Obstacle Training

Our ongoing quest for a Q in Advanced Jumpers is quite difficult.  Maybe it's a psychological wall in my head?  I can nail the difficult sequences in class, but in competition?  Oh boy.  Something else entirely.  I'm hoping that this weekend's fun match will also help me practice full sequences as well as front crosses.  They're always a problem in trials since I can't seem to figure out where to use them.  : (

My goal for July is to have Jasmine successfully complete obstacles.  As of yesterday, June 14th, the A-Frame is done!  Yipee!  No longer does she stop at the very top to contemplate the scenery.  She quickly trots downward to a beautiful 2o2o contact. 

The training for the A-Frame has been going on since last April I think.  I always start by doing several rear-end body awareness exercices which are to "back-up" as well as backing up on the obstacle itself.  After, I physically put her on the first slat from the ground and ask her to target, or in our case, "spote" is our command word.  Oh and, by the way, don't forget to wait for a focus forward before giving the target command.  After each successful AND confident attempt, I raise her position on the next slat, and up she goes, until she reaches the very top.

I was training on my lonsome yesterday, when I suddently thought (yes, that does happen once in a while) what's the difference  between starting her from the top of the A-Frame to doing the whole obstacle?  I took my courage in hand and the result was the fastest and most confident A-Frame in Jasmine's life.  Wow!!!  I tried it on the other side (dog on left).  Same result!  Double wow!!!  Tried it making sure she was nose touching and staying in her contact position as I was continuing to run away.  Same result!  Triple wow!!! All that hard work finally pays off. 

Next on the list?  The dogwalk.