This message is from: "Carol Riviore" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hello from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia where we're
having a wild nor'easter.
Ruthie, Thanks for posting the dog breeding site again. I'd missed it
before. -- Just read some of it . . . and it definitely gives 'food for
thought'. -- Very interesting the part encouraging breeders to think of
the breed as a whole when breeding, and not only the result of that
particular mating. -- You definitely have something there in your concern
for a narrowing of the gene pool. -- However, how is a breeder to address
this situation given the perennial problems of distance and lack of
information on bloodlines.
Over the years on this List, I've talked a lot about the European Fjord
Studbooks. -- How, with their system of Studbook ownership of the
stallions, and precise tracking of the quality of the mares bred and
offspring produced, they are able to deterimine how each of the Approved
Stallions are doing. --- I'm most familiar with the workings of the Dutch
Studbook, and from my years of association, I know of certain stallions that
have been eliminated from the Dutch breeding system because of various
weaknesses. Weaknesses such as - a stallion with low fertility. . . a
stallion that produced poor bites in too many of his offspring . . . a
stallion who produced poor legs, feet, etc.
The Dutch take great care to keep diversity in their Fjord gene pool. They
do this by running the breeding program themselves. -- They place approved
stallions in areas around the country, and move them every three years. --
Most people breed to the stallion in their area. They do this for economic
reasons mostly. --- This prevents people from breeding for specific
things, sometimes to the detriment of other qualities; such as, breeding for
pretty heads, spectacular movement, height . . . whatever.
Unfortunately, it's probably not possible for such a system to operate in
North America, BUT, the very least our Registry should do is study the
reasons behind the Dutch system . . . or the Norwegian system. -- Study
what the goals are. -- Study what they're trying to prevent by such a
system.
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I'm super interested in bloodlines, and would love a system that would track
different qualities. And this could be done on a limited basis, even with
the relatively few horses that have been evaluated.
There's one stallion that interests me. We've had a few of his offspring
here, all out of different mares, and they do not have typical Fjord
temperaments and attitudes. However, "a few" does not a reliable study
make. -- Maybe it was just perverse luck that the few we've had were not
typical.
Bob van Bon, Chief Inspector of Fjords for the Dutch Studbook, has always
said that they measure the character and attitude (temperament) of a horse
through the performance tests. -- They NEVER do it when the stallion is
presented in hand, no matter how badly he acts up. -- The Dutch
Performance Tests (IBOP) are designed to measure character and attitude,
among other things. This is for all three of their tests - The Riding
Test, The Driving Test, and the Agricultural Test. -- For instance, in the
Agricultural Test, the pulling part, the horse is assessed as to "how" he
does the pull. Is he eager and willing, or does he have to be coerced into
pulling? -- Same thing for the riding and driving tests. How willing and
eager is the horse in his work? -- Also other things, such as -- Does he
stand still? Does he stand quietly to be hitched? These tests prove what
kind of horse it is. --
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The Danish stallion, Rei-Halsnaes has been mentioned several times here. I
was amazed that Patti Jo mentioned their pretty heads. -- Yes, now that
she's mentioned it, I guess most of them do have pretty heads, but to me,
the most outstanding quality of this line is they're wonderful movers. As
to "a lot of energy", that I've never remarked on. -- I mean, they have
normal, sufficient energy, but not in the least high strung or anything.
Not the ones I know of anyway.
In any case, this all points out that none of us have seen enough horses by
different bloodlines to make reliable judgements. -- The exception, of
course, are the breeders owning stallions who have produced a lot of
offspring. -- I'd say a stallion would have to have produced at least 30
foals to make any kind of judgement. -- This is really a miniscule number,
but I suppose you get some idea with 30 foals.
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Our stallion, Gjest, has produced hundreds and hundreds of offspring in
Norway, Holland, and with us. -- We know what he produces. It's very well
documented. -- Big bodies, big bone, big movement, and an excellent work
ethic.
Anyway, it is a really interesting subject, and I hope many more people
contribute and keep it going.
Regards, Carol Rivoire
http://www.beaverdamfarm.com
Beaver Dam Farm Fjords II
R.R. 7
Pomquet, Nova Scotia B2G 2L4
Tel:(902) 386-2304
Fax:(902) 386-2149
Carole Rivoire, author of THE FJORDHORSE HANDBOOK,
only book in English on the Fjord breed, available from Beaver Dam Farm,
$36.95 US includes P&H
http://www.beaverdamfarm.com/book.htm
