Clean Run - March 2013 - 27

Up until now in this series, we’ve covered horizontal arc groundwork for tighter turns, and how to move this skill to a wingless jump.
An important point to recognize is that turning tightly isn’t a skill that’s used only with a jump. The benefits of a dog that understands how to use
a horizontal arc with speed are seen throughout the entire course as tough, twisty sequences look less like straight lines and more like intersecting
horizontal arcs of varying degrees. I want my dog to work smart and hard, so I expose him to horizontal arc groundwork that teaches him how to use
his body and read his approaches to all obstacles. To see improvement on courses across the board, we need to spend more time teaching
our dogs how to work their bodies on curves of all degrees, not just on tight turns over a jump.

Head-Turning Turns
© CAROL LAWRENCE

• Part 3

By Jenni Shelegy, photos by Lauren Bond, except where noted

As I mentioned in Part 1, the idea of traveling on a horizontal
arc is a subject that hasn’t been explored to the same degree as
vertical arc over a jump. We have less language for the curves
that occur on the horizontal plane between obstacles. Horizontal arc can be motion on a curve that has a sharp bend or a
soft bend, and depends on how tight a turn your dog is making. Problems arise when arcs and speed are mixed, which is a
problem for obstacles that combine both of these components,
like contacts, tunnels, and chutes.
The horizontal arc is a subtle component of agility that, when
not accounted for, yields less than subtle consequences. You
see the fallout in dogs that approach a dogwalk or A-frame on
a curve, with too shallow an approach angle. The dogs slice
the corner of their entry and hit the up ramp with a straight
body, putting all their momentum in the wrong direction. They
end up falling off the ramp because they are off-balance. Footing and equipment can make the effects of these errors more
profound. While we can’t control the weather or the equipment, we can give our dogs a strong horizontal arc skill set
which decreases the chances of entry problems. You can visit
my website, www.jennishelegy.com or YouTube channel for
videos of horizontal arc paying off on course.

Introducing Horizontal Arc Expansion
The flatwork done so far has been geared toward tighter
bends and uses the closed-base plunger setup. But for your
dog to have a solid understanding of horizontal arc, and how
to appropriately use his body to negotiate the arc, he must be
introduced to an assortment of arc of different degrees. An
open-base plunger setup will help improve your dog’s flexMarch 13

| Clean Run

ibility and speed on different curves. By expanding the space
between the bases of your plungers, you can train for softer
arcs. Because the degree of bend on the curve is less, your
dog doesn’t have to compress as much and can work the curve
with more of an extended stride.
The two plungers that are facing you become the entry and
exit point for your new arc. The apex can also move, depending on how deep or shallow an arc you want to work; moving
the apex plunger back will create a deeper curve. By working
a spectrum of curves, you can familiarize your dog with the
different curved paths he will travel in agility. It will teach him
what it feels like to complete curves with balance when he engages his body in the bend.
Your dog should already have a well-established understanding of what to do with the closed-base plungers, so all you
need to do is show him that even though the orientation of the
plungers can change, his job is still to read his approach, adjust his body to produce the appropriate amount of bend, continue moving along the perimeter at a run, and exit the curve
with control.
When introducing arc expansion, start by moving apart the
two plungers facing you a foot at a time. The curve will be
relatively shallow, but it will occur over a greater distance so
the dog can start to become more familiar with adding forward
motion to the bend and working it in a more extended stride.
The same rules of body positioning guidelines apply to the
expanded arc. We are still looking for our dog to read the approach and maintain a consistent curve in his body, starting at
his head and continuing along the line of his spine.
27

http://www.jennishelegy.com

Clean Run - March 2013

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