I'm still fumbling around on Blogger. These are the first and third tracks we ran. (I will definitely make them longer in the future). I fumbled video for the second tracks. The tracks were thirty, thirty-five and forty yards. It was warm and the wet. Straight tracks not double walked, FD every two strides, no article.

On the first track Nimrod was distracted by a nearby walker carrying a large umbrella. I was pleased that he was able to go back to work. On the third track Nimrod was faster, more confident and more enthusiastic. I've noticed this throughout the last 2 weeks. He's always slow and hesitant on the first track.

I've been working the article game like crazy. He downs with a single hand signal now. If I repeat the article game, leaving the articles in place, returning to the beginning of the line and running it again he often runs over the articles and refuses to down on command. I'm not sure what that's about. Similarly, when we're out walking and I'm playing "oops I dropped it" he's nosing the article and often downing (slowly) without command to a point. After the sixth or seventh reptation he simply stops playing the game.

I'm getting better at choosing double line ups that I don't lose while I'm laying the track.  My next time out should be New Year's Eve. I'll do forty-, fifty- and sixty-yard tracks.  I'm working on making it a habit to get him off the harness and onto the collar the moment he finishes a track.

Comments

  1. JudiDecember 29, 2024 at 11:52 AM

    This sounds like real progress! One thing to think about (this is an old horse concept), when he gets distracted, DON’T LOOK at what he’s looking at—keep looking at the track. And praise (briefly, quietly) when he puts his nose back down.

    As far as articles, Let’s let Mary Ann weigh in, my impulse is to just do Oops with 5 articles (so you stay in his ‘fun zone’), and add a lot of hide n seek games, and down on the article for dinner, games. Down for the article for dinner is in Flora’s blog, let me know if you can’t see it.

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  2. Jack's JourneyJanuary 1, 2025 at 3:20 PM

    i would try OOOPS with one article - if he downs enthusiastically without a command (verbal or signal), jackpot him and game over. Leave him wondering when you will play again.

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