February 5, 2025

Millie -- Starts. Four starts, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hours old. First leg distance varies from about 50 to 100 yards; second legs all about 35 yards except for the last track, which is 50 yards. Except on the second track I made sure that the article could not be seen at more than 10 feet, and even on the second track it is dark and thin. Overcast, 45°, light breeze. RH 42%.

The starts themselves all seemed decisive and confident, even though on all the tracks except the first I consciously started her at 90° off line with the first leg. On the last (5 hour) track I kept facing the wrong way until well after I had let the line run about 10' and she had started pulling me down the track. All this being said, I realized that I had always laid my start tracks on this field with the same orientation, and that she might just be cueing off of that. I'm not sure--she did seem to sniff and search before picking the right line, but it is just possible that she is going from experience. In any event, next start track I'll use a completely different orientation.  

She did miss an article on one leg, but otherwise I liked what I saw.

Video: 






Comments

  1. Jack's JourneyFebruary 11, 2025 at 11:24 AM

    i thought her first and second starts and tracks were good. i thought that the four hour and five hour tracks were not as accurate, for lack of a better word. even double laid. you don't mention a food drop pattern - i would have put more food down on the four hour and more on the five hour. she seems to 'drift' off to each side on these two older ones. i 'think' i see your line up but not sure. for sure her next outing should be easy and motivational! i do want to comment on letting the line slip through your fingers. you are doing a better job and you are not chatting with her. excellent. you mention letting the line slip through to the 10 ft mark .... hmmmm, why not 20? for an X, in the open field, you are going to have to be at 20. so i would practice standing still to the 20 ft mark, then stepping off, then hustling up to 10 and as you approach your next turn - let it slip out. also, being super picky now, but you mentioned it, change your pattern of laying toward the mowed strip and always using the mowed strip for your cue (in addition to a ground marker/washer). mix it up!!

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