Gracie gets a Q!

We're back from day one of Gracie's CPE trail!

Have to say that it was pretty weird for me being at trial and not running.

Mum was nice enough to make it an interesting day for me even though I didn't get to run. But tomorrow I'm taking books to read! BOL!

We were lucky enough that our Chiro was at the trial today and she was kind enough to work on me before Gracie's runs.

Mum wanted to warm me up some before I saw my Chiro, so we did some downs and trotting in the lobby of the building. I was nearly back to my wacko self, offering behaviors right and left. Mum was super happy to see me acting much more to my usual.

During my chiro adjustment, my Chiro she said there were several places that were out on me. Primarily on my back end, hip area and back, and my shoulder. Have to say I felt a lot better after she worked on me. Mum put me back in my travel crate for a nice rest, and bundled up the crate so I would stay warm.

She and Mum talked about the MSM supplement I'm taking now. We're going to up the dose for a week to 1/2 a pill a day since my systems is handling it well, and then drop it down again to 1/4 pill for maintenance.

They also talked about the Traumeel I've been taking. Mum took me off of it because even with 1/2 pill twice a day, it was kind of knocking me out and Mum couldn't tell if it was the pill, or me being in pain. After I was off of it she could tell it was knocking me out. So she's going to give me 1/4 of a pill for two more doses and then I'm off of it.

My Chiro also said she'd like to see more muscle on me. So Mum is going to get me on my exercise ball more when I'm ready, and also on the treadmill and add in the hill climbing feature that we can program into the treadmill. More begs are called for and they want me to work up to holding the beg for 90 seconds. Right now, I'm at about 20 seconds. So I have much work to do.

But on to Gracie's day!

We left late because Gracie was only entered in the last two events of the day - Standard and Colors (CPE). And Mum wanted to see if she could get me in to see my Chiro before her runs. That worked, but we waited a couple of more hours until Gracie's run, Standard first.

Needless to say Gracie was way over the top for her first run of the weekend. And the timer/scribe were sitting just three or so feet from where she needed to sit at the start. She wouldn't have anything to do with sitting. So Mum gave her a big hug in the direction of the start jump, and let her go with Mum running as fast as she possibly could. Gracie took the first jump, ran around the second, but tackled the dog walk like a pro. Then she had to stop and take six weaves after that wild start.

She wasn't having anything to do with the weaves. So they skipped them and headed for the tunnel, she took it - nice job! Then ran around the next jump looking at Mum, hmmm... interesting. Then she took the teeter and did it fairly nicely.

Tunnel was next and for a difficult entrance she did great. Next was another curved tunnel and she ran around the back of it, and then Mum lost her big time. Mum doesn't even remember much after that accept she was going from one side of the ring to the other trying to get Gracie focused.

Mum finally caught up with her and made her sit. Then picked her up and took her off course. What a disaster. We got it on tape, but there is no way we're posting it. Who wants to watch that mess! But it was the first run of the day, and Mum understands Gracie. So they concentrated on how to handle the next run.

Gracie's next run was colors, you choose your course from two different ones. And they are super short - maybe eight obstacles. Mum confidently took Gracie into the run, had her sit quickly at the start line, led out quickly and then said OK. Gracie took off like a bat out of heck, taking the first two jumps with Mum running full out.

It was the first two jumps into a slightly curved tunnel, then a jump and tire straight into the corner (it's the corners where Gracie usually runs off) but she didn't! Mum gave her big good girl, then it was one more jump and a slight turn into the tunnel.

Mum tried to get a front cross in before the tunnel, but Gracie was going full speed ahead and ended up behind Mum. Mum turned quickly, got Gracie's attention as Gracie was smartly heading for the correct next obstacle - the tunnel. So Mum yelled tunnel and Gracie took it like a pro. Then Mum ran like a bat out of heck to the last jump, which Gracie, again, took like a pro. And she even came back to Mum a little after the last jump! OMD! A Q!

Mum was super proud. She ran it in about 14 seconds, and they even took up a couple of seconds on that messed up front cross where Gracie saved Mum's butt before the tunnel. So we were pretty proud!

After that run, you could so tell that Gracie knew she did a great job. She was strutting around, giving that big goofy grin of hers at Mum. And when they went up to get her ribbon her tail was a wagging machine - a super nice sight to see :)

No video unfortunately - Gracie is now being plagued by the 'technical malfunction only happens on the good run syndrome' that I've been plagued with. But who cares, she was super focused!

We got home and she couldn't wait to roach in the grass. Me? I got home and started doing goofy faces and goofy barking at Mum - and began a long stretch of offering behaviors, my usual wacky self. I am feeling better!

We can't wait to see what Gracie does tomorrow!