TRials and Tribulations

I feel like my small time here at Warwick has been spent making one plan after another. As they say try , try again and this is defiantly my motto.
I have decided it is time for me to concentrate on my own dogs and my health is not right to continue with doing lessons. I will still support and improve my online school as I believe it is a good source of information and something I can always add to.
For now it is all about trials, I have started and nearly competed my first year, oh my what a learning curve. Training for the paddock is so much easier, our dogs do not have to be so precise. I have been frustrated, angry, disappointed to the point of tears but at the end have learnt so much and am more determined than ever to continue.
Trials are hard, but we must remember it is a sport and sportsmanship is important, there is good and bad in the sport like most and it is a choice how you want to play the game. I am competitive as everyone but instead of being envious of others or blaming my dog or bad sheep or unfair judge I have chosen to returned to the training paddock with some new tips and ideas to improve myself and to train better.
All that I have learnt I will then share with my students but here is a quick run down on how my dogs are going. Luna is a funny girl and tries so hard, she has posted some good scores and made one novice final, far better than I expected. Koda was off to a slow start but finally got a score. I feel I didn't equip her well enough as I didn't have an out on her which made things hard when the sheep ran on to her. Arana, OMG what a learning curve, started strong, good scores, a final in a Novice then he got on top of me and hit the sheep hard. Back to the drawing board with this boy.
I also bought a new dog, Gibson's Ken, a beautiful soft lad who is trained in the basics. I have just started working with him and adore him. My Mercy, my young pup is 7 months and now in full training what a gem she is and finally Flowers Raine is having a cast put on him. All very young and a long road to go but looking forward to what they may be.
It is hard to have a camp of young dogs and would suggest you always have a couple of older ones to give you a run and make things easier, it was not possible for me so it is important to keep my expectations in check. This will allow for me to be patient, and not feel that frustration that comes with training young ones at times. Set achievable goals, believe in yourself, do right by your dogs and you will have training success, most of all you will enjoy the ride!