I'm having trouble with my right knee, so I decided to find out how well Willie could do this Masters Jumpers course with distance handling. Here's a frame shot from this morning video. Note that I misread the map (again) and we took 10 from the wrong direction.
It was quite the learning experience. I plan to go out and "run" it again tonight or tomorrow morning. I'll finish the video then and post it here and on YouTube.
#1 is a continuing problem with Willie. He doesn't quite get it that if the jump is between him and me and I don't indicate otherwise, he is to take it.
#2 Can you say LATE!
#3 & #4 I missed seeing the threadle at 10, so I cued Willie to jump 10 in the wrong direction and then tried to do a threadle at 11. My initial plan was to handle it from what was our landing side, and getting there pulled Willie off of 9. It also made for a crunchy threadle. It handles much better when I remain on the take off side of 10 and I can also support 9 better. However, now that I see my mistake, I look forward to seeing if we can get 9-11 correct.
#5 I wanted to stay around (52,8), but soon discovered neither Willie nor Belle could get to 15 consistently if I did that. Moving 1/3 to 1/2 way down the tunnel supported that jump just fine. Actually, it's not surprising that Willie didn't carry out to 15 since we've done a lot of work in the last two weeks on tunnel exits. If I'm not moving when he goes in, then he should be checking for me and prepared to turn when he exits.
#6 I had to make sure I supported the double or Willie ran by it. (Perhaps that's because I didn't put a pair of wings on it, but still....) Must remember that Willie is a young, unexperienced dog and what Belle takes for granted, he very well may not.
