Cold Damp Reality

So from the glamour of Crufts its back to earth, the cold damp reality of a horse arena in Lincolnshire and MD’s next step on his journey to (hopefully) follow in Doggo’s paw-steps. After his injury this week I was beginning to think he wouldn’t be able to run at all, so booking the show may have turned out to be a waste of time. With all due respect to Doggo, running him alone at a show like this wouldn't really be worth the trip. However, MD now seems to be over his bad paw, so I will run him on his first course but if he limps I will pull him out of his other events.

It’s a slight step up in standard from his first show last month but surprisingly he still doesn’t get to face a set of weaves. Despite the fact that the judges had it in their remit to include them, they choose not to. It’s a shame because his weaving isn’t bad at all. He does get to do his first see-saw in a competition and manages it without any trouble at all. In fact all his ‘contact’ equipment is fine.

The problem today is his jumping and he demolishes his first two course, scattering poles everywhere. There is no sign of a limp and I text L to tell her that his paw’s fine and that, if she didn’t already know, his vocal chords are working fine too.

Someone ‘helpfully’ points out that MD knocking poles down is all my fault. Obviously. I should have known that would be the case. They are annoyingly right and I change my handling accordingly and suddenly he keeps all the poles up on his next course. He then goes on to only fell the one pole on his last run. Hurrah. All very promising. We're still not clear of course, we still had a few refusals, because oddly he seems to have an aversion to tunnels but we should be able to work on that. I’ll just bring one home and make him sleep in it for a week... or something.

Doggo, by the way, turns in four immaculate solid clears in his four events, giving him a 5th place, a 6th and two 8ths. Mr consistent as ever.

The evening is spent in at home, with a plate full of pasta and distinct absence of alcohol. There’s a little matter of 26.2km to be negotiated tomorrow.