Another Frustrating Break from Trialling

So once again another trial season with a big amount of 'non trialling' in the middle. Poor Atilla - at 6 years old he has yet to run a full season - usually due to him being injured, but all my fault this time.

At the end of July I had a car accident coming home from work. Luckily I wasn't injured but my car was a write off and the 'quest' to find a new one has been frustrating to say the least. I have always had a high opinion of my credit union when it came to having to borrow money, but all of a sudden there appears to be a ton of red tape if you are self employed. Although I'm not, L. is - the fact that he's not the one paying the loan back doesn't seem to make any difference to them. So after many weeks of jumping through hoops finding documentation for them, not to mention trying to juggle one car when you live in the sticks with no public transport it all adds up to a load of stress ......... I am about to buy any single car that I can afford at the moment which is not much - what do I care what I drive providing I can fit dogs in the back, the Number 1 condition for a good car in my opinion.

And of course the worst thing about not having a car is not being able to trial. Neither of the kelpies has trialled since July. Cruz ran at Sunbury and gave me three outstanding runs - very little sign of any stress and the most speed he's given me trialling yet. We had an error on both Novice agility courses - both were extremely tough courses for Novice. It was wet and slippery for both our runs - first one he was going so fast on one section of the course that he actually face planted after trying to turn tightly from a jump, got up and ran past the next jump before I could even react. I was over the moon with his speed - especially when I heard that in the judge's briefing for Excellent agility he cautioned the competitors about how slippery it was for the 'very fast kelpie' in Novice - yes!!!!!! Fancy being delighted that your dog face planted..... what a dreadful mother I am.

On the second Novice agilty run, we had a similar episode - on the run home, he was going so fast that he didn't see the weaves until he was almost on them, collected to try and make the entry and slid around into the wrong side. I take total blame for that one - just assumed he would make the entry in the rain with me running full blast ahead and not slowing down........ bad mother and bad handler. (And bad trainer - note to self: more weave training in the rain!)

We only ran one Excellent Jumping round - an extremely difficult course that he actually handled very well for a green dog. We missed a tunnel discrimination (there were 4 of them all up and he nailed the other 3) that in retrospect was totally my fault again.

Atilla ran at Berwick and gave me some pretty good work, although we suffered from major tunnel suck again on several of the Master's courses. He still managed another Master's agility pass so was pretty happy with that. He also had a lovely Master's Jumping run on a course that I didn't put much effort into walking as it clashed with Master's Agility and I thought I had more chance with that one. So after only walking what was a difficult course twice, he went out and ran beautifully - until I forgot the course at about obstacle 19 and stood there like an idiot while he continued on taking jumps - not the correct ones unfortunately.

So.... how boring you say....... who cares about trial reminiscences unless it's with your own dogs? True, but I am having withdrawl from trialling so need to live vicariously through past runs !

And just to complicate matters and add a bit more stress ......... I have a new puppy. (You can read all about her in 'Ivy's Blog' - this one is for the kelpies, after having to share stuff with her all of a sudden they at least need a blog that's just for them)
Atilla doesn't seem to mind her at all - even when she jumps all over him. Cruz is a bit more wary and prefers a quick 'hello' but then to keep his distance.
Time management is interesting - now I have to divide my time between all three of them when it comes to training - maybe it's just as well we are having a break from trialling.

I'm trying to keep part of my agility area clear for circle running with puppy at the moment, so have been working with the kelpies on things that don't need much space in regard to equipment. Good excuse for all those jump grids that I've been putting off and have spent some time planning out today ........ although listening to the weather outside at the moment, it won't be tomorrow ! Keep planning detailed training sessions like this and I could break the drought.