The SADAA Boland Regional Trials weekend kicked off really well. I had opted to enter Snooker only on the first day, (there are less obstacles of choice than in Gamblers), and he clinched his 3rd Grade 2 qualification to put us into Grade 3.
It felt just wonderful!
The next day he clinched 4 clear rounds, earning a bronze medal for one of them too. The third and last day, he was still rearing to go, but my memory genes were playing up and forgetting how I had walked some courses, handled really badly. Clearly I should have been putting myself though some sort of “handling rehab” at the same time he was going through physical rehab. His contacts are right back to slow mode again so I need to build up his confidence on those again – but he never missed a single one. His speed is definitely slower than pre-op but I should be able to push him in the new year.
My Agility Academy partners were wonderfully supportive with my revised “competing regime”. Ten minutes warm-up walk and then another ten minute walk to cool him down after he has jumped. This should be routine pre-jumping behaviour for all competitive handlers, but so few of us do it. All this walking took its toll on me and I was exhausted by the end of the weekend. It was especially difficult when I was first on line and had to ask someone else to warm him up – I was so distracted worrying that he had not been warmed up enough that I forgot the course and earned a spectacular DQ.
Cherry on the top? – no sign of any stiffness and no limping!
The following week included a follow up visit to Dawn Jones – she confirmed that everything was still in place, that he looked great and with a huge pat on the back - signed us off!
We also went to Rene for hydrotherapy who took his swimming session into her outdoor pool so that I could transfer it to any other swimming pool. They had him swimming by himself within 10 minutes and we cancelled all future appointments. (A kind neighbour has offered us the use of his pool and it is now his favourite past time).
2013 will be a real New Year for us. I still watch him carefully, too carefully, and worry constantly. I am going to have to step up the Becalms (my homeopathic Valium), concentrate more and be selective in what I enter.
Welcome back my Boy!
Mac and Me
C’est la vie
No comments:
Post a Comment