We're Off and Running

Trial season 2012 is now well  underway, although we haven't entered all that many to date.  Some lovely jumping runs and 3 First places in Excellent Jumping - although unfortunately only one was actually a Q.
Those damn 'one bar runs' are becoming the story of our lives at the moment .......... the strange thing is she actually seems to me to be jumping a lot better, with a greater degree of control and improved judgement in regard to appropriate take off point - and yet we are pulling more bars.  Another of agility's little mysteries !

That last JDX pass seems to be a long way off at times and although I am in no hurry to be competing in Masters with her just yet, it is still a frustrating experience on occasion.  She is just so responsive to every little thing I do and I know that this is having an effect on the bars coming down.... whether I am putting unnecessary pressure on her line or not transitioning smoothly between deceleration and acceleration.  I am indeed paying for my less than perfect handling at times, that's for sure.  But it's fun to have a dog that keeps me on my toes and inspires me to become better at this game we play together.

I had hoped that we would be back competing in agility by now and not just entering jumping, but the running A Frame training has not progressed how I had hoped.  Cruz adapted to the box method so easily I think I just expected Ivy to do the same ....... silly, silly me !  For one thing, her natural stride is so different to his, not to mention that damn BC crouch thing that is so hard wired in her.

Damned A Frame - my new least favourite piece of equipment, following the stupid weesaw of course !

Her foundation work on the ground was lovely, perfect hits into the box plus even more perfect hits with the grid.  But once we got onto the lowered A Frame, her 'bounce' footwork totally disappeared and she went back to single striding, which was how she was getting into 2 on 2 off to begin with.  After revisiting the foundation on the ground and a lot of video, I decided to go with this anyway, changing the criteria to a single front foot hit into the box to mark, followed (hopefully) by her running through it.  Problem is I just can't decide if this criteria is clear for her or not.  I have gone from removing the box (it made her footwork a little more 'creepy') to putting it back on again choosing clarity over speed.  We are almost at full height, but still have around 10cm to go and I am really taking this last bit slowly.  She is fairly consistent running through the box, but still occasionally leaps off if I accelerate ahead full steam. 
I had hoped to return to running agility at our club trial this weekend, but it isn't to be.  I really want to get this right and not rush her.  Unfortunately the trial at the beginning of next month - which was my next 'target' for returning to agility - has been cancelled, which means I now have no chance at trialling agility before Nationals. 
So even though she has been entered in agility at Nationals, we may very well only be doing our 3 jumping heats as the idea of making our excellent agility debut at this level doesn't really thrill me..... not ruling it out though as it certainly doesn't bother me using Nationals heats as training runs and I don't think it will bother Ivy somehow or other.  It's just important to me that she is working on a full height A Frame and I have at least made some attempt to fade the box before I enter her again.  I don't expect 100% accuracy first or we will most likely be out for the whole season !

Anyway, what looks like amounting to half the trial year out of agility because I decided to retrain her A Frame contact is not looking like so great an idea at the moment.  But we've come this far, so I really don't want to write it off as a mistake and go back to 2 on 2 off - not just yet anyway.

I spent a couple of days helping to rubberize our club's contact equipment a few weeks back so have now become inspired to do my own, once I decide on colours.  Very tempted to do pink girlie contacts for Ivy, but as this might not get the paws up from the macho kelpies, I will probably end up going for something more boring and conservative.
Photos to follow when I get around to it, plus hopefully some A Frame video as well.