Thank you Andrew and Katie for your lovely comments after my last post :-)
Sorry that I beat myself up a bit but sometimes a little set back is what I need to make me more focused!!
After watching these snippets of video I'm much more confident about our progress.....normal service resumed.
Reno is working so well in training and I'm convinced if I can be a bit more consistent in competition great things are just around the corner :-)
I've decided to stray slightly from Susan Garrett's 2 x 2 as I feel that Reno now understands how to weave 12 poles and get an entry but our particular problem lies in putting them into a course. Because of this I am going to concentrate on putting the weaves into short sequences at the moment then go onto do days 11 and 12 in a few weeks time.
I've got quite an exciting weekend coming up.
On Saturday we are going to Belvoir Steam Festival. There is an Agility Competition there but, depending on how things go, I may not compete. The whole point of going is so that Ann, Mark, Ade and Myself can have a nice day out together.
On Sunday it's back to Bakewell again, this time for Dog Vegas. Pen's judging the Team Dash (and 2 other classes that I'm in I think) so it should be fun. We're looking forward to running with Reno's brothers and sister again :-)
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Monday, 16 May 2011
The Weakest Link
At the moment Agility with Reno seems to be full of surprises - some good and some bad!!
Although I didn't manage to do any weave practice with Jo on Monday night we did a lot of work on start lines. Jo wanted to know if Reno understood that handler standing still by a jump is a turning cue. Pleasant surprise number one was that he completely understood and shortened his stride like a pro to turn tight :-)
I set the course up for training on Tuesday night. Pleasant surprise number two - Reno got every weave entry in his class (quite straight forward) and also managed the more difficult entry that I'd set up for Kiros's class.
So on my way to High Peak I was a little nervous but quietly optimistic. Why is it always at that point things start to go wrong?!!
Reno's first run of the day was in jumping and he managed 3 jumps before an elimination, dodging me and obstacles to go into tunnels, but I did manage to get him through 12 weaves (eventually).
Above is his Agility run. He had no intention of stopping on his contacts and, again, went into a tunnel 3 times rather the weaving!!
But the team dash was the biggest humiliation of the day!!! It had been spitting with rain most of the day and by the time we got to run the dash the heavens had opened so Andrew didn’t put any weaves into the course. Reno ran first and worked the tight corner that I was worried about lovely then I relaxed and he took an off course jump getting eliminated. Then Speedy ran – clear, Zippy – clear and then Megan - you’ve guessed it – clear!!!
By this point Ann and I were both soaked and had lost the will to live so we left without attempting his last Agility :-(
Thanks to Jo for posting a video of the dash on her blog as I've been able to analyse my handling in that run and the Agility. My conclusion is that the weakest link is...............Me!!
I could list a number of things that I did inconsistently but the biggest disappointment was the start lines. After all of the training that we did a few days before how could I have thought that Reno would know to turn when I was still moving?
My resolve for next weekend is to run in competition like I do in training.
On a lighter note Ann, Sue and I went to watch the World Agility Open yesterday nr Bristol. It was a very long but incredibly exciting day. The British competitors were literally world class and I was so proud to see Dave and Rusty receive Gold in the Individual Pentathlon and Team events.
To top it all we were treated to Susan Garrett at her finest with what can only be described as a perfect run in the Biathlon Agility.
Although I didn't manage to do any weave practice with Jo on Monday night we did a lot of work on start lines. Jo wanted to know if Reno understood that handler standing still by a jump is a turning cue. Pleasant surprise number one was that he completely understood and shortened his stride like a pro to turn tight :-)
I set the course up for training on Tuesday night. Pleasant surprise number two - Reno got every weave entry in his class (quite straight forward) and also managed the more difficult entry that I'd set up for Kiros's class.
So on my way to High Peak I was a little nervous but quietly optimistic. Why is it always at that point things start to go wrong?!!
Reno's first run of the day was in jumping and he managed 3 jumps before an elimination, dodging me and obstacles to go into tunnels, but I did manage to get him through 12 weaves (eventually).
Above is his Agility run. He had no intention of stopping on his contacts and, again, went into a tunnel 3 times rather the weaving!!
But the team dash was the biggest humiliation of the day!!! It had been spitting with rain most of the day and by the time we got to run the dash the heavens had opened so Andrew didn’t put any weaves into the course. Reno ran first and worked the tight corner that I was worried about lovely then I relaxed and he took an off course jump getting eliminated. Then Speedy ran – clear, Zippy – clear and then Megan - you’ve guessed it – clear!!!
By this point Ann and I were both soaked and had lost the will to live so we left without attempting his last Agility :-(
Thanks to Jo for posting a video of the dash on her blog as I've been able to analyse my handling in that run and the Agility. My conclusion is that the weakest link is...............Me!!
I could list a number of things that I did inconsistently but the biggest disappointment was the start lines. After all of the training that we did a few days before how could I have thought that Reno would know to turn when I was still moving?
My resolve for next weekend is to run in competition like I do in training.
On a lighter note Ann, Sue and I went to watch the World Agility Open yesterday nr Bristol. It was a very long but incredibly exciting day. The British competitors were literally world class and I was so proud to see Dave and Rusty receive Gold in the Individual Pentathlon and Team events.
To top it all we were treated to Susan Garrett at her finest with what can only be described as a perfect run in the Biathlon Agility.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Day 10.......
is entitled "Building Drive and Footwork" but I'm not sure we achieved either!!
(Sorry about the very dark video in places. I'm not sure what happened)
Reno found this training session quite challenging and really had to think about some of the exercises.
Surprisingly the one that he found hardest was the "send on" which he does easily through the channel. Hopefully this will be easy to work on?
His footwork was also all over the place for the first 6 poles and then he got into a rhythm in the last 6. Again, I'm sure that this is something that can be fixed.
This was the last chance that I'll have to work on the 2 x 2 weaves before Reno's next competition, High Peak on 14th May. I'm hoping that either Jo or Allison will set some weaves up in a course this week so I can try them out.
I suppose I'm going to have to trust that Reno knows what I want him to do. It doesn't matter that he makes a mistake in the weaves, just that he makes an attempt at them.
Reno's See-saw (at the end of the video) is improving nicely. He's looking so much more confident with it :-)
Fingers crossed for High Peak!! At least Reno can have fun in the Team Dash with his brothers and sister.
(Sorry about the very dark video in places. I'm not sure what happened)
Reno found this training session quite challenging and really had to think about some of the exercises.
Surprisingly the one that he found hardest was the "send on" which he does easily through the channel. Hopefully this will be easy to work on?
His footwork was also all over the place for the first 6 poles and then he got into a rhythm in the last 6. Again, I'm sure that this is something that can be fixed.
This was the last chance that I'll have to work on the 2 x 2 weaves before Reno's next competition, High Peak on 14th May. I'm hoping that either Jo or Allison will set some weaves up in a course this week so I can try them out.
I suppose I'm going to have to trust that Reno knows what I want him to do. It doesn't matter that he makes a mistake in the weaves, just that he makes an attempt at them.
Reno's See-saw (at the end of the video) is improving nicely. He's looking so much more confident with it :-)
Fingers crossed for High Peak!! At least Reno can have fun in the Team Dash with his brothers and sister.
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Day 9 - Sorry Susan............
I know this isn't exactly your Day 9 but I needed to know that Reno would pick up fast easy entries!!
I knew that Reno had started to understand the entry to the weaves but everything we had done up to today was so much slower then we would be doing in competition. The entries that Susan has achieved with "Trendi" are certainly impressive but not what we are likely to encounter in Grade 3 (hopefully)!!
I also have to apologise to Susan as I was unable to change habitat and, as you can see, Reno's toy :-)
Much like Trendi, Reno tried to put a gap in the middle of the 12 poles when they came together. In fact, looking at his foot work, I think in his mind he was doing two sets of 6 throughout the whole session - double stepping the first, then single stepping and then double stepping - not being sure what to do in the middle!!
The most pleasing thing about today's session was that from the camera angle (which I think was a lot better today) Reno was obviously looking for the poles.
Tomorrow is day 10 which is entitled "Building Drive and Footwork". I'm looking forward to this :-)
I knew that Reno had started to understand the entry to the weaves but everything we had done up to today was so much slower then we would be doing in competition. The entries that Susan has achieved with "Trendi" are certainly impressive but not what we are likely to encounter in Grade 3 (hopefully)!!
I also have to apologise to Susan as I was unable to change habitat and, as you can see, Reno's toy :-)
Much like Trendi, Reno tried to put a gap in the middle of the 12 poles when they came together. In fact, looking at his foot work, I think in his mind he was doing two sets of 6 throughout the whole session - double stepping the first, then single stepping and then double stepping - not being sure what to do in the middle!!
The most pleasing thing about today's session was that from the camera angle (which I think was a lot better today) Reno was obviously looking for the poles.
Tomorrow is day 10 which is entitled "Building Drive and Footwork". I'm looking forward to this :-)
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