Facilitated run-throughs - JWW 2/28

There were a couple of things that we saw last weekend that I wanted to setup and play with this week - this course is a compilation of several courses. The thing with sampling several different excellent-level courses is that when you snapshot the hard bits and then shrink them to fit in a smaller space the sum can be greater than the individual parts. I think there was definitely some of that happening on this course.

When I saw the #1-#2-#3 sequence last weekend at the ESS show I planned to lead out - today I handled that 1-2-3 with a running start (Teller on my left), a front cross between #2 and #3.

I rear-crossed #4 and front-crossed into the weaves (#6). When we saw a similar sequence at the ESS trial the #5 obstacle was a triple and it made more sense (to me with my dog) to actually stay on the inside of the weaves (no cross), and send to the double (#7). Funny how a slightly different angle can change the plan!

Today I threw a front cross between #8 and #9, pushed out to the tunnel #11, pulled from #12-#13 and kept Teller on my right for the #14 entry. I ended up staying closer to #15 than I had intended to, called him out of the tunnel and ran #15-#16-#17 with Teller on my left. The turn to the double #18 was predictable - the biggest challenge for Teller (of the whole course) was the turn from #18 to #19.

I haven't taught Teller a "flip" - I've occasionally said "flip" to him on course which is more of a cue for me than it is for him, but he's a forgiving soul so he puts up with me! He has a pretty solid rear cross and a dead-on serpentine, what I haven't worked is that 180 (in this case left turn) with me behind him (and on his right). So Teller is on my left, 90 degree turn from #17 to #18...then a 180 to #19. On course today he read my body language correctly on the turns, but each time he'd take the double, turn and go to the outside of jump #19.


Once I sent him forward after #18 and then called back to the #19 jump he saw it right away.  The longer path was the successful path for us in this setup. The take-home from this session is a future session in which I'm going to set up just the three obstacles on the right. Jump-double-180 to #3 jump.  First this side - and then the mirror image.
 
I probably won't have a chance to work this scenario again this week - I don't work Teller after Wednesday on a week that we're trialing and since we didn't get any a-frame reps in today we'll definitely have to get some contact drills in on Wednesday evening.