...don't mix well. Despite battling a killer bug, I decided to run down to lovely Water Cress Farm in TN yesterday for a quick go with Rae. Got there 4 dogs before my turn, saw a couple RTs and then sent my dog. Last year Rae stopped short on the left outrun, and probably since I was ready and expecting it this year, she chugged right on around and came in fine. These sheep really bring out her eye, so I had trouble getting her to flank freely on the fetch. We limped along just offline pretty much the whole way down. I didn't have much energy to fight her, so just kinda let her have her offline fetch. Slow and deliberate turn, got the drive going well until shortly in front of the panels when I know my whistles were bad. My head was really cloudy at this point, I know I was blowing late and big flanks, so we missed the panel but recovered for a good cross-drive leg, making those panels. Return leg to the shedding ring was probably sloppy, I don't really remember, I was too busy huffing and puffing to walk 15 yards out to the ring. We needed a split, but had a tough time with a ewe who kept wanting to break no matter where I put her. I was about zero help for Rae at this point, couldn't move enough to hold up my side, couldn't think enough to come up with a plan, but she hung in there and we eventually pulled out an 8 point split. Regathered with 8 seconds left, went all out for the pen and tried to shove them in, but the timer went off just as I was closing the door on one's butt.
Rae did so much more than her share of the work, and I really don't know how she understood my feeble whistles, but she even took her downs. I saw 2 runs after mine then hit the road, fighting off sleep the whole way. Slept for 14hrs and decided not to go back today. Bummer, because I was so looking forward to this trial. Ah well. I'm on-call about a gazillion times this next week and weekend, so resting up was the smart move. Sorry Rae.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Edgeworth '10
What a fun trial! Nice combo of my "northern" and "southern" friends, great weather, great site. I got off to a slow start and was running behind schedule Friday morning when my weekend's worth of dog water upset in my truck 1 mile from home. Stopped at the clinic to clean up and pick up a rescue dog to be dropped off in Christiansburg. I got as far as Charlottesville before realizing I forgot to pack all of my shirts...they were still hanging on the closet door! Quick detour to the Charlottesville mall, 3 new shirts later and I'm on the road again. Got there just in time to see the last 2 runs of the first day of Open, both RTs. Seeing as this was my first fall Open Edeworth experience, I was super bummed to miss an entire day's worth of runs.
We ran Saturday morning, quite near the end of the first go. Thinking I'd send Rae left (as Renee told me she'd always sent), we got to the post and Rae showed me right. I let her have right and she gave a picture perfect outrun all the way out (625? yards) over the hilly terrain. What a good girl! I had trouble getting her to flank off the pressure down the fetch line, but got it corrected before the panels, turn a little hiccup-y since I chose to use stops and small flanks to keep her in close for fear of her going wide to cover. We never got a good flow going down the driveaway, she either wasn't listening or couldn't hear me, and I wasn't handling well, so we ended up retiring. Blah. I know I sounded frantic and angry (which I was), but I need to at least pretend to be less rattled!
Sunday we ran around lunchtime, again sent her right...and this time she came in way too early and needed a redirect. That's not something I practice much with her, but she took it perfectly and got out to the top fine. I really reigned her in and handled her much more slowly down the fetch to make sure she was listening and felt in control of her sheep. Sheep drifted through the fetch panels, pretty good turn again keeping her in close, good start to the drive. About 2/3 down the driveaway I had a major brainfart and blew a wrong flank. That got me flustered and I proceeded to blow MORE wrong flanks. Things got hectic but finally we regained control, just in time to miss the panels wide. Got them on a good line for the cross-drive, which ended up being a sprint. After holding her back, I saw that relieving pressure was not going to slow them, so I hustled her on. I'm not used to handling sheep moving at a full run, but we had a good line and made the panel. Slowed everyone down on the return leg, then we were to put them through a chute, which was make or miss. Somehow I got lost in the moment and ended up farting around at the chute for way too long (I was really freaking determined to get them through!), so when we finally gave up, I had only 1:30 left to pen and shed. I had a high-headed ewe who wasn't keen to go through the chute or pen, and we ended up timing out at the pen. Rae was hot and tired so I didn't push her too much at that point. She ran so well for me and I was really quite pleased with our teamwork!
One of our biggest accomplishments was the successful use of the DOWN WHISTLE which has plagued me for over a year. She took most of her downs and I was unbelievably happy! Without my mental mistakes of blowing wrong flanks and being hyper-focused on the chute, we actually had a decent run going. I learned many lessons and hopefully won't make the same mistakes again, for the sake of my patient teacher Rae and my innocent young dogs!
Innocent young dog? HAH!
Gratuitous sibling photo of Liver-puppy with her studly bro Deuce.
We ran Saturday morning, quite near the end of the first go. Thinking I'd send Rae left (as Renee told me she'd always sent), we got to the post and Rae showed me right. I let her have right and she gave a picture perfect outrun all the way out (625? yards) over the hilly terrain. What a good girl! I had trouble getting her to flank off the pressure down the fetch line, but got it corrected before the panels, turn a little hiccup-y since I chose to use stops and small flanks to keep her in close for fear of her going wide to cover. We never got a good flow going down the driveaway, she either wasn't listening or couldn't hear me, and I wasn't handling well, so we ended up retiring. Blah. I know I sounded frantic and angry (which I was), but I need to at least pretend to be less rattled!
Sunday we ran around lunchtime, again sent her right...and this time she came in way too early and needed a redirect. That's not something I practice much with her, but she took it perfectly and got out to the top fine. I really reigned her in and handled her much more slowly down the fetch to make sure she was listening and felt in control of her sheep. Sheep drifted through the fetch panels, pretty good turn again keeping her in close, good start to the drive. About 2/3 down the driveaway I had a major brainfart and blew a wrong flank. That got me flustered and I proceeded to blow MORE wrong flanks. Things got hectic but finally we regained control, just in time to miss the panels wide. Got them on a good line for the cross-drive, which ended up being a sprint. After holding her back, I saw that relieving pressure was not going to slow them, so I hustled her on. I'm not used to handling sheep moving at a full run, but we had a good line and made the panel. Slowed everyone down on the return leg, then we were to put them through a chute, which was make or miss. Somehow I got lost in the moment and ended up farting around at the chute for way too long (I was really freaking determined to get them through!), so when we finally gave up, I had only 1:30 left to pen and shed. I had a high-headed ewe who wasn't keen to go through the chute or pen, and we ended up timing out at the pen. Rae was hot and tired so I didn't push her too much at that point. She ran so well for me and I was really quite pleased with our teamwork!
One of our biggest accomplishments was the successful use of the DOWN WHISTLE which has plagued me for over a year. She took most of her downs and I was unbelievably happy! Without my mental mistakes of blowing wrong flanks and being hyper-focused on the chute, we actually had a decent run going. I learned many lessons and hopefully won't make the same mistakes again, for the sake of my patient teacher Rae and my innocent young dogs!
Innocent young dog? HAH!Gratuitous sibling photo of Liver-puppy with her studly bro Deuce.Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Been Awhile
Oops, couple months went by. In that time, I bought a little "mini-farm" and have been super busy with a million projects to get it into working condition. Was hard to work dogs in the scorching temps that we had in the late summer, but now that fall's here, I'm getting to training on the young ones. Livy is KEENKEENKEEN and I'm liking her. Gabe hasn't seen much work, but is plugging away and maturing very nicely. I have another youngster who I've been putting some time into, and though he's not mine, I'm really enjoying him. Ella was re-injured (that darn neck popped out at C2-C3 AGAIN and also at the A-O this time), but a day trip up to the chiro and she's good as new. Rae hasn't been used much other than to settle the puppy sheep; I've mostly been trying to keep her fit and happy.
I have a new whistle, but the transition hasn't been easy for me or for Rae. When I first practiced with it (sans dog), I'd end up blowing spit all over myself like I'd never whistled before. I tried with Rae and she actually took her flanks backwards. We're making some progress, but I still don't feel totally comfortable with it and still have slobber sessions. However, Rae has shown me that she understands the stop whistle (when I blow it well) on the new titanium one vs. never on the old aluminum. And the only difference I've made is changing whistles...
We have Edgeworth this weekend. I don't feel as prepared as I'd hoped to be for the start of the fall trial season, but it is what it is. Unfortunately there are only so many hours in a day, and now the days are getting shorter and shorter...hate that.
I have a new whistle, but the transition hasn't been easy for me or for Rae. When I first practiced with it (sans dog), I'd end up blowing spit all over myself like I'd never whistled before. I tried with Rae and she actually took her flanks backwards. We're making some progress, but I still don't feel totally comfortable with it and still have slobber sessions. However, Rae has shown me that she understands the stop whistle (when I blow it well) on the new titanium one vs. never on the old aluminum. And the only difference I've made is changing whistles...
We have Edgeworth this weekend. I don't feel as prepared as I'd hoped to be for the start of the fall trial season, but it is what it is. Unfortunately there are only so many hours in a day, and now the days are getting shorter and shorter...hate that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)