Trialling In A Walking Frame?

[freundhund]

For the 3rd time in 18 months I have stripped the liguments and tendons off the bone in my right ankle. :cry: At the moment the specialist and I are arguing over whether this time I have them sugically reattached or not. I am of the not opinion. The specialist has also banned the use of crutches as I tend to try on crutches to walk on the ankle again to quickly, hence I get a walking frame this week!!!! (Yep, very sexy) :) :)

So now I need to know if there are any rules regarding trialing in a walking frame? I plan to have a letter from the doctor advising tha I have to use a walking frame, but I really need to trial my poor girl who has now been pulled out of the trial ring twice when she has been ready over my ankle.

If anyone can find any rules, could you please post.

Cheers everyone from a very bedridden trialler. :D

[dasha]

I think it would depend also on what kind of trialling you are talking about

Agility I would say not a safe option..... Obedience.......... maybe, if it doesn't have an effect on your training and cues.

Otherwise a few more months isn't really the end of the world if thats what the alternative is. If a walking frame is going to be a permanent fixture, then go ahead and train and trial with it.

As someone that has had a few injuries that can affect the hobbies and sports we like to do............ bear in mind, you only get the 2 legs we were born with.............. Best to get it right to be able to live with it for the rest of your life, than rush for a trial and be in pain forever.

There is dog trials on nearly every week, and they are on every year............. Food for thought

There is a older man that does sheep dog trials and he has a walking frame, or sometimes one of those motorised scooters, I say good on him for still sticking at it when he is 80 odd......... but then he isn't going to improve in the health stakes so he may as well give it best shot while he can still get around and drive to the trials.

Also bear in mind that crutches and frames are mobility aid......... to assist you in being able to do necessary movements ie getting to bathroom, bedroom and basic functions. They are not designed or recommended so that one can do their best to move around as much as possible and try to do everything normally. I would imagine you are supposed to be resting the ankle to allow swelling, bruising, pain to settle down. Doctors don't like it when you return in 6 weeks saying it hasn't healed or it was strained when you slipped in a hole in the paddock when you were supposed to be resting it. You don't get bonus points for being the person to achieve the most while using a walking frame or crutches.

If you really want the dog to trial, maybe ask someone else to trial her while you are out of action.

Edited March 31, 2012 by dasha

[Tenties]

you can borrow my walking frame lol i still have it , i nearly went into the ring with it but in the end i said stuff it i will have a go at walking so i had a bit of practice before the day and made it around the ring myself, this was the show ring too not the trial ring sorry but its fun no matter what we do isnt it :laugh: Good luck with it all hope you have geat success on the day, and i dont think there are any rules saying you cant do it...would be very surprised if there were....

[sheena]

You may have seen this clip before, but it is very inspiring

I know in america they do agility in wheel chairs. All the best of luck for a quick recovery :)

[Diva]

I assume you'd want to ask approval of the club holding the trial first but I don't know the exact rule. If it's obedience I am wondering how you would handle fast pace, and whether it would upset other dogs next to you in the group stay, but maybe they are just expected to cope.

[Janba]

Obedience judges do do modified heeling patterns for disabled competitors - less fat pace etc. I would think you need to apply to your controlling body for permission to trial in a walking frame as I know approval had to be given for some one to herd in a wheel chair.