This message is from: "Janne Myrdal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> There's been alot of great discussions on the digest lately, THANKS to Misha, Lindsay, Carol, Julie, Lynda and several others. Keep it up, for everyone of you voicing something there is many of us "lurkers" listening and learning. As a somewhat new Fjord owner(3 years), yet not new to the Equine world(trained trotters in Norway, QH in TX) I wanted to put my two cents in on a few issues.
Julie, I am a mare owner, and YES, I would love to breed to some of the "Top" stallions of my choice, but because of our location and the cost involved, it does become hard. We are breeding our two mares back to a nice stallion this spring after a two year break, but we have to haul them 7 hours away and that gets to be far when you have a family and little kids. Not that this stallion is not nice, HE IS and he charges a very fair price, but if we had more choices it would be fun. Alos, it would be great to have a complete stud book with performance history etc. etc. listed on all stallions. I am the type that loves to be further educated on anything I do, and have studied a bunch of the info out there on bloodlines etc. And I think every owner comes up with the idea of what we think is the perfect fjord, which will of course differ from what another owner thinks. That is the beauty of it all, is'nt it?? I know what fits my family and what pleases my eye AND SOUL when I look at a horse. That does not make us a "backyard breeder", because we are not breeders, but OWNERS AND USERS AND ENJOYERS OF THE BREED, and would NEVER promote anything that would in any way be detrimental to the breed. I have sadly seen pictures of poor looking yearlings and studs, and have even been offered to buy several yearlings for a COMBINED price of less than $1000, now that is a bit scary. Not that it is all in the price, but if you want quality ypou have to pay for it, right?? So, let the discussion on Stallions and fees continue!!! The other comment I would love to make is that there are many of us new and small farm Fjord owners out here who would LOVE to get our horses to the evaluations to learn and know what we have when judged by the NFHR standards, but like Lynda, TX said, we do not all have opportunity to travel such looooong distances. AND secondly do not know what it all entails to bring our horses. But I for one would gladly be part of putting together something for our region if we could get a few people involved to help. How about something for the Northern part of the mid.west???? Anyone out there have any ideas, info etc. I think we could do this thing, network and learn as well as spread the word wider about this beautiful creature from God's country. ( Could not help myself.) OK, I'll hit send, but just wanted to voice an opinion from a small farm in Northern ND, where it is wonderfully mild. Janne Myrdal
