April Update

Recalls are improving. :)  I am way behind on the Recaller course but still seeing a lot of improvement in Switch's recalls.

I've begun training a bit each day down at the field. He is starting on weave poles. I shaped him on WAM poles and they are still slightly tilted. Now introducing 2 poles and working entries. I don't work on weaves every day because he is not a year old so I can't progress. Soon. very soon.

He had a teeter noise/motion issue. I think he has worked through it - at least on my teeter. Today, I wanted him to do the full teeter for the first time. That was alien. He kept hopping on at the pivot. He was quite determined.  I finally lured once and marked his feet on the approach.

I have introduced every type of jump. Today, was his first time to see a broad jump. Not full stretch. Not full height on any of the jumps. Just one jump and introduction up to 20".  He is not bothered by the different configurations of the jumps. He is also quite good with his body and light on his feet and athletic. I feel like his jumping form is good. I have not posted any video of him jumping because he is not a year old. I don't want to get into a controversy about jumping too early. He probably does 5 jumps a day. No more- usually less. I am pretty sure *that* won't cause lasting damage.  

I let him play on the down ramp of the dw today. Just learning to manage his feet and feel the board. Playing. Nothing that resembles a dw performance. I won't let him do more than the down ramp until his growth plates close.  His running dw is stalled until I can raise the board. Again, I won't take a chance on him slipping off and breaking a bone while he is still growing.

His stay is pretty steady. I've lead out 2 jumps (no bars) and then returned to reward. I don't see that recalling through uprights does anything at this point. I want his focus on bars and not on racing to me. Table stay is good. Aiming for an automatic down.