Sunday, February 21, 2010

Lost Confidence

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This morning started out great. I didn't have to be at the trial until after 9am so I had time to take Miley for a walk. I got some great sunrise pictures. Well, at least I think they are great. Then I was able to play chuck-it with Miley in the backyard to burn off some energy. We showed up to the trail and was sunny and warm. I think it hit 70 degrees today. I was feeling pretty good and then I went to walk the excellent jumpers course.



OMG, I thought, I cant do this. This is just to hard for us. I think after yesterday, I just didn't have it in my to do another crappy run. I kept trying to get my mind in a better place but I just was overwhelmed by this course. All I saw was off course everywhere. It looks spread out but walking it , it was very tight. Ugh!
My plan was to lead out pass #2 and do a come to heel and then rear cross her over #3. ( everyone I saw just lead out just pass #1 and post turned) Then bring her around #5-6 with a post turn and back up and pull her in toward me so that I could rear cross #8 so she didn't go off course.( most people did a front cross here) Well, the lead out worked and the rear cross worked, even the post turn with a back up worked. Whoohoo and then she didnt read the rear cross before #8 and flew off course over that #17 jump. Crap. We did manage to get back on course. She pulled out of the poles at the tenth pole and missed jump #17. I dont have any video because the person I asked forgot to film it. That's ok, I really didnt need to see that again. On the 3 hour drive home I thought to myself , why didnt I just walk an easier course for her and I so we could be successful? No, human nature is to follow the rules. Lol She did have a rock solid start line on this run. She didnt move a muscle. Also , no circling so thats a step in the right direction.

Next was out open standard run. No confusion there, like yesterday.

We still didnt do the table. She ran great. The only problem was that chute to the weaves. Wow, she just blasted passed the weaves. I guess I should have said "weave" while she was in the chute. She just couldnt collect to get into the weaves. I didnt put her back in because I didnt want to stress her. I front crossed after the weaves and put her into the tunnel. We did manage to get all the correct tunnel entrances all weekend. And again, no circling when things went wrong.
This was a tough day for lots of people. This one couple, who run 5 dogs, didnt "Q
" at all today. She told me they haven't had a day like this in 2 years. WoW. I heard someone else talking when I was walking JWW. She said only one large dog "Q"ed in the excellent standard run.

Thanks to everyone for the kind and supportive comments. It really means a lot to me.
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9 comments:

Sam said...

I don't think you have any reason to have lost confidence. From your descriptions, it didn't sound like Miley or you did badly at all. Especially with the opening sequence in the JWW run. Wow!

I tend to "follow the rules" too and will try to run a course even if I know it's too hard for my dog. Sometimes I wonder what other people will think of me doing a different course, other times I feel like Marge should just get it. Neither thought process gets me anywhere.

Marie said...

Those were some awesome pictures that you got this morning! I'm sorry that you and Miley didn't Q today, but I really think that it's an accomplishment that you got the correct tunnel entrances and that she isn't circling. That's a huge improvement!!! You are doing a great job.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the start line and tunnel discriminations. I know you've been working hard on those. Success comes one step at a time!

Dawn said...

What stunning photos! Both the sunrise and the ones of Miley. If all you did was take a road trip with the dog and shoot great photos you'd have had a successful weekend. As it was you had a solid start and she didn't circle even when things went bad. And you weren't alone in the no Q department so you know it's not you. She's beautiful and fast and young and you've got time to get it all worked out.

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

Ya know I really feel for you, but you have to know you are moving in the right direction, your dog is young and your dog is a dog with a lot of heart and energy so it will all come together. You have worked hard and look at all the things that did go right lately, look at how Miley is doing better with her mat, her start lines, reading some of the lines, it will all get there, you are right where you should be right now, and you are getting better every day, when it all comes together it is going to be totally awesome.

Unknown said...

Don't give up on the runs and don't stress about it. It sounded pretty hard.

Miley looks beautiful in the pictures :P

Sara said...

Beautiful photos, both the sunrise ones & the ones of Miley.

The fact that Miley didn't circle today is a big accomplishment. Maybe some of that mat training is already starting to pay off.

Chris and Ricky said...

Your photos turned out great! Miley is as always, very photogenic!

Man, the courses from your trial were just so hard - on paper the JWW looks impossible! Mom would've been totally panicking over it. Sounds like you guys had some positive things happening in each run even if they didn't result in a Q. No circling is a huge accomplishment!!

Dawn P said...

Looks like some of the masters jumpers courses in USDAA. I would have been in front cross hell. Glad her stay was good. :)