Picture of the Girls Christmas 08

I was just getting ready to mail out Christmas cards when I realized that I didn't have a picture to put in of the Girls. Cheetah is 5 and Tegan is 13 ( she'll be 14 at the end of March) I decided that a picture on the big rock in front of the house would be a good spot. Getting Tegan up was easy. Getting her to cooperate was quite another. I think she thinks that she is retired and she doesn't have to listen to anything. Everytime I got ready to take the picture, she would get up or look away. Cheetah was actually the good one if you can believe that! I finally got it - and they were very happy to get to run around and stop behaving! Merry Christmas!!!

Cheetah's contact grid work 12-21-08

Yesterday, I worked Cheetah on the grid from Rachel Sander's box method for running contacts. I had toyed with the method over the summer, but I didn't have the DVD then of course, so I was missing many of the steps. I am trying to be a good girl and go through the process, step by step. I shaped the box already, and worked on just having her jump in and out. I added the cue and I did the test that she recomended were you are out of alignment with the box and in line with the dog. She passed that test easily. I am now working on the jump grid work, and starting to add movement. I have had some days that I thought she was doing better than she did in this video, but I hadn't had the camera out ( bad dog trainer) so I guess I don't have any proof.

If you see anything that I am doing wrong or not doing right, please let me know.

I will be posting more on this soon!

Cheetah and the Baby Deer Gang!

And what to her wondering eyes should appear,

but a rock full of birdseed and six baby deer.

They ate and they ate and they climbed on the rock,

they were having a party until they heard her bark!

Run bambi, run bucky, run billy and vinny.

Go buddy, go Flower - now don't they look silly?

thru the middle of the agility field,

To the the cedar's they flew

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all

BRRR..MAD CO Trial 12 6 & 7, 2008

Last weekend we went to the MAD CO, USDAA Trail in Charlottesville, VA. It is inside ( if you call a freezing horse area inside) but after many years of trailling, you learn how to dress for just such an occasion. I had on 3 bottom layers which inlcluded polar fleece and lined windpants. 3 top layers + a coat, gloves, hot hands, Turtle fur ( like a big turtle neck - just the neck), and one of those ski head band/ear muff things.

Cheetah and Deva stayed in the van, where we used the principle of the greenhouse effect to our advantage. We covered both of there crates in one of those fuzzy velor-like blankets, so their heat would stay in their crates. I also had Cheetah's foggy mountain coat on. Every time we went back to the car to get them they were nice and toasty.

We had 11 runs over the weekend, because it was double games.

We Q'd in 8 of them getting 3 1sts, 3 2nds, a 3rd and a5th. We won the Grand Prix and got a bye to the second round of regionals, and we got a Super Q in snooker. It was a very good weekend for the girls ( Deva was 7 for 11 and also got several placements I can't remember right now, and a Super Q too!) The video from this trial is up!

Next....MADNESS Team Trial in Jessup, MD. (Christmas weekend!)