Flying Poodles

Motion… Redux

Well, yesterday we worked Dancer some more with the rocker board. She got pretty comfortable with it, and was even offering to get on it, rather than having to be lured. But I can see it’s going to be a very long time before we are ready to try the teeter again. She got quite comfortable with the dogwalk, but I did have to lead her over it–very loose leash–the first time. Karen Holik–who taught the contacts part of the seminar–suggested having VERY different body language for the dog walk than the teeter. That makes sense to me, but we’re not there yet.

We also worked on the A-frame with Dancer, who is now approaching it with great enthusiasm and coming off way above the yellow. I need to train a contact behavior. I really don’t like two-on-two-off with her structure (very straight shoulders), so am vacillating between one-rear-toe-on and four-on-the-floor. I like 1rto but it’s not that easy to teach. With Elly, I taught it by converting from 2o-2o, so maybe I’ll do that.

Dancer’s weaves are getting more and more confident, but she’s going through an uncertain stage where she looks at me a lot for everything. I think I need to spend some time just doing speed drills and having fun.

As for Miss Elinor, she is doing very well. She was wildly enthusiastic yesterday–once she finished sniffing the entire arena and eating a little horse poop–and VERY fast. For the first time, I’m seeing the integrated whole of 3 years of training. Fast weaves, enthusiasm, sensitivity to signals. It makes Dancer look… well, it makes Dancer look young and unfinished. Which she is.

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