Re: brag alert- first "big" trail ride
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 4/24/01 9:28:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Well, it was happy Fjording this weekend : ) "Tommes" & I had our first large group trail ride with the local horsemen's association. >> < Hi there everyone, Here comes my . 02 cents worth. Brigid returned looking like a high school girl coming home from her first and very successful prom. Those of you that know her at all can't ever forget her open smile, and exuberant laughter. She certainly knows how to express her "thrill of the day" and happiness : ) . It was a wonderful sight to behold. She was indeed a very proud "Fjord owner" who made an admirable impact with her mighty steed. Jack (no, I'm not the mighty steed I'talking about)
Re: " The Beatings Have Begun "......
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 4/24/01 10:45:22 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << One reason to fix biteing behavior in any horse, is that IF he ever connected with anyone, farrier, vet, child ect. and broke skinthey could insist on testing for rabies. Dont want to know how they do that. >> Coming from an animal shelter background, I unfortunately know how they do that. The only way to test is to use brain tissue. The animal involved is euthanized and decapitated. A horrible business. BUT I have never heard of a horse getting rabies and at least in my area such a test is required only for a wild animal. If a mammalian pet with no current rabies shots bites someone, the animal is simply quarantined for 30 days and observed for signs of illness. Brigid M Wasson San Francisco Bay Area, CA http://members.nbci.com/mrgnpetsit/fjord1";>Our Fjords
Re: brag alert- first "big" trail ride
This message is from: "Denise Delgado" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> dear bridgid,congrats to you and tommes on your winning performance!! sounds like great fun and a good time was had by all. good for the breed to be seen out in public, especially with such a well-mannered member as a representative. good job, denise ;-)
brag alert- first "big" trail ride
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi All- Well, it was happy Fjording this weekend : ) "Tommes" & I had our first large group trail ride with the local horsemen's association. There were about 30 other riders, with mostly QH/Paints but also two Peruvian Pasos. We met at 9AM Sunday for coffee and muffins, then rode out at 10. We rode for 3 hours through some beautiful country in Windy Hill, Portola Valley (CA). I have to say that Tommes was an ANGEL under such unusual circumstances. He was calm, cool and collected the whole time and even perhaps enjoyed it! He certainly liked meeting new people and horses. I only knew one member previously, so there were a lot of introductions and "Oh, she said you had this different kind of a horse - wow - look at that neck!" We also had the usual attention and admiration of hikers & bikers. Thanks to our frequent solo trips to the trail, Tommes knows how to pace himself. I saw many horses "jigging" away and heard a frequent chant of, "Walk, walk, come on, stop it, WALK." After the ride we had lunch in the park. Tommes stood tied to the trailer and rested quietly till it was time to go home. Everyone remarked how good he had been on the trail. I was so proud! A few days later, I got a wonderful call. Seems we have been accepted... we were invited to another trail ride in 2 weeks, with a different, invitation-only exclusive group! Yay! To be continued... Brigid M Wasson San Francisco Bay Area, CA http://members.nbci.com/mrgnpetsit/fjord1";>Our Fjords
RE: Backing Up
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi all! My Taffy does very well at backing up under saddle (unless she's in a snit over something); my problem is getting a straight back while in cart. The minute I ask for a back she starts backing, but also kind of leaning on the left shaft - creating a lovely arc instead of a nice straight line. If I immediately start tapping very lightly on her left hip with the whip, at the same time I ask for the back, she's much better. But it's sort of awkward for me to do (and looks pretty dumb in a show ring too!). Any ideas on getting a straight back in the cart would be greatly appreciated. Our Emily is getting as big as a house and isn't due to foal till mid June. This will be our last foal from our grey stallion Bjorn-Knutson, whom we lost in December. I keep chanting to Emily every time I go by her, "grey filly, grey filly, grey filly!" Don't know if it'll help any, but hey... Anything's worth a try right? Anyone out there ever had any luck with this technique?? ;) Amy (In sunny Redmond, OR where it was over 75 degrees today!) PS: All you Western States folks, don't forget our Small Farmer's Journal Horsedrawn Equipment & Buggy Auction on May 25, 26, 27! I know of at least 4 Fjords that have been promised, including a grey yearling gelding. Hope to see you all there!! Dun Lookin' Fjords Bud, Tillie & Amy Evers Redmond, OR http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/8589
Re: Pony needed!
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello all, PLEASE excuse my last post. That was meant to be private. Sorry! Lynda
Re: Pony needed!
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sue, I decided to look you up in the NFHR members list, so I can give you an approximate quote to you farm. We do actually charge from our farm to yours, plus include tolls, if any, in the transportation fee. With tolls, however, we cannot tell you in advance, for it depends on the highways! >From our town to yours, the fee would be approximately $181, depending on how far out of town you live. We usually ask people to plan on a $25 +/- figure to compensate for that. As I said previously, tolls would be extra. However, Coggins and Heath Certificate are included in the sales price, so you would not have to worry about either of those. Spunky's wormings, vaccinations, and trimmings are all current, as a matter of fact, he was wormed today. Let us know if this is workable for you, and we will send you pictures of Spunky tomorrow! Lynda and Daniel Bailey's Norwegian Fjord Horse Farm White Cloud, MI 231.689.9902 http://hometown.aol.com/heithingi/BaileysNorwegianFjords.html
Midwest Horse Fair
This message is from: "Dave Walter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Just wanted to let the list know that 11 Fjords did a smashing job of representing the breed in Madison WI, last weekend. April 20-22. Those present with their horses were: Sherle, Walt and Rich Monheims, Tom & Ann Hans, Chet & Donna Thomas, Al & Lois Merrill, Joni Griffin, Pat Holland, Wanda Hase, Nyla Naniot and Patti Jo Walter. Others who helped with the booth were Janet Voeltz, Sophie and Howard Fielder and Rich's finance(sorry forgot your name again!) Oh, I probably shouldn't have started with names, if I missed anyone I am sorry. Most likely still brain dead from the long weekend. We had a team pulling a covered wagon, driven by Walt and Rich Monheim, Chet Thomas, Al Merrill and Tom Hans all drove single. Joni Griffin dressed up as a Viking woman, helmet, horns and blonde braided pig tails!! Patti Jo Walter wore a Norwegian Bunda, Pat Holland was in English show attire and all the western riders were in Norwegian capes. We were one good looking bunch. Ann Hans bought enough material to decorate our stall, so we could all have matching stalls, red back drop with blue trim and she even had matching stall names for everyone. Not only were we very good looking in our carts and on our horses, but our stall and hospitality booth was impressive as well. I think I can say we all had a wonderful time, we got to know each other better, shared a lot of laughs and stories and just had a great time with our horses and each other. I enjoy our group of riders/drivers and am so happy to be a part of it all. Thank you everyone, you all did a great job! Can't wait to see what we come up with next year!!! It just keeps getting bigger and better. Patti Jo Walter Francis Creek Fjords Two Rivers, WI
Life on the ground
This message is from: wanda m hill <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hey, this isn't bad. I've been out 3 days now. Not too warm, not too cold. Just hanging with mom on the hillside, chasing bugs, dogs, you know, the usual. Got all I can eat, sleep when I want, run around when I want. Only complaint is the BIPEDS. They are constantly messing with my feet, leading me around, rubbing my ears. How would they like it if I was always picking up THEIR feet & rubbing their ears. I do have to admit there's one spot on my butt they scratch that really feels nice. In any case it's really hard for me to fit my hooves on these small keys so I'm going out for a snack. Bye, Brass Ring's Jord
chain of behaviors
This message is from: Mary & Steve <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> My other clicker friend (who introduced me to it) has these things to say: I thought the questions were most legitimate and have heard them before: Is the dog/horse paying attention because he loves me and wants to be good, or because he wants the food? Well, of course it starts out that he wants the food! So what? Regardless of his motivation, he is still giving you (and meanwhile learning) the behavior you desire. It is possible to teach attention that will develop later into attention for attention's sake. But in the beginning, a motivator needs to be there. You work for a paycheck; why shouldn't your horse? And as for the second question about the chain of bad stuff: You are clicking for what behavior occurs at the moment of the click. If bad behavior precedes it, that may continue for awhile. But the animal is an efficient thinker (read: lazy) and will quickly learn to offer only things that are clicked. Eventually the other stuff (if ignored) will extinguish itself when not rewarded. ie, you want a lowered head. Horse opts to toss its head, then lower it. You click during the lowering of the head, NOT the toss. For awhile, he will toss and lower, toss and lower, but with patience on your part you can wait out the toss and click only for the head lowering. A good trainer is prepared for the random moment when the horse offers the head lowering WITHOUT the toss, and that is a good opportunity to jackpot the horse. (Give extra treats.) Jackpots can be very effective for encouraging "eureka" moments. Clicker training is easy and lots of fun, and possibly one of the simplest ways to communicate to an animal what you want. Usually the critters like it too.
Re: fjordhorse-digest V2001 #127
This message is from: "K.J. Brighton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Please discontinue. Thanks Keith Brighton
" STOP !......in the name of love....."
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 4/24/01 9:55:03 AM Mountain Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Ideally, you would have your horse attentive enough to you that the horse would never think of biting anything; you, or a lead rope, or your tack, or another horse. >> OK, OK Beth. I'll stop Valjo from carrying his own lead rope ! I should know better anyway. At the Blue Earth evaluations, a few of us got to see the cutest, funniest thing in a long time, when a rider was taking her Fjord through the Trail Course, which included a long, heavy rope " gate " that had to be opened by the rider, then sideways, stepped through. Her beautiful Stallion reached out before she could, and grabbed the rope gate in his mouth.and stood there for over a min. happily munching on it, while his poor rider pulled and tugged to no avail on it. The evaluators and spectators really had a long, much needed laugh over their TUG-OF-WAR. She finally got the rope away from him, after much time had passed, and continued on their test. I never looked to see what she scored on itguess I could check the evaluation book nowbut was very funny at the time ! ( Im sure NOT to her, although she took it in very good humor ) Good Point, dont LET them do something more than once, that will come back to haunt you later. Like teaching a baby goat jump up on you, cute then, but not when he turns a 150 lb. stinky, friendly jumping playmate. Lisa P.
" The Beatings Have Begun "......
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 4/24/01 9:55:03 AM Mountain Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << reaches down quick and grab for my hand, arm whatever, then right back to looking at everything, like I never corrected him. Like I said he hardly ever makes contact...it's just the point that he feels he NEEDs to do it. I normally let out a deep "hey" or "utt", and have even be known to hit my knuckles under his chin, at the same time. It doesn't seem to bother him that I've corrected himin a few moments he may do it again. >> Hi Amy ! Long time..IMHO, your correction of your Fjord is meaningless to him. " Hey, Utt " and a knuckle is just what you said, not a bother. I know from your first post that you are convinced that he MUST do something when hes anxious or scared, but he needs to learn other ways to deal with it than grabbing and nipping / biteing. You may also be anthropomorphizing ( hee hee looked it up ! ) a bit with his feelings. Bad or aquired habit is how I see this, whatever triggers it. I think that you guys are in a pattern, he thinks he needs contact, he swings his head and ( sometimes ) connects. You say " hey " and he ignores you for the most part. ( Evidenced by comming back again with another grab. ) You continue along, and next time hes ledtaken somewhere new, stressed ect. he bites at you again. Im thinking, Amy, that hes never thought for one second, that his life has ended as he once knew it. That a 3 second TIGARFROMTHEBOGGMONSTERWHOHASNTEATENFORAMONTH hasnt found him. Or that , in Bill Cosbys words." the beating has begun " ( refering to his out of control childern. ) Teaching a 7 yr old, fully grown, strong Fjord who has been allowed to continue this behavior will not be easy for you or him. Maybe a professional could help you for a few lessons, so hes / shes the bad " guy "although be ready to reinforce this correction, once back on the end of your lead rope. I stress my horses by training hard, in new places, going 1000's of miles to show with new horses, strange barns ect. They need to learn to deal with this stress in other ways besides biteing or even threatening. One reason to fix biteing behavior in any horse, is that IF he ever connected with anyone, farrier, vet, child ect. and broke skinthey could insist on testing for rabies. Dont want to know how they do that. ( I would make sure they had their rabies vacinations anyway, with a nipper esp. ) Yes, horses get exposed to rabies and it only takes one outbreak in your area to have lasting effects on your horse who bites someone. Good-Luck with this ! Keep us informed of how you do with it. Seems like Im the only one lately who confesses problems ( Utah expo, stud colt episode ) and I know theres alot of similar things going on out there. Just MHO of course. Lisa
Back ' to work
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 4/24/01 9:55:03 AM Mountain Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << my ponies back up fine, even used a good backup last year on the trail in an emergency, but i want them to "do the moonwalk." ideas? denise >> My idea would be to buy a QH thats reining trained. Kidding..personally here we do not do tons of backing, although I do practice it hitched with a pair because it is diffacult to get a nice straight back with 2 horses attached to a pole in soft sand. The reason we do not work alot on backing, esp with green horses, is that when poop happens, forward will usually get you out of trouble. A horse whos got one of those backs to die for, will tend to back up more ( cause he knows how to and feels comfortable doing it ) if he gets scared, is evading work, spooks at something, dosnt want to stand up in draft ( leaning back on the britchen while hitched to avoid holding up the cart, bad habit ) ect. I also have had to back up a nice straight 20 ft or so, with a pair even, when a bridle path became blocked in heavy wind. ( Norco, a branch fell off a huge tree right in front of us leaving us " stuck " in a 4 ft wide trail with short fences on either side. ) One step at a time, and always correcting any sideways movement, insisting on putting their feet where I want them is a good start to a safe back while hitched. I cant help much with that " crisp, snappy " back like a reiner, although it is a fairly advanced movement requiring a horse to be able to balence properly, being light on the bit,and also being " UP " in ones hand. Lisa Pedersen Cedar City, UT * 74 today bright, beautiful.
Re: My problem with biting.
This message is from: "Starfire Farm, LLC" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Aimee, It sounds like your horse does not feel secure around you when he gets nervous. You need to give your horse something to do when he gets nervous, like walking in a circle around you at the end of your lead rope. I'm not talking about lunging, I mean walking, nice, forward, long, strides with him looking slightly towards you with a nice bend in his body. If he's nervous, he needs to do what comes naturally to a horse, which is to move. If he looks away, bring his attention back in your direction with a sharp but feeling snap or "bump" of the lead rope. If he trots off make it uncomfortable for him to stay in the trot by rhythmically bumping on the lead rope. If you've lunged this horse before, your job will be more difficult, as he's already learned to ignore you at the end of the lunge line. You should allow him to move, but you pick where and how. When he starts to get "soft" and thinks about stopping and giving you his attention, you should reward him by petting him, a lot. Reward the slightest try, at first. If he moves off before you get to where you can pet him, continue to move him, but always try to offer softness. The idea is, you make it uncomfortable for him to not "be" with you, and very comfortable for him to be with you. It could take a lot of repetition and time initially, but if you're patient, you can realize some great results. You could do this work anywhere, but if you have a round pen available, or a smaller paddock, it might be easier to start there so you don't end up all over kingdom come. Good luck. Beth -- Beth Beymer & Sandy North Starfire Farm, Berthoud CO http://www.starfirefarm.com
Re: John Lyons and biting
This message is from: "Starfire Farm, LLC" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have to agree with Dave, here. The subject of horses biting always comes up at colt starting and horsemanship clinics with Buck Brannaman and Ray Hunt and Bryan Neubert (I mention these people because they are who I've worked with, I'm sure it comes up at a lot of NH style clinics.) What they say is that if the horse bites, you have two choices: Avoid it, or say "ouch" and rub it (the bite.) Meaning, if you've already been bitten, it's too late, and it's your fault for letting the horse bite you in the first place. It's also your fault (or someone else's) for letting the horse get that poor in its behavior and disrespectful to you, to begin with. It's also your fault for not paying close enough attention to your horse to not know that he was thinking of biting you. Ideally, you would have your horse attentive enough to you that the horse would never think of biting anything; you, or a lead rope, or your tack, or another horse. This means that you have to be paying close attention to your horse, and you would direct him away from biting, getting his attention on doing something else (whether that might be clicker training, or moving his feet) before he ever got there. Paying attention to your horse can be a learned skill, but it takes concentration on your part. You have to be willing to keep your attention on your horse while you are doing whatever chore/task/action you might be involved in (like grooming your horse or talking to someone else while you're holding your horse.) It takes practice and committment on your part, and an ability to learn to recognize when your horse's attention is not on you. I'm ruminating about what Gail Russel said about the clicker training (talk about having to pay attention to your horseand have impeccable timing) and your horse's attention. I've seen video of what Gail is talking about, but wonder if the horse's attention is really on you, or is he just thinking of how to get that next goodie? And are you rewarding only that single behavior, or are you rewarding the poor behavior that leads up to you asking for the "right" behavior? Or can horses reason for that many steps? I'm not pooh poohing clicker training, just thinking, thinking.. Of course, dealing with an already spoiled horse is another problem, and can be a dangerous situation to work with. If you don't have experience in these matters, you should seek the assistance of someone who has, who can deal with it effectively (and humanely).and can show you how to handle the horse to keep the problem from coming back. My two cents worth. Beth -- Beth Beymer & Sandy North Starfire Farm, Berthoud CO http://www.starfirefarm.com
Re: HCF Henry Monday and last update
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 4/23/01 9:18:20 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > Please don't go back! I still want to hear about Henry! Glad he's recovering so quickly. Bless these stoic, tough horses. Pamela
Fwd: When you were offline...(via HumanClick)
This message is from: "Mike May, Registrar NFHR" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I received this email from a person looking for a stallion in the UK. Can anyone help her out? If so please reply directly to her at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "Caroline Pappa" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mike" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I live in Surrey, UK, and have a fjord mare that I would like to put into foal. I have come up with 2 possible options because either the lineage is not right or the stallions are in a foot and mouth area. Does anyone know of any stallions in the UK that I could use, preferably in southern England or anyone I could contact? I have already contacted the Fjord Horse Society or Great Britain and the Fjord Horse Society of Scotland. Any information would be appreciated. === Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry Mike May, Registrar Voice 716-872-4114 FAX 716-787-0497 http://www.nfhr.com mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
