This message is from: Starfire Farm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
That being said, I would be curious as to why exactly we are seeing repeat
scores for specific Fjords. Is this occurring because the owner/breeder is
evaluating the animal as a yearling, 2 year old, then as a mature horse?
Sometimes, yes. In Norway they look at the youngstock at the regional
shows, then look at the stallions as 3 year olds, take them into the
stallion testing at 4 years old and re-evaluate them (including the
criteria of the quality of their offspring) at 8 years old.
In our experience, we had Obelisk evaluated as a three year old. At that
time, the evaluators said that he was from a line that was known to
mature at a later age and that they would appreciate seeing him again in
the future. He received an overall score of 79 at that evaluation.
The following year I wanted to begin his performance testing, so took
him again. He had matured greatly during that year (he had grown a full
inch in height!) and had filled out in his body, so, (with the idea of
being in keeping with the Norwegian system) I entered him again in the
conformation as well as the performance. At that evaluation, he received
an overall score of 83.5 (and earned his Silver Medallion level 1.)
A few years later, I felt he was ready to tackle the Advanced
performance tests, so went ahead and entered him in the conformation
again. Mostly out of curiousity, since the two evaluators for this
evaluation were the same who had seen him as a three year old, plus, I
believe in supporting the evaluation by entering horses. His overall
score at this evaluation was lower than the second one, 1/2 point here
and 1/2 point there. His walk was not as good that morning; he had
sustained an injury to his, shall we say, private parts, from a mare one
month prior to the evaluation (which ended up taking 6 months to
completely heal - just so you don't feel sorry for him, my vet
recommended exercise as the best way to help him heal) so he did not
present in hand as well as before. Things can be different on a
different day.
In addition, two of his offspring (three year old mares) were presented
at that evaluation. One earned a blue ribbon, the other a high red. He
did go on to earn his Gold Medallion level one in performance. The only
test left I would like to complete with him is the Advanced Western. Not
for any other reason than my own self satisfaction.
Was I disappointed? No. Was the outcome as I had expected, yes.
Or is this because the mature horse did not recieve the coveted BLUE and
therefore, keeps on evaluating until this happens?
I hope that the implication here is not that, if you keep bringing your
horse back you will receive a blue ribbon in the conformation category.
It's not true. If you look at the Record Books, you will see that there
are repeat horses that started out in a particular "ribbon color" (if
you will) and have stayed there. There are some that have increased
their scores and there are some who's scores have decreased.
...the evaluation system as it stands now does not evaluate for one of the
trademarks of the breed-DISPOSITION.
If you are striclty speaking about the Conformation evaluation, this is
true. If you are including the performance tests along with the
conformation tests, I beg to differ. The score categories of the
performance tests include Submission, which factors in Attentiveness,
Confidence, Obedience, Stability and Willingness to Work (these criteria
are listed as guidelines withing the scoring category.) These factors DO
show as observable criteria during a performance test. As an evaluator,
one has to ask oneself if some of the behavior might be due to
rider/pilot experience and skill, or environmental stimuli, or otherwise.
One question to try to answer is whether the SYSTEM allows for
evaluation of the Genetic Potential for the horses to be the kind horses
that we desire as Fjord horses. As far as a single horse is concerned, I
believe that the introductory tests show this potential the best, in the
case of young horses (say, a 4 to 6 year old.) If one is looking at the
prospect of a single individual affecting the performance aspects of the
entire breed, one test, or set of tests (completed by one horse) is not
going to entirely give you this information. It will take a number of
tests, performed by a number of related offspring, to tell one more
about the disposition and performance potential for a particular line of
horses.
As Ruthie, said, our system is very young, so we, at this point, don't
have as much information to fall back upon as, say, the Norwegians might
have at this time, within the NFHR evaluation system. However, we DO
have anecdotal information, or information documented with the NFHR in
the form of the other awards offered, regarding Fjord horses that have
been used as performance horses, or demonstration horses, or used as
farm or pleasure animals. All of this information should be researched
and used, if possible, when making breeding decisions.
Carol's idea of a DVD type of evaluation could open the doors to allowing
this important facet of the Fjord breed type to be observed. More time could
be spent on the DVD, therefore giving the evaluators more time to ascertain
temperament.
I don't see how a DVD is a better venue to show temperament. As someone
else pointed out earlier, a person could perform many "run throughs" of
the tests that they wanted, no matter what you establish as observable
criteria, and submit the test they thought might show the horse in the
best light.
I also firmly believe that most reputable Fjord breeds DO educate themselves
thoroughly before breeding.
Yes, of course. We have some very knowledgeable and capable breeders in
North America.
To assume otherwise is ludicrous
If that is how you read my post, that wasn't my intent.
Beth
