spend time with my amazing Ivy and that she loves me unconditionally - no matter how many arms I have and what my hair looks like and how cranky I feel sometimes. Fingers crossed for getting back to normal training soon.
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