This message is from: "Monica Spencer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Thank you to everyone who responded to my message, both on and off list, and for all the helpful advice and information.
I have cut out the corn oil and am cutting back Friska's pellets each day. She's still getting pretty much free-choice timothy hay, and vitamins of course. Valerie asked how Friska's personality is now that she's well fed and cared for... it's hard to say since I haven't spent much extra time with her over the last couple of months. She does have some fear of people (runs out of her shelter when I approach it with food - and I don't think running away from food is normal Fjord behaviour!) but her confidence continues to improve. Her basic manners are fine but she would clearly prefer to be left alone. I think this will continue to change with daily handling and training. Soon the weather will be better and we'll start ponying Friska along on trail rides - that will help to build muscle and fitness, and hopefully she'll enjoy the outings. She needs more work in the round pen with basic things like despooking and giving to pressure before I'll try riding her - especially since she's been so spoiled. Spring is coming, indeed - my Andalusian-cross gelding is hanging onto every hair on his little yellow hide but Friska started shedding the day after the winter solstice. I'm just not used to the extreme fur on a Fjord! One morning the soft ground had frozen overnight and there was a thick carpet of hair where she'd slept - it was all sticking up through the frozen dirt and I swear it looked as though a woolly mammoth was about to melt up out of the substrate below! Monica in Nelson, BC
