This message is from: "Ben Feldman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi,
Just joined the fjord digest list, and introducing myself -- Susie from Massachusetts. I have two fjord mares, who have been part of the family for about four years, and are much beloved. Mostly we use them for trail riding in our woodland; their main occupation is family pets. As I'm approaching retirement, I'm looking forward to being able to spend more time riding and just being around these delightful friends......... The story I have to share with you isn't the prettiest. Last fall I decided I wanted a gelding to add to the family, and bought a super-sweet boy from New Hampshire ( Nelson); he did very well and fit in fine with the "girls". Sadly, about January he started to lose weight at an incredible rate of speed, and would eat nothing: after numerous vet calls and visits, and attempts at all sorts of remedies, it became obvious that he was suffering from a digestive tumor, and we had to put him down. It was a real bummer, but we decided such a thing wouldn't happen twice and we'd just try again. So in March we found, with the help of a wonderfully helpful horse friend, another gelding in Rhode Island ( Bjarne) who, strangely enough, was full brother to my mare Elke. Typical fjord, pleasant, energetic, nice to be around, so we purchased him and were getting along very well, when one day he didn't appear at suppertime. Found him in the pasture unable to walk, and the vet determined that he had broken his hind leg below the hock. Nothing to do except the awful........we'll never know how it happened, no signs of a kick or anything.......we can only imagine that he somehow slipped ( it had been rainy) and fell and landed wrong. Anyway, it made for a really sad winter....... So we're not giving up this time either. I'm going to look again, and hope that the third attempt is charmed. In case anybody knows of a middle-aged, easygoing fellow ( of the equine kind!) who'd like to hang around for casual riding and maybe driving, do let me know........looking in the New England region........ Well, it's almost summer although today is cold and drizzly. I'm a teacher, so am eagerly anticipating more horse time over the upcoming months!!! Nice to meet a whole bunch of new friends and their horsey families, be talking to you all!! Susie
