Oh, how I wish I could buy “real” agility contact equipment. Even the stuff from “affordable” places, however, is pretty pricey. So, I’m starting to plot for some do-it-myself options. OK. That really means Tom doing it himself, but you get the idea.
Since the wind is N-U-T-S up here, it’s not practical to have full-height stuff anyway. Plus, if I had more equipment, we’d probably run/train most days, and I hate to think of what full height would do to Lilly’s joints over time.
So, I’m thinking of a half-size A-frame and a low (maybe 3 feet high) dog walk that’s not full length either because our at-home agility field (like a round pen for training horses) is only about half the size of a typical course. It’s not really big enough for me to get a good run, but Lilly can, especially if we do easy, looping patterns.
Tom recently enlarged it by about 6 feet in diameter with a friend’s bobcat. I spent an entire afternoon picking up rocks so that the space is relatively smooth, soft. We’re looking into getting some sand brought in so that it’s not so muddy. For now, it’s covered in straw to prevent erosion.
After fielding a few questions about the cost of plywood and such, Tom decided to check Craig’s List for used agility equipment. So far, all that he’s found are posts about people looking for equipment, not selling any. I believe that means once people get into the sport enough to have equipment at home, they stay.
So, for now, I’ll stick with my PVC jumps and weaves, along with my real, competition tunnel and my make-shift, box dolly teeter.
Perhaps I should heed the meaning behind Tom’s questions, like “Does it have to be blue and yellow?”
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