# Back at agility, thinking of entering



## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Well I finally got to go back to agility class today. Sure enough I fell trying not to run into Racer. I managed to fling myself quite gracefully onto my right hip & shoulder & executed a perfect roll. I knew I was going down & did my darnedest to protect my left knee. The good news is I succeeded & was fine although dirty 

Hubby has done a great job on contacts while I have been out. The A frame needs work for a 2/2 but everything else looks good. Ran him at 24 for the first time & it was no big deal. 

There is a trial coming up on 9/26 & I am thinking of entering 3 classes on Fri to see how he looks in a trial & where I need to focus. If he does well I will enter a 2nd trial in mid Oct for possibly 2 days. Since I'm skipping the UKC conformation specialty it's time to set a pattern for a funky hairstyle.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Excellent! At some point you just have to jump in and get ring experience. Everything will get worse for a while, but if you have a good foundation, it will emerge!

Good luck!

--Q


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Quossum said:


> Excellent! At some point you just have to jump in and get ring experience. Everything will get worse for a while, but if you have a good foundation, it will emerge!
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> --Q


Thanks! I know all bets are pretty much off in the first few trials lol

He is having a hard time reading rear crosses but I think working on those pretty hard will have us ready before the trial. He just doesn't understand but other things are coming together so the light should come on soon!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Lily recently went through a new round of not reading rears. What my trainer had me do was sit her and stand behind her on one side and then move to the other so she would turn her head in the new direction. It worked really well.

I agree with Q, it is time to take the plunge and see what happens. Just think of it as an expensive match show.


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Thank you Catherine. That is an excellent idea & I will certainly try it.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

poolann, I haven't gotten to try this out at a trial yet, but she did catch on very quickly and she reads rears on my trainer's course much better.

I've been hauling my weave poles in and out of my truck all week to work on getting Lily to collect going in to the poles. Stef had me set them up on hills and send Lily in going down. We will see tomorrow when we have a lesson wether I can take them out.

We do end up doing crazy stuff with these poodles don't we.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I forgot to say earlier that I am very glad you are back to running with Racer. Don't do too many of those drop and rolls now though!


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

lily cd re said:


> I forgot to say earlier that I am very glad you are back to running with Racer. Don't do too many of those drop and rolls now though!


I honestly think if I hadn't done my move worthy of an Olympic athlete I may have just gone down on my knees. Lol

We were heading to the A frame after a tunnel & he just cut me off. Crazy young dog that probably saw a butterfly or something. He had a fairly straight line & I just couldn't stop. It really startled him & I had a heck of a time getting him to the A frame when I got back up. He seems to be over it now.

Oh the joys of agility. Not the first time I've fallen & it probably won't be the last!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Agility - thinking of entering? 

Haha! My first thought, seeing only the title, was "I dunno... how's your running ability?" :confused3:

But I see you've at least mastered the soft landing. 

So, ya... go for it!


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Good news! I got a notice today that they are having a match at the trial I was thinking of entering. I will probably do that instead so I can train in the ring. I don't want a little spoo getting any ideas about blowing stays or contacts at trials lol


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

That's awesome. There are not enough matches around me. I got lucky over the summer at the new place in NJ that I went in that the first weekend we were there the club had two days (Friday and Saturday) of post trial B matches. It was so successful for that club that the next club to have a trial at that site had a Friday match as well. It was really helpful.


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Yes I'm thinking 2 runs. It will be less expensive than 3 entries & it will let me know whether or not to enter classes or just the match at the next nearby trial. We don't have many here either. I'm going to a friend's house next week to train contacts on different equipment away from the school. I feel like the opportunity to train at this point is more important than trialing.


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## Minnie (Apr 25, 2011)

*poolann -* that is an awesome opportunity when I was in FL these seemed to be widely available. In my home area I only see them for obedience :-(


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Well I went to the friend's house this evening. Overall he did well. First time in an open field so after practicing contacts I let him wander a bit & he had beautiful recalls. One time he ignored me so I said "bye" & walked in the opposite direction. Boy did he come running lol

Aframe & dogwalk were good but he had a little bobble when the teeter banged loudly. We worked through it & he was more cautious but did it willingly before we left. Weaves were good except the first time the neighbor's Great Dane barked at a fence 20yds or so away. I don't think he realized the other dog was there until the large woof. Lol After his initial startle he was good to go.

I think we are getting there. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to a judge & ring stewards at a match.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Isn't it funny how they will ignore you sometimes, but as soon as you ignore them they are glued to you? It sounds like you had a great session.


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Yeah my strategy if he gets excited in the ring & won't come is going to either hide behind the aframe if it's handy or walk calmly in the opposite direction lol


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Been there, done that!


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