This message is from: Debbie Hunt <[email protected]>
Phil: I do not post much in this Forum. I have an amazing 6 year old gelding. I do a little dressage and a little jumping and trail riding. I started riding at the age of 48 (7 years ago) so I don't consider myself a horse expert. My Ivar is wonderful.I have learned so much lurking here the past three years and reading the posts from so many Fjord experts. Most of the posts I read and file in my memory banks and take from them what I believe is useful. I really enjoyed this post as it is such a common sense approach to things and I wanted to take the time to thank you for sending it out. The other reason I wanted to respond is that I have the great pleasure of living in Kentucky just 72 mi. from the Ky Horse Park. I will be volunteering a minimum of 6 days during the WEG. I would love to look you up and see your amazing Fjords. Debbie --- On Wed, 7/14/10, PHILLIP Odden <[email protected]> wrote: > From: PHILLIP Odden <[email protected]> > Subject: RE: Stalls or turnout > To: [email protected] > Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 10:18 PM > This message is from: PHILLIP Odden > <[email protected]> > > > This message is from Phillip Odden in Northwestern > Wisconsin where we had just over 4 inches of rain today. > > And yes there was some lightening too. > > We have around 25 Fjords here and they all stay outside all > the time during all seasons. Each day I bring several in to > be tied or stand in stalls for some hours so they get used > to being handled and tied. I think that is very important. > Since my woodcarving studio is in the barn I am able to > monitor them as they stand tied. I also tie some in other > places around the farm where we can watch them. > > The horses here live in different groups outside. Horses > are herd animals and I think they should live in herds. It > is important for their minds and for their bodies to be able > to move freely and interact with one another in different > age classes. We have fox, coyote, timber wolves, lots of > bears, and now cougars here. We have never had any problems > with the wild animals troubling our horses. I am more > concerned with the lightening but the horse are able to come > up to the building for cover if they wish. I like to hang > flags in their paddocks that blow in the wind and place > other things in their environment that helps them learn > about the people world. > > Depending on their nutrition needs and activity some are on > good pasture and some are on short pasture and some are in > dry lot. There are a few that may be in a dry lot alone but > close to other horses. I do not want to limit my horses > health by having them excessively over-weight. As I travel > around the country looking at Fjords I see quite a few that > are far too heavy. It takes effort to keep most Fjords in > proper shape. The easiest thing to do is to just let them > eat all they want. Many people do not want to have the > weight of a ridder on their horses until they are fully > mature and I agree. But they are willing to have their young > stock much overweight so that the young Fjords are carrying > far too much weight for their immature bones and connective > tissue all the time. > > Everyone has a different situation and different > expectations for their animals and there is probably no ' > right way ' to keep and train horses since we are all > continuing to learn ( hopefully ). For now this is what > works for us and our goal to produce well mannered well > trained performance and trail horses. > > Tomorrow we are off to Hickory Knoll CDE for the weekend > driving our pair Herger and Marcy at Intermediate level with > howard Fiedler navigating for marathon and Bob Long riding > Dressage and Cones. Then straight to Blue Earth with a > couple first time green horses with my Frode and > Bob Long's Solvar. Then the next week at Iron Horse > CDE with Marcy and Herger at Intermediate where there > will be many super athletic horses and talented drivers from > around the country participating. I understand that the top > four in hand drivers will be battling it out at Iron Horse > for a spot at the World Equestrian Games in October. Our > goal at these two CDE's is to have fun, stay safe and see > how it feels to compete at Intermediate level. In August we > plan to be at the Villa Louis Carriage Classic. > > In October we will be driving Marcy and Herger at the World > Equestrian Games in Lexington Kentucky with the American > Driving Society. Howard Fiedler will be my navigator. At the > WEG we will be participating in two events, a Pleasure > Driving demonstration with Andy Marcoux and a HDT driving > derby. It is a big honor for us to be invited to drive > at the WEG with ADS. ADS sanctions Pleasure Driving shows > like Villa Louis and Combined Driving Events like Hickory > Knoll and Iron Horse. They are in the forefront with > educational opportunities and considerations for the safety > and well being of our horses and drivers. ADS is expanding > driving sports in this country and they have recognized the > Norwegian Fjord Horse as well as other breeds that excel at > driving. We are excited and we look forward to the > opportunity to drive our Fjords at the World Equestrian > Games this fall. > > After the WEG I will ask Marcy and Herger to take me on an > Elk hunt in the mountains of Montana. > > Take care, > > Phil Odden > > Important FjordHorse List Links: > Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e > FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw > Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw Classified Ads: http://tinyurl.com/5b5g2f
