Fjord Farms
This message is from: "Robyn Millar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have been subscribed to the Fjord list for a couple of months and have been enjoying reading about everyone's horses. I have owned one Fjord for 3 years and my primary interest is Fjord horse history and traditional methods of training Fjords. Last week I took a quick trip to Eastern Washington and able to make side trips to Twisp for a visit with The McMillans at Methow River Fjords and up to BC to talk with Anita and Orville Unrau at Anvil's Acres. Fjord owners are great! Everyone graciously took time out from their busy schedules to show me all their lovely horses and tell me about the Fjord breed. I really learned a lot. Robyn Millar Bellingham, WA --- Robyn Millar --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- EarthLink: It's your Internet.
Re: Keswick Update
This message is from: "Jean Gayle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sue what a great story of how Kes has come along and you also. A good one for those of us who feel at times it is too painful to go on. Just so happy for you and how you are enjoying him. Jean Jean Walters Gayle [Authoress of "The Colonel's Daughter" Occupied Germany 1946 To 1949 ] http://users.techline.com/jgayle Send $20 PO Box 104 Montesano, Wa 98563 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com Date: Friday, October 05, 2001 5:42 PM Subject: Keswick Update >This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > It is hard for me to believe but Keswick will be 5 months old tomorrow, 5 >months since I lost his beautiful mother Katrina. He is now weaned, no more >milk to warm, no more formula to make, sure made life easier. He is a little >smaller than colts his age but only a little, all I have been reading says >this is not unusual and he should catch up by the time he is 6 months old. He >is more mature than colts his age because of so much handling, he leads well, >stands tied, he loads in the trailer and is great for the farrier. Kez and I >wander the neighborhood together, sometimes with John (my husband) and >Heather my other Fjord, but most of the time on our own. Nothing seems to >bother him, he is so curious about everything. >Him and Heather play together and she seems to be aware the he is a baby. >Mahogany my mustang is the disciplinarian and he is very respectful of her. I >turn him out in the pasture for 2 hours each day with both Heather and >Mahogany. I also pony him behind the cart when I drive Heather. >I wouldn't have chosen this sort of upbringing for him but have really worked >hard at doing the very best for him and he seems to be doing very well. >Tomorrow my Church is having a blessing of the animals for St. Francis day >and it seem very appropriate for him to attend, my little (well maybe not so >little) miracle colt. > >Sue
off topic - advertisement
This message is from: John & Martie Bolinski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Time for Christmas shopping? Twin Oaks Graphics has many gift ideas this year - from stained glass ornaments and sun-catchers, boxes, nite-lites (new), votive candle holders (new), and of course windows small and large - also stepping stones, coasters and other 'cast' items. Custom or off the shelf pieces. Fjords and other breeds are available. Prices are very reasonable. Please contact me privately. I am sorry that we are still having difficulty with the web site, but if you email me, I'll provide some photos and price list. thanks, Martie in MD Twin Oaks Graphics [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: gelding
This message is from: Pat <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > When is the right time to geld? > I worked for several large breeders. One in particular had 87 broodmares. At weaning they were grouped by sex, size and parentage, they again were put into smaller groups. The boys were all gelded and done so in groups at various times. Most were gelded from 6 to 12 months of age. However some had to wait until they were 2 (and some a bit older) depending on the Veterinarians schedule, the guys who worked them and other horses or around the farm, the weather and so forth. I never saw a difference in size or build according to early or late castration. The boys who were born masculine remained so - the ones whom were more feminine - stayed that way. I was with this particular breeder for four foaling seasons. I don't know where the theory came from about age - growth and castration - the only thing I noticed about all the horses and when they were castrated is that they all walked funny for a few days ...
photo contest
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi All- I am working on the new web site for Fjordings West, and need photos! What I'd like are pics of Fjords in use (driving, riding etc.), at play (clicker training exercises, playing w/balls etc.), or "au natural" (with the herd, grazing, running around in pasture etc.). Send your photos (paper or digital) to: Brigid Wasson, PO Box 25007, San Mateo, CA 94402. Please note, photos become the property of Fjordings West and will not be returned! By submitting your photos, you give permission for them to be published on the FW web site at any time. The grand prize winning photo will be placed on the home page, with farm/owner credits and web site link. The winner will receive a handmade white maple Fjord head frame (as seem at the promo booth in Skandifest). This frame is beautiful! It holds 4 pictures of your "babies" and normally retails for $40. Runner-up photos will be placed on other pages, with credits. Send in those photos, and stay tuned! Contest ends October 31, 2001. Results will be announced on the Fjordhorse list. Brigid M Wasson San Francisco Bay Area, CA http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Our http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Fjords / )__~ /L /L
Re: when to geld
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 10/6/01 7:46:36 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << I believe that any stallion left whole should be an outstanding individual - not just a ball-bearing horse. I am a Nazi when it comes to a sharp knife. >> LOL Gayle!! I agree that it's very tempting to see the "dollar signs" in owning a stallion (or breeding a mare for that matter). I think the NFHR Journal addressed this issue a few months back. What people forget is the time & expense of keeping breeding animals and the fact that it's not a 100% gamble. The stallion might not be fertile, the mare might not take, the foal and/or mare can die during pregnancy and birthing. So many variables. Also as you say there are already too many stallions. If each stallion can cover 80 mares a year (as I've read some do in Europe, lucky guys : ) then he has a huge influence on the breed. Whereas, a mare can only bear one foal each year. So only the most "true to type" with great talent should be kept entire. It's interesting to see how, since the Fjord is so versatile, there are breeding programs for each type. Some more inclined towards driving, dressage, draft or what have you. Brigid M Wasson San Francisco Bay Area, CA http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Our http://ourfjords.freeservers.com/fjord1/Our_Fjordsx.html";>Fjords / )__~ /L /L
new member package
This message is from: "Ursula Jensen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello List...time to think about some winter projects. We have had two heavy frosts already. The NFHR Publication Committee is throwing around the idea of a New Member Handbook.I would like to get some ideas from the List. Think back and try to remember what sort of information would have helped you as a new Fjordhorse owner.Please submit your ideas to me privately.As seasoned members also consider what info you feel a new member would benifit fromdon't be shy. 'Get those cards and letters coming in...' thanks. We will sort thru them and use those that are do-able and cost efficient. Ursula & Brian Jensen Trinity Fjords Box 1032 Lumby BC Canada V0E-2G0 http://okjunc.junction.net/~ujensen/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] (250) 547-6303
Demo tape
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, Just wanted to say thanx to Jon & Mary Ofjord for sending the video you took of Anne's & my demo at Libby! It was a good one. Just have 2 more tapes that I know of to get and then I'll be off with them to have them edited. Gayle Ware Field of Dreams Eugene, OR www.fjordhorse.com
when to geld
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In a message dated 10/5/01 7:08:05 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << You can geld really anytime you want. The younger you geld, the easier it is on them. Weanlings hardly swell at all when gelded and don't seem to miss them much. On average you will get an inch or two more growth if you geld weanlings compared to gelding them as yearlings or 2 yr. olds. Hi, Just have to respond to this topic! It has been interesting to watch the change in protocol through the years regarding what age to geld. When we were breeding QH's many years ago, the rule of thumb was not to geld 'til at least 2 years of age. Only trouble was that some of those boys could get to be real stinkers in the meantime! Then I watched as the standard time line moved back to gelding yearlings. After we made the transition from QH's to Fjords I began to observe that waaayyy too many Fjord colts were not being gelded at all. The other thing I saw happen was that someone would buy a weanling colt as a gelding 'prospect', thus a cheaper price. By the time the colt was 2 or 3 it was still not gelded, and by then the new owner was thinking, "Hey, I got myself a stallion here." Most of the time that new owner had no idea whether this colt was good enough to be left whole, they just started thinking about dollar signs, breeding mares, and selling babies. The other thing that they did not take into consideration was our small gene pool within the Fjord breed. I began to see a flood of like-breeding concentrated in some areas. I attributed much of this to the fact that many Fjord owners are first time owners and just did not understand the 'big picture'. FYI, that is why I was so supportive of the Evaluation program from it's inception. Since we have no government regulations in this country regarding horses as in Europe, I figured that our approach needed to be through EDUCATION of our owners. Long way to get there, but seemed our only option. When we first purchased Dusty, I was concerned about all of the above happening. The other thing that concerned me was that when we were into QH's, I saw quite a few stallions standing for breeding that were half or full brothers to famous stallions with a show record. The owners of the 'brother' usually offered a lesser stud fee. Those owners were basically riding on the 'shirt tail' of the famous brother without having to do all of the work and showing. Pondering all of this, I began to think that the solution was to make sure that every colt sired by Dusty, was gelded BEFORE he left my possession. The next quandary for me was that most of our foals sold before they were born or at the very least, by the time they were weaned! At that point in time NO ONE EVER GELDED WEANLINGS. I called my vet to ask the question - can weanlings be gelded and would there be any adverse side effects? His response was that in Europe they will often geld at days old and that they only thing he had observed that would be sacrificed by early gelding, was jowl and neck development?! Perhaps this is where the reference to 'femininity' comes from? Since Fjords usually posses plenty of both jowl and neck development, I decided to do it. Bear in mind that, at that point in time, gelding weanlings was totally unheard of in this country, so I kept a pretty low profile on the subject and did not make that public knowledge. I found, as Steve stated, that it was a far easier procedure for them when they were young! They heal quickly with no complications and tend to work themselves so you don't have to deal with the 'forced exercise'. Worked for me!! Right now I am rethinking my plan, however. Dusty is 15 and I am thinking that I should be looking for a son of his that is of good enough quality to replace him when he dies. Only problem is that the bugger has been producing all fillies lately!! SOOO any sons of his that will be born in the near future, can breathe a sigh of relief, for a short while anyway. I believe that any stallion left whole should be an outstanding individual - not just a ball-bearing horse. I am a Nazi when it comes to a sharp knife. The vets cross their legs when they come here hoping that I don't decide their legs aren't straight enough!! LOL! So, my search is on. It will probably take me some time to make the ONE that satisfies my strict guidelines. Hopefully, Dusty will be around for many years to come, giving me time to find the RIGHT one. I would really hate to see him die without a son to carry on those things that make Dusty who he is. Thanx, Gayle Ware Field of Dreams Eugene, OR www.fjordhorse.com
Re: gelding
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, I have some advice for keeping them moving the day after gelding. I would go out to the pasture, with a lung whip, and just start whirling it around in the air and cracking it.got the horses all running, and they would have a wonderful time kicking up their heals (those that weren't gelded recently :) And I would do this a few times a day and they started looking forward to the "new" game mama was playing :) It kept the baby moving, and that was my goal. About size relating to gelding early.. My gelding I bought as a weanling was gelding at 23 days (A new procedure the breeders vet was doing, using a laser) He is a TANK. He is not femine at all. He is not TALL. He is 13.2 hnads, and is the widest fjord I've seen to date. He weighs 1150 lbs (when he's in GOOD condition) He certainly is the earliest weaned colt that I've heard of, and I see none of the normal stereo type applies to him. That's my personal experience with early gelding. I've been gelding my babies before they are weaned, and that seems to be working out well for us. Aimee Day Days End Fjords
