We practiced Gamblers at Dirt Nite last night.
Normally, we don't do this. Run some courses, and run some more courses.
There may or may not be members or member of our Dirt Nite class that suck at Gamblers. Really, truly, totally, hopelessly suck. Like even if handed a dog with like 300 million Masters Gamblers Q's, and a LAA Platinum, cannot get a gamble on the first try.
These members or member just bowed their head in shame, and kept trying. Over and over again. Possibly this person has many dogs to try it with and makes the same errors repeatedly. Even if the instructor speaks very, very slowly as if speaking to a toddler with ADD and carefully demonstrates where to stand and point. Again and again and again.
Most agility, not exactly rocket science. Run fast, show the dog where to go. Do a good job. Gamblers, not like that. Is scientific, there are trajectories and projected paths and the inevitable curse of spazzing out. Leaping with arms flailing and running away somewhere wrong too early.
Some members of the class, just did the gamble, then would have to sit around and wait. And wait. And wait. For certain OTHER members of the class that did the gamble like shampoo bottle instructions on an endless loop. Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. And so on.
I like to think that, in general, I don't suck at agility. I certainly have ample room for improvement. After a night like this though, I really have to wonder. Just what am I thinking?
Did you ever dream that you were a dog agility super champ except then it switched and you were at some germy, grungy, derelict seaside park in the dark and the carnies were actually drug addled zombies that were shambling after you with hammers and their big teeth? And then as you're trying to escape your way out from under their oily, horrible claws by clambering up a rat infested palm tree, you're all, this is about dog agility like, how?
7 comments:
Oh, give me a break. I seem to remember ONE handler and ONE handler only to receive the accolade for her gamble run, "Perfect!" from none other than Dirt Nite instructor extraordinaire, R. Michalski.
I think this may have been using what you literary types like to call The Irony or the Humorous Device.
Nope. Dead serious. Rob was sitting in the chair right next to me. We watched your *perfect* handling of Hobbes. And it was not Hobbes, it was you. Sorry.
Also, both Otterpop and Gustavo had runs worthy of loud clapping and cheering from the sidelines.
Your memory is selective. Yes, at one point you did have to perform one of the sequences 3 million times before before you got it.
BUT, see above, again, to job your memory. Not irony. Not humourous. I know this destroys your reputation with your fan base, but if you are going to be perfect and show the rest of us up, you have to suffer the consequenes.
apologies if this shows up twice. my internet did something weird...
well, after reading mary's post, this helpful horsey hint might be like the grasshopper giving hints to the grand poobah (can't remember what's his name that goes with grasshopper) but here it is anyway.
picture a horse on a lunge line and how your body shapes the arc of her line, always moving towards her, pushing her line without really moving. i like to think in lines and arcs. trajectory makes me think of battles (torpedoes, thrown knives, trig class.)
so there you have my helpful horsey hint.
valpig
Yes, his (Warrior Pose) sideliner clearly remembers the ONE person who got the flawless gamble. A Downward Dog on you! You looked great.
Hmm. I remember lots of screwups and sometimes getting them is how I remember all those pesky gambles. I do remember Deb's Yoga Gambling technique now, which we all learned only works on dogs that go to yoga class regularly.
Yoga? Lunge lines? (And BTW I thought it was "longe line"? But what do I know, my dogs don't use them.) The real secret to successful gambles is Mister Smiley Waterbowl! Perhaps you need to upgrade otterpop 2.0 to Service Pack Mr. Smiley Waterbowl.
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