She works hard for the money (treats)

11/18/2023 - 11:00 am

Location: Beaverdam

Weather: 64 degrees sunny, 3 mph w/9 mph gusts from NNE, 56% humidity

Cover: Grass, cut corn, and woods

Length: about 550 yds

Age: 4 hours

Video: https://youtu.be/bxxMCT9zbSQ

Today was an excellent learning day. Skill building that we need to work on includes: starts, endurance in track length and warmer weather, and terrain exposure.

Saber's start was the opposite of beautiful, but telling. She was excited to get to the start flag but struggled a little to start. As Kara stated, she kind of stood their letting the wind blow through her ears. Her starts earlier this week were really good but had less age. Next start rotation my goal is to do 3:45, 4:00, 4:15 and maybe 4:30.

She also struggled across the corn field. It could have been the age, terrain, or her head just wasn't in the game yet. Or it could have been a combination of the 3. Either way it is something I need to work exposure wise.

Once Saber got across the cornfield to the woods entry she was dead on and her head was in the game. Kara said she followed her to where she couldn't enter and then went back to where she did enter the woods. She tracked through the woods beautifully and indicated her article. She excited the woods nicely.

Back in the field there were good parts and turns and not great ones. She can be a bit of a convincing liar. She did drink water and did better after that. She went past her article in the field but came back to it without my interference. That was really nice to see. The last couple of legs you could tell she was tired. I need to work on building her endurance. This the longest track she has done in quite a while.

While this was far from a stellar performance it was very insightful. She had great parts and we have skills to work on.

Up Next:

- I have a fun track I was going to do Thursday but decided it was to warm. I might put that in and let her run it at 2 hours just to have fun tomorrow.

- Starts at 3:45, 4, 4:15, and maybe 4:30

- 500+ yard track run at less time

- shorter 4+ hour track

- And whatever Judi suggests