Mika and Wall-e's agility practice April 1, 09

This was the third Regionals practice, but my second, because I couldn't go to the last one.

I ran the Jumpers course twice with Mika. She was a very good girl! I had to lead out or else I wouldn't be able to handle the serpentine-threadle combination for jumps #2-5. I loved how she sent ahead of me at the end of the course, especially in the second time we ran it, she's never done that before. She wasn't quite as fast as she was at the trial...I hope she gets that speed back. Maybe it's a trial thing. She didn't go off-course though (unless you count that bobble at the pinwheel in the first run to be an off-course)! Still, I'd much rather have awesome speed and an off-course than moderate speed and a perfect run. I've decided that I'm not going to call Mika off any obstacles anymore, even at trials. I don't want to put any doubt in her mind that she's ever making any mistakes. I want her to think that she's always right. (Which she usually is. It's usually my handling that makes her go off-course.)

I practiced a few things with Wall-e too. He had fun!

Then we tried a gamble (which, like the Jumpers course, was from a Gamblers course at the 2008 AAC Nationals). Mika didn't quite understand at first, but then she got it! (Not at the full 20' distance, but doesn't matter.) She finished up the evening with the speed that I love!

~Nat