This message is from: "Dagrun Aarsten" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello listers,
http://www.fjordhest.no/artikkel.asp?ID=88 (Here are some pictures from a combined driving event in Norway last weekend - (look at my favorite Kneist - can you tell how much he loves this? "Yeah, let's go!") another fjord weekend (extra long this one) has gone by. In addition to riding Tinn and Quinn (and a jumping lesson with Brigid and her Tommes - they both did great!), fjord friend Ruthie and I went down to Morgan hill to try to find the two mysterious fjords I heard about. And we did find them. Actually much more than that! We spent half the day there! No more mystery: Amy, they bought the mare from you, Two Rivers Anja, when she was in foal to Bjorn-Knutson. The result is an adorable two-year old. Anja's job is to be a "pasture ornament" which she does very well. They have driven her a little and she does OK, but they have more or less given up riding her. They say it takes a minute or two to stop or turn... Despite the lack of grass in pasture she was HUGE! And I thought Quinn was fat when we got him! Poor girl, they call her Anja-Lasagna. She is a typical fjord, very curious and friendly and wanting to sniff and taste everything and just hang out with people. She looks really nice except from the fat and we were trying to hint about evaluations and Skandifest in Turlock but they were not planning anything like that! The owner is a really sweet lady named Dawn, she showed us around and said we were welcome back anytime. The colt, sharing pasture with tho little arabians is Einar Bergstedt (named after a Norwegian friend). He is looking good and we couldn't help asking if he was for sale...she said he might be. Then again, maybe Ruthie and I have enough with two fjords between us... We will see. (Part of the story is that the "original" Einar Bergstedt was very flattered until he heard that the colt was being gelded - then he wasn't so eager to talk about it anymore. Seems men don't cope very well with this gelding issue....) Thinking this Anja-Lasagna might need some excercise, and acting as a (very unofficial) fjord trainer lately, I offered to ride her once in a while, and Dawn said "sure, anytime". So I said "what about today", that was no problem, so I ran out and brought her in from pasture and then we spent about 1/2 hour trying to find a bridle that fit her. Browbands being far too short, of course. We managed to find something in the end, and we didn't even try to find a saddle. As I expected, Anja didn't care much for going around in the arena, and did her best to stop, turn, walk sideways, buck a little and stomp her feet. I decided that a whip might just make her more angry, so I tried with patience and some quite strong leg and rein to start with. Just getting her to stay on the rail was quite an achievement, and when we also managed some circles in nice forward trot we decided that was fine for the day. It was a hot day and I guess my face was near purple :-) But it was great fun! I will go back there once in a while and ride her again. Dawn wasn't even there, she went away for a while and came back with chicken sandwiches for us! She meets this complete stranger (me) and lets me ride her horse then feeds me! That was sweet of her. Fjord people are fjord people, even if they also own 30 arabians... Happy fjording everyone! Dagrun
