This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I have known I needed to do this and been putting it off. But now I must go ahead. I need to say goodbye to the Fjord List, at least for a while.
I have always tried to keep my priorities in place: the Lord first, Barb and Daniel next, and then work etc. Lately though I have realized that I have allowed things to get a little out of whack. I have become so busy that I have not been spending enough time on the things and with the people who are really important to me. The List is addictive to me, and I can't stop at just one message : ). If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right, and that means (for me) that I read each and every message. I'm not content doing it any other way. If it were just reading messages, that would not be so bad. But I respond to some, and I think and rethink and rethink each message to make it as clear and concise as possible. And that takes a long time. And then I receive messages off list, etc, and those take time as well. I'm not writing this to make anyone who's asked me a question feel bad; I hope you can tell I enjoy answering them and try to put a lot into it. And if there were just the Fjord List, that still would be no problem. But there's work and the horses etc etc etc. Which is all why I must drop off the List for a while. I'm going to miss it badly. I feel something like a father or coach to many of you in that I've tried to educate and encourage you about horses and Fjords. And in return I've enjoyed learning about everyone and their Fjords, and learning many things I did not know as well. The List is important enough to me, and it's a big enough highlight of my day, that I feel like I'm cutting off my own arm right now. I'd like to encourage you all to keep learning about horses. The more you know, the better job you can do. Go to seminars put on by feed companies, trainers, and your veterinarian. Subscribe to good, down-to-earth publications like The Horse and/or Equus. Read books that people generally agree are good (search the Fjord List archives for books that have been mentioned more than once, or see a list at Lori Albrough's website ). Knowledge is power. And knowledge gives you freedom - freedom from making mistakes based on ignorance. Also, practice thinking critically. Evaluate everything you hear about horses (and their owners) carefully. Don't accept anything just because it sounds possible or reasonable. There are many things that sound possible or reasonable that are 100% wrong! Compare everything you read or hear to what you KNOW to be right, and if you don't have enough knowledge on the subject to properly compare, seek the wisdom of someone who does. Usually that's going to be someone who's gone to school to learn what's right and what's not. Does that mean what you learn in school is never wrong? No, but more is probably right than is wrong. Does that mean that someone that didn't go on to college doesn't know anything? No, but further schooling helps. Please be hesitant to believe something bad you hear about another Fjord owner, and eager to believe something good. And if you do hear something bad, keep it to yourself. When you hear something good, tell everyone! It's amazing how if you only have good things to say about people, people have a hard time saying bad things about you. Always seek the best for your Fjords. As long as you own them, they depend on you for their care. At the same time, don't get caught in the trap of comparing yourself to other people. You may not have as fancy a place as someone else has, as new a truck, an imported horse,etc, but does God care about any of that? No. He created horses for us to enjoy and take care of - just do the best job that YOU can do. Thanks to Steve M. for birthing and nursing this wonderful List. How neat it's been to be able to get to know Fjord owners from all over the country without having to leave my house. What a contribution this List has been to furthering Fjord knowledge and broadening all our horizons! Thanks to all of you who contribute your time and knowledge to this List. Thanks also to those who are the encouragers - always ready with a "way to go" or "attaboy!" We all have different personalities, and while the latter type of messages aren't important to some, they are very important to others. The List will still have an excellent veterinarian in the person of Steve White. I'm not sure how much he wants me to volunteer him for, but I think he's willing to respond to questions and concerns as much as his time allows him. Steve has a good article appearing in the next Herald which will alert people to what to think about when buying a horse. Anyway, to finish my thoughts here, I'm not leaving the Fjord world or anything like that. Barb and I will still be here raising a few Fjords. I'll still be contributing to the Herald and directing the "educational" part of it. If any of you have good educational-type articles you would share with others in the Herald, please send them to me for consideration. The Education Committee has tried to lighten Sally Webber's load by letting me take some of that responsibility. If any of you have some expertise or experience in certain areas and would like to write an article yourself, send me your thoughts. Please send them to my e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED], or by snail mail to 1746 W. Ridge Rd., Salisbury, NC 28147-8770. We'll also be busy planning the keuring to take place here in October. All are invited and you should be receiving a letter in the mail about it in the near future (along with info about the one taking place in Vermont and the one in California). Our agenda here in North Carolina is #1, learning and #2, fun. We've never had a get together of Fjord people like this in the Southeast/MidAtlantic area, and we are really looking forward to it. If you are interested in attending with or without horses you can contact me at the same addresses as above. Thanks and adios for now, Brian Jacobsen, DVM Norwegian Fjordhest Ranch Salisbury, North Carolina
