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I currently have a very talented seventeen year old gelding who is a Gjest
son on a thirty day trial. The seller has been generous enough to allow me to
try the horse to ensure a good match.
On the plus side, he is a very tall, longbacked Fjord, among the biggest
that I have ever seen. Still drafty, but with a horselike body, if that makes
sense. As someone who is 5'9", this is very important to me. He is also
beautifully trained--competed in eventing with beautiful movement and a very
willing "schoolmaster" temperament under saddle. Forgiving and patient, he is
very left brained when he is unsure. He would definitely challenge me to
become a better rider. In the past two weeks, we have had him on the trails
several times, ridden him in our boarding barn's quarantine pasture (until
certain
vaccines clear) bareback and tacked, and free lunged him all without any red
flags. Okay, a little grass grabbing on the trails, but nothing any other
full bodied Fjord wouldn't try! When the tack comes out, he goes into work
mode for sure.
My main reservations with this horse are the fact that he cribs and he has
an extremely reserved, almost robotic personality thus far. The cribbing is
mild, 10-12 times after eating, he has never colicked, and based on my vet's
assessment of his teeth is very mild. I won't lie--it is extremely annoying,
but I know all of the standard pitfalls and am prepared to possibly go
forward in spite of this unsightly vice.
My primary concern is his aloofness. He is nothing like my two year old,
very in your pocket gelding. That curious, friendly, people loving nature is
a
big part of my love for this breed and I am just not sure how much he will
come around over time. There is the possibility that he has suffered some
unkindness due to circumstances beyond the seller's control, and he probably
has
a very good reason to remain a little guarded. He will join up with me when
I have a feed bucket, but aside from that, I have given him many
opportunities to approach me for a scratch fest, and he will invariably mosey
away. If
I approach him, he will tolerate my affection while looking straight ahead,
but sometimes flinch if I surprise him or bump me with his nose in a "get
away" kind of gesture.
I am just really struggling with this decision and would appreciate any
advice from long term Fjord owners/breeders or those who own Fjords that might
fall into a more aloof category or have suffered mistreatment. Feel free to
e-mail me privately if you'd rather.
Thanks in advance,
Kris in NC
and Clyde ("Do I spy another Fjord in that pasture!?")
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