Re: stallions with mares
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Our vet told us the same thing LAST year as soon as he got his first batch of vaccines. Since we live between two rivers and there are LOTS of misquitos and ticks, we get the Lyme, Potomac Fever and West Nile each year. I sure hope the shots are working; misquitos are BAD this year. We have had no bad reactions to them so far. Martie in MD [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Our vet made us laugh, he simply saidWe ARE vaccinating for West Nile this year. He is very concerned. Lynda
bad computer - back on line
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, Martie in MD here. We have had some computer problems the last 2 weeks, so if anyone on the list has sent me private messages, that's why you haven't seen a reply. Please resend anything important. Sorry, but we did get a new computer and are once again up and running. Now to rescue the old messages that did not fry. Worse yet, we lost all our saved addressbook. Congrats on all the babies this year They are all so adorable. I am so envious. Kilar is doing well on the 'pleasure' scene this year, and I think he likes it more than CDEs. He's such a good boy anyway even if he did act silly at draft horse day (more like daft horse day for him) but the crouds loved him and we did finally move all the logs. We only had to reset the barrels twice. He didn't hit them with the log, the silly boy pushed them with his nose. Guess he just wanted more room. We just did the Brandywine Valley Carriage Driving Show last weekend. Dissapointing not to see any Fjords, but we had fun (as vendors this year) watching all the pleasure classes. We did talk to a couple Fjord owners. So different from the usual, as we normally push cones and run errands and never get to see any classes :-)) Martie in MD Twin Oaks Graphics
a greeting-cards.com Christmas card for you!
This message is from: Martie and John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] [TABLE NOT SHOWN]
Re: getting along
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sue, Those aren't hot flashes; they are 'power surges'. I have a tee shirt that says that. Have you tried the 'patch' for estrogen? I like it better than the pills. Martie in MD Sue Harrison wrote: This message is from: Sue Harrison [EMAIL PROTECTED] and yes I, too am allergic to one of the synthetic estrogen pillsthe one that contains peanut oil. I also cannot take the urine one partly because I do not relish the thought of swallowing that stuff...and I reacted to it the one time I took it, as well. Right now I am having those dreaded hot flashes...or is it the heat Oh well blood tests next week should tell the tale and I shall go from there. I agree Carol...it is time to let this subject drop unless it pretains to adopting the colts which was the original intent of the poster.
Re: Truism
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Most women make the mistake of assuming that husbands will be trainable and domesticable. They don't have that preconceived notion about their horses or dogs. Martie in MD - who doesn't care much if the seat is up or down as long as I have a seat to use. Mike May wrote: This message is from: Mike May [EMAIL PROTECTED] Why is it that a woman will forgive homicidal behavior in a horse, yet be highly critical of a man for leaving the toilet seat up? Dave Barry
Re: Southeast Fjord Horse Association meeting
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jan, John and I will be there if at all possible. We will not be bringing a horse. Martie and John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: You will need to bring a lunch for yourself, and chairs. If you are bringing a horse, you will also need its coggins, a hardhat (must be worn at all times while mounted) and be ready to sign a waiver of liability. We would like to know in advance how many people and how many horses will be attending. Please RSVP to any of the following:
Re: T-shirts mugs
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Wow, Joel, Those are some really neat items! Martie in MD Joel Harman wrote: This message is from: Joel Harman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Following sites have head shots on T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. of a three abreast taking a blow an Ethel, WA plowing match. Different image on each site.
WARNING! Advertisement - delete if not interested - Stained Glass
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Stained Glass. Since I understand we can post advertisements only once a year: I am now taking orders for Christmas projects. We have some new designs since last year also. Get your orders in early; it takes 2-4 weeks to prepare a project if I am not too busy; longer as it gets closer to Christmas. Custom windows, ornaments and sun-catchers, off-the-rack designs all available. Why not immortalize that special photo by having it converted to a stained glass portrait? I am hoping to get some requests for Fjord foal pictures this year. I would love to do one, but own only a gelding and have no early pictures of him. Available off-the-rack (colors can be changed on any of these) Fjord head (facing you) Fjord head (profile) NEW 2 Fjord heads in harness NEW Fjord horse NEW Tennessee Walker Quarter Horse head (several styles) Halflinger type head Halflinger type horse (mane is roached, but could be changed) NEW Crossbred pony head (part Connemara) Shetland mare and foal heads NEW Percheron head in harness NEW Percheron head in halter NEW Arab head Arab foal head NEW Belgian Molly mule head NEW Belgian horse NEW Other horses and crossbreeds Ornaments (4 or 6) Fjord standing, grazing, walking, trotting Please Email me privately for prices or more info. thanks, Martie and Kilar (who posed for all my Fjord windows so far) in MD where it is finally a little cooler but still no rain.
Re: Now we're getting down to the nitty-gritty.
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Marsha and list, RE: sheath cleaning. When I first got Kilar, his sheath was the nastiest, greasiest I have ever seen. I had to clean him continuously. He never objects, but... At any rate, this summer I noticed that he does not require any more frequent cleaning than my other geldings and is much easier (not so gunky) to clean. I wonder what the difference could be? I just wish I could get him to drop for regular cleaning like my QH and Arab. Whenever he sees me prepare the sponges and cleaner he gets bashful. The other horses all have the slightly waxy or dry type of mess. By the way, I have never had a gelding who objected to cleaning. Past messages about having the vet clean and needing to tranq' came as a suprise. I also use the doggy brush on Kilar and Wee Willy. They get such long coats in winter that it is practically the only thing to touch the tangles. You just need to watch the horse to be sure you are not scratching too hard. I do Kilar's tail with it year-round because it seems to pull out the tangles better than the rubber brush or the steel mane/tail combs and doesn't break the hair as badly as the steel comb. To 'slick' the tail hairs and make them easier to brush, I spray on Flysect, the one with the citronella. It has oils in it and seems to act as a detangler. Martie Marsha Jo Hannah wrote: This message is from: Marsha Jo Hannah [EMAIL PROTECTED] Alex Wind [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: what are the parameters for male sheath goo? My Fjord gelding has the consistency of used engine grease on his sheath. It is so copious that it even gets on his inner thighs. The other geldings (POA, Appy, and Welsh cross) all have dry, waxy, flaky stuff which peals or brushes off fairly easily, especially aided by a little Vaseline, or bag balm. Gillyn, the Fjord, is a one-horse grease pit. I feel that baby wipes would come in handy with him. By the way, the suggestion of alcohol was good, [...] That works on his inner legs, Our two Fjord geldings are very different. Sleepy is a grease pit---lots of black goo, and he wipes it off on his inner thighs; he usually gets big beans at the tip, too. Rom never gets a bean, and mostly has very dry, greyish crusts build up between cleanings (by the vet, with tranqs and hobbles---he's very precious about it). Thanks for the tip about WD-40 for de-tangling. [...] two Fjords [...] have such thick tails and they tend to cord up and get stained red, by the red mud around here. When the subject of WD-40 came up on another list, someone advised against it, based on the OSHA cautions for the product. Seems the stuff really isn't good to get on skin (like the dock of the tail), and the vapor is nasty enough that you should wear a mask when using it! (Don't remember the details, just that I decided never to try that.) My favorite grooming tool is a dog brush, called a wire slicker. I find that it does a great job on getting mud out of winter-hairy Fjords, and I use it on their manes and tails, too. It seems to work the cords and rats nests out better than a comb, and with less loss of hair. (Some loss of hair is unavoidable, and even desirable in my book---keeps Sleepy's very thick tail down to a managable size!) However, sometimes the mud balls in tails (and fetlock feathers) require cracking with a pair of pliers, before brushing. Marsha Jo HannahMurphy must have been a horseman-- [EMAIL PROTECTED] anything that can go wrong, will! 30 mi SSE of San Francisco, Calif. ---
Re: rubbing tail
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] I had a pony for a while that would get a 'rat tail' every summer. He would grow in a beautiful full tail over the winter then scratch and rub the whole thing down to the skin every summer. The skin on the dock would get hot and swollen. The vet thought it was an allergy, maybe flies/mosquitos/? and when we started putting SWAT cream on it regularly and cleaning and brushing it, he cleared up. We had to put the SWAT on about 2X per week. SWAT is a sticky cream insect repellant, usually a bright pink which looks really ODD on a horse's dock but seems to work pretty good. We use it now on all the horses sheaths and udders to keep the really bad biting flies off. It lasts so much longer than most sprays and I have not had a horse that was sensitive to it. Good luck with it. Martie
Re: horsey haha + chat links
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] My Fjord would probably just eat it. Martie, John and Kilar Jackie Kennedy wrote: This message is from: Jackie Kennedy [EMAIL PROTECTED] How many horses does it take to change a light bulb?
Re: arabs
This message is from: John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, Martie out of HOT and muggy Maryland again, I have an 'aging' crazy Arab myself. I bought him as a 2 yr old to show (so I could WIN because he was the winingest horse I ever came across). To make a long story short, we never showed after buying him (accidents to both of us; all my fault), but he is a BEAUTY. Although he is the classic example of a crazy Arab, many of my neighbors have horses that started out crazier than he is and now perform endurance and can be ridden by beginners or experienced handlers. Each horse is different. The same horse can be different with different riders/handlers. The same horse can be different one day to the next. While I still love to watch him prance around the pasture with that floating Arab trot, I do not ride him unless I am very desperate and then only close to home. I don't know enough about the Fjords to know if they are as likely to foal 'idiots' as the Arabs and some Thoroughbreds can be, but I'd rather take my chances with the Fjords who are not so hot blooded to begin with. Give me a Fjord or if I can't find one, an old fashioned QH. Martie Karen McCarthy wrote: This message is from: Karen McCarthy [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hey, Dave, You beat me to it...I too want to stand up in defense of a pretty mis-understood breed. I have been really lucky to have been exposed to some awsome arabs, (pre-fjords), and they not only are tough,they are really smart. When I was a teenager at boarding school, we had all Crabbet bred arabs to ride, mostly mares, and one stallion we were allowed to ride, Nafason, was a son of Witez, a famous Polish stallion rescued during WWII. He was a top 10 National horse, and was famous for bridless cutting demos. Well, the first time I rode him, I used my English leg cues on him, and was almost left behind in the dust - he was as well tuned as some kind of exotic sports car. When I finally got it together on him,what a blast! I really learned lots from that horse. Here in NV, many of my riding buddies are endurance people, and they're horses as a rule are not too bad - but when they are spoiled, they can be a real handful. One of the better driving horses I trained out here was a Forest Service reject. He loved driving! ...We had a theory with that horse, that the bonkers cut out 1/2 the information to him, thus he settled right down! Anyway, don't throw all the arabs in the garbage..just the haltered out tweakers. ___ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com
Re: Working fjords and equipment
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Nancy, Thanks for the reply back and for the info. We will look into White Horse Machinery and see what they can do. And thanks again to your husband and the beautiful horses! The only thing we did not really like about the Progress Days was that so many people wanted to watch up-close what was happening with the horses/equipment so that all we could see without pushing people out of the way was a mob of people moving across the fields. The horses were vertually invisible. It was a great education for us. We see the Amish in Lancaster County PA all the time when we drive through (we live about 1 hr from the Rough Tumble Museum) on our way shopping for farm supplies. But of course, they drive multiples and we have only one Fjord (so far). I hope that hubby and horses made it back safely; they were a real hit. I talked to a number of people who had never seen Fjords before and thought they were some type of Halflinger. thanks again, Martie
[Fwd: 'working' Fjords and equipment]
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, Martie and Kilar in muggy MD again. Some time back, I posted about wanting to use Kilar for a little farm work. Not knowing what type of equipment he could handle by himself (he is still an only Fjord), I asked about forecarts and types of equipment I could expect him to handle. Thanks again to all of you for the suggestions. We did not act on any of our ideas yet, waiting to go to the Horse Progress Days in Kinzer PA this weekend to actually see first-hand some horses (various size hitches, various size horses, mucho various equipment and harnessing and types of work). Now I have even more trouble deciding if I can work him. I had hoped to get a forecart that did not weigh too much and maybe a manure spreader (which we need anyway) that could be pulled either by the horse (with the forecart) or by our tractor. The forecarts we saw today came in 2 categories - 1) light weight, easy maneuverability but NO BRAKES and 2) heavy weight, not real maneuverable but good brakes. There does not seem to be a difference in Horse or Pony weight forecarts. Just BIG (with brakes) or SMALL (no brakes). As our pastures have some slight hillyness, I am assuming I NEED brakes? Yes? The hills are not really steep, but fairly long. We would be pulling either a 25 BU or 35 BU spreader (probably full for the tractor and not so full for the horse). Of course, all the sales reps insist that a Fjord can singlehorsedly pull both the forecart (heavy or light) AND all manner of farm machinery. But none of these fine folks have small draft horses or have ever (admittingly) owned/driven these slightly smaller drafties. The seller of the small brakeless carts insist that the breeching is the only brake I need. The seller of the large cart insists that the weight of the heavy (15 car tires on a heavy metal frame) cart plus the 35 BU spready should be no problem for a 'strong little horse' to pull. Like a Halflinger. Everyone knows the Halflingers, no-one seemed to know the Fjords until we mentioned the racing stripe (Oh yeah, the little striped cream colors horses). Anyone with any advice on brakes vs no brakes; large vs small forecarts; 25 BU vs 35 BU spreaders, or ANY advice on what type of equipment to purchase for a single horse, please get back to me?? Also, if you are on line - THANKS many times over to the poor Fjord owners that I hounded during the day with my questions. I thought I had a card with your names on, but I can't find it. My apologies for that, but thanks again for all your help in giving me the questions to ask and some thoughts about the philosophy of working horses. The first thing we saw when we arrived at the Progress Days was a pair of beautiful TALL Fjords raking hay. This is especially great for me, as Kilar was used for raking hay and training the younger horses to pull/rake before I bought him. Explains his need to follow the trail of grass clippings with the cart every time John mows the pasture where we drive. thanks again, Martie, John and Kilar - still hoping for rain.
Re: buttercups and other 'odd' horse foods
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] We have sugar maple and 'swamp maple' (don't know the botanical name) plus sweet gum (which the horses do NOT like). Only one horse likes trees at all. The vet says his teeth are so bad in front from stripping the leaves through his front teeth. The middle teeth are almost non-existant. I have one red maple, but it is not accessable to the horses (we alway hope!) in a rock garden. He has evidently had this problem for some time as he came to us without those 2 front teeth. Martie [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Red maple is toxic to horses! Other maples don't seem to be a problem. Do you know what kind of maple you have near your paddocks?
Re: buttercups and other 'odd' horse foods
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] I have been following the buttercup postings. We have a lot of buttercups and the horses do not seem to bother them. Even the Fjord, who eats almost anything else. But I DO have a horse that eats Poison Ivy, Wild Rose, Green Briars and Maple Tree leaves. Are these things toxic to horses? I can't imagine that any of this would taste good enough to eat! (I recently found out that the daylilies they were munching ARE good to eat, even for people - have had them in salad a few times; go figure). Martie, John and Kilar in HOT Maryland where summer has suddenly arrived with a vengeance. Got to post later about recent WONDERFUL drives with Kilar and bore everyone! I think we are finally learning to be a Team.
Re: Chewing
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cathy, About the Citronella - I think one of the fly wipe products we are using has Citronella in it. FlySect? It works pretty well for us for regular flies and misquitoes. I had not heard it was dangerous. Nothing seems to hit the horseflies and green-heads and deer flies around here. For the horse flies on the abdomen, we use a thick pasty stuff called Swat (?). It comes in pink and clear, but the clear is hard to find. All of my beasties run around with pink 'tender-parts' to keep out the really nasty blood suckers. It smells bad (stong chemical smell). I have had numerous silly comments about my horses looking peculiar, but 'tis better than being bucked off or having the cart kicked to pieces when one of the big fellas bites! Adobe Hacienda wrote: This message is from: Adobe Hacienda [EMAIL PROTECTED] Does anyone know about sprays containing citronella. I was told some bees are attracted by it and horses have been killed that were sprayed with it. I was considering Clack (sp?) the fly spray mentioned on this list but see it has citronella. Thanks for the help Cathy Sedona, AZ
Re: Holunder Evon + 12 fillies at BDF + new colt
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Elain, Vinyl fencing (or PVC) can be bought in a variety of styles and types. Some come as vinyl clad wood, others are hollow and there are a few that are 'solid'. Ours are heavy duty, hollow 3-rail. Some nail or bolt to the fence posts, others 'snap' into the post. Ours snap (that way if a horse hits it, yes he is loose, but he is not hurt too badly by the fence). Never had a horse go through it yet. Still, might be best to have electric as a backup to keep the horses away if they are fence leaners. Our horses did take the fence caps off a couple times before they became bored with the game. You can screw them onto the post if it gets too bad. Martie, John and Kilar
Fjord escapes and the wonderful wacky weather
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Just catching up on my Emails. Seems like last week was something special for escapes. Kilar and Wee Willy also got loose, spent an entire night in the front yard eating grass and fertilizing my new flower gardens. Trimmed the new rose bush up really nice too. Maybe they don't like red roses? My own fault I think. I 'may have' forgotten to fasten the gate latch properly. We spent a really nervous day watching for trouble. Wee, especially (being a small pony just looking for an excuse to colic/founder) worried us when we found a pulse in his lower legs and a little heat in his near front hoof. Kilar just acted upset because we didn't feed him after we put him back in the field. A friend of ours must have talked to the vet about the problem when he stopped by her place because he phone us (!!) and asked how they were doing. He seems to have a special interest in Wee because he was such a 'special little guy' when he was born to his 28 year old, blind mom after she had been diagnosed (by a different vet) as having a really bad hay-belly. We realized she was expecting 2 weeks before Wee was born (24 lbs). Anyway, the vet called back later in the day after the great escape and said he would like to come out to have a look, just in case. Because Wee had an elevated heart rate, even though the pulse and heat appeared to have disappeared, he suggested banamine. And some for Kilar too, just in case. Well, both seem to be OK; no problems and it has now been 4 days. And this weather! We are in a drought area; no rain to speak of since very early spring. Just go to a horse show! Sunday's Brandywine Carriage Driving Club show was washed out in the afternoon. Downpours and thunder and lightning. Since John and I are not showing (yet?), we volunteered to 'push cones' for the show. Sure got slippery in the rain! I understand from a friend in Ohio that they got terrible storms recently and lost a barn and a number of run-in shelters. Really awful! Well, got to brave the showers and go feed horses so they don't feel the need to open gates and find their own food. Martie, John and Kilar in (now) raining Maryland. Boy can we use it!
Re: Shorties
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] RE: small Fjords and other small equines, I remember taking my husband to look at our first Fjords. He saw a herd of them in the pasture as we were entering the farm and said something like 'Ponies? You are taking me to look at teeny tiny little Ponies? What in the world are you going to do with one? They're as small as Wee Willy'(shetland). I had recently just purchased a 16.2 hand Quarter Horse to trail ride (my ONLY ever personal HORSE. I've always had ponies, 13.0-14.2 hands.) Then we got up closer and he saw how big these little guys really are. We got one that is about 14 hands, but he handles/acts much bigger. I don't think there is any problem with John riding Kilar and he weighs pretty good. What's wrong with ponies anyway? Martie in Maryland
lost my mailfolders?
This message is from: Martie John Bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lost all my Email from past 2 days? Help, I have lost all my unread mail for the past 2 days. If anyone was waiting for an answer from me, could you please resend your message? Any ideas how I locate my old mail folders after putting a new version of Netscape on my machine? And how I access them from the new version??? Sorry, Martie
Re: To Martie
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mark and Ann Restad wrote: This message is from: Mark and Ann Restad [EMAIL PROTECTED] thanks for the harness info. i have a smuckers brochure somewhere. What style of collar did you go with? Thanks Ann Ann, I wound up with an all leather 22 in collar. I don't know if it has a particular name, but it comes apart at the top for tacking up and can be adjusted slightly using the latch that fastens it. My trainer prefers the cloth backed collars because they are a little softer and do not need to fit the individual horse so closely - take less time for the horse to fit himself into. The one I use is just an ordinary draft collar like the local Amish are using. I got the harness with the brass fitting because they looked so good on Kilar compared to the chrome. Hope this is helpful. I am new to driving actually, so my nomenclature is limited. Martie
Re: to Dave M and Joel H
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mark and Ann Restad wrote: . We will start ground driving our boy now with the driving harness, but we are looking for a work harness. Have a friend in MI who brokers tack who may be able to get us something. Any advice on finding harnesses that properly fit a fjord? Which style of collar? thanks a lot. Incidently, I am gathering this info for my husband, who will be doing most of this work. Ann Restad and I'd-rather-have-a-boat Mark (who is actually getting into this, especially once he can start logging) Mark and Ann, For draft harness, I went to Smuckers, which is close (within 1 hour) from where we live with my horse's measurements and he made me a pretty nice 'draft express' harness to fit. It was guarenteed to fit, so when I took it home and it needed adjustments, I just brought it back and told him what the problems were. The people there were really great about everything. I think I paid around $500 or so for the whole, custom fitted harness. I was just looking for their catalog to check out the price but it seems to be temporarilly missing. As for the collar, we had to check several types and sizes of collars to find one to work. Smuckers is located near Lancaster PA. Don't know how that would fit with your own location. Martie, John and Kilar
Re: jValiant efforts
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mike May wrote: Sounds like a good idea. Who else wants to be on this committee? By the way, on the next Board meeting (The first one of the new NFHR year) the directors will be voting for officers and all of the present committee's will be reformed. If anyone wants to volunteer to be on any of them now is the time to raise your hands. I am especially interested in end-user incentive programs. Mike mentioned the Versatility Award and the Award of Excellence. I reviewed several past issues of the Herald and can't find mention of them. There needs to be better promotion of these programs and perhaps they need some expansion, review and updating. I really like some of Marsha Jo's ideas. Yeah I think we could use some more of them. Probably something for Non Show type of promotion. People getting out and having their horses in parades and different expo's should count for something to I think. The board would be wise to hurry up and put some of these people on committees who have volunteered or been rather vociferous during these discussions. How can they turn you down? Mike == Mike, I would certainly be happy to help out on whatever committees I could, but with limited Fjord experience I would need a lot of help to know how to help. If there is something I can do from home and get a Fjord education at the same time, I would be happy to try. Is there any kind of listing of skills/needs for whatever committees need help? Is there a list of committees that need help? Martie
Re: Ido :o)
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Alison Barr wrote: just a thought on that behaviour. I belong to pony club, and according to the manual, when they lean on you by putting their head down is called pig rooting. What a perfect name. Wach that habit. My old pony did that, but he could do it at the gallop. I t also involves rounding and stiffening of the back, and makes it VERY hard to ride. It (and bucking or grazing) can be solved by a rope tied to the bit, through the brow band, and tied to the saddle. it works sort of like a kind overcheck, but it is left in a loose position, just tight enough to keep the horse from getting his head downto buck or root. Often referred to as grazing reins. Alison, I drive with a side check to keep his head up and make the chance of his bucking a little less. He gets just a bit frisky when the weather is cooler or if he is in a foul mood. Not enough to be scary, but enough to need a loud hollar and a stiff pull. So far he has never 'bucked' (more like you said about rounding his back) more than a single time during an outing. Except for maybe the first 2 or 3 times I drove him to the cart with my instructor along. He had only done draft work before and I guess the lightweight cart made him think he was just out to play. His manners are getting better all the time but He grazes WITHOUT putting any weight on the reins! He just mows with maybe a slight hint of being behind the bit. When I drive, I can't really see his mouth. When I ride he has never tried to put his head down for food. It is too novel maybe for him to relax that much or get bored. He had not been ridden for 6 years before I purchased him and even now (since I bought the cart and harness), I only ride him when my quarter horse is not available (EPM). Because he has been a little bucky in harness, my cousin Vickie will not ride him unless he has a check rein/rope, but I haven't found it necessary so far. Martie and Kilar
Re: Carol's comments
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] In regard to the promotion of the breed, what better opportunity to do so than to show the Fjords in open competition against other breeds. Most of us at the breed shows already know the attributes of the Fjords. Those people who find the regional breed shows to be less than their level of competition expertise need to compete in the higher rated shows. We all know how we like to hear that a Fjord beat out the Warmbloods at a dressage show, or how they placed high against other breeds in ADS shows. When mention was made regarding having advanced driving classes at the Blue Earth show, I believe most people who were present at the meeting were of the mind to keep these regional shows geared toward the novice performer. Those who wanted the advanced driving classes were for the most part, people who mostly showed their horses in the driving events. I would like to see these people compete in the other classes offered at the show, such as the under saddle events or draft classes. They talk about developing the horse to its fullest potential, but only show in one discipline. The term professionalism also came up in Carol's letter. And I agree that we all need education in that respect, but I find it hard to compete against the professionals. I cannot afford a full time trainer, or even a part time one. Nor can I afford to have a handler show my horses for me. Our entire years vacation time is our annual trip to the Blue Earth show. I purchased the best horse I could afford. And I just spent a lot of money to buy a saddle that fits my horse. But I can't afford to have a show saddle sitting in my basement only to be used one or two times during the year. I don't want the Fjords to go the way of the Quarter Horses. By that I mean I don't want to have to commit a fashion faux pas by showing my horse in the wrong color saddle, or wearing the wrong color shirt and vest in the ring. Yes, I think we should be nicely attired, but please don't take it to the extreme, especially in the regional shows. I, for one, don't want to see the regional shows overtaken by ONLY the large professionally staffed farms, or people that can afford to have their horses professionally trained. There has to be a place for the novices as well. And working towards excellence should be a fun and non- intimidating experience. Having a showmanship class or explaining what is looked for in driving or riding classes would be a great help to people like myself. I wasn't born with this knowledge and would be more than willing to learn. In regards to the promotional aspect of the Fjords, I do not see in ANY of my horse publications an advertisement or promotion for the Fjords. But every month I DO see the Icelandics, Miniatures, Pasos, Friesians, etc. promoted. I would like to see something on the Fjords, even once in a while. A decision would probably have to be made in regards to which publication we need to advertise. Many of you would like to see something in Driving Digest I'm sure, but we need to be seen in other publications as well. The only magazine I see Fjords regularly advertised is The Small Farmers Journal. Mainly I would like to see the Fjord people work towards uniting under only one registry in the United States. As I understand it now, there are two: the National Fjord Horse Registry and the Fjord Horse Breeders of America. But I guess that stems from a former split in ideas of whether we have horses or ponies. Someone could possibly enlighten me on this. Thanks, Carol, for opening up this discussion. I hope we can all benefit from the input and ideas that I'm sure will ensue. Mary Ofjord North Coast Fjords Mary et al: I agree with Mary's thought that there is no Fjord advertising in the usual horsey publication circuit. I first got going toward the purchase of my Kilar after reading the article and seeing the beautiful pictures in the Horse Illustraded magazine. The number/address for the registry was in the article, I wrote for a list of breeders and went on from there. No one in my area even knew what I was talking about when I said I was looking for a Fjord, not even the horse buyers. I have not seen another article about Fjords or advertisement since although I see an occassional picture in The Whip. If there are Fjords in the area around us, I do not see them at shows. I do not ride well enough to show in the local 'A' shows and in most of the lower rated shows Kilar is a 'pony' and must be ridden by a 'junior', certainly not me. If I compete against 'horses' I am told he 'is not of hunter-type conformation' or 'a hunter's mane should be braided or roached, but not left half grown' in spite of protests that this is the way the breed is shown. I will not roach him to the bone just to show him in a class he has no chances in anyway
Re: Ido :o)
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] ye, you are right! the really are not pushovers. and yes, ido is also sometimes very very pushy with me. when he sees some very interesting grass-blades he just walks trough me likes i am not excisting I am so glad to hear from many postings that Kilar is not the only 'pushy' Fjord. While marvelously relaxed and fun to work with, he has a really strange sense of humor. Mostly at my expense. I find I need to pay attention ALL THE TIME or he plays tricks like 'graze without letting on I am grazing' at the trot (?) and let's see how hard we can lean on Mom while she cleans our foot. He KNOWS proper manners and most of the time he is the most well behaved, mannerly horse I own. But then again. Martie and Kilar in the dry Maryland heat
Re: Nebraska State Fair, Driving Humor, Evaluations
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Vivian, thanks for your reply. 1200 pounds sounds heavier than Kilar. Using one of those weight tapes, I come up with about 1000 for him at 14 hands. Of course, he is not in tip top shape either. I am not a good enough rider or driver yet to compete in anything, but my instructor thinks I should consider a couple schooling shows next year in pleasure driving. I am looking forward to trying it to see if I like it. Many years ago (more than 25?), I competed in hunter/jumper shows. I had a couple bad falls, injured my horse seriously and 'retired' to competitive trail riding for a while, finally to just pleasure trail riding. Kilar is a great horse and I think he could compete in just about anything we really worked at. Problem is deciding if I really want to do the work! I think he would especially like the cross country competitions. He loves trail riding although before I bought him, he had not been riding in over 6 years. He also seems to like driving 'cross country' (So far we do our cross country driving in a large pasture, but he prefers this to say dressage). I save the cross country drive for a treat after we have done our dressage or cones. Thanks for your note, I am really looking forward to watching at Fair Hill this year, now that I have been driving for a little while and have some ideas what to look at. Good luck! Martie and Kilar
Re: Nebraska State Fair, Driving Humor, Evaluations
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Would you be able to send us a photo of Kilar? I'm interested in knowing just what others are calling drafty, in comparison to our mares. One of ours, Viola, definately fits the discription of a draft horse temperament. I would hate to lose the opportunity to get another draft type Fjord down-the-road because of changes in the breed standard even though I realize the breed much do what the public wants or they won't sell and will just disappear. It seems unlikely to me that draft type Fjords will disappear, as a fair number of breeders, as well as owners, prefer that type. I would say keep in contact with people who share your sentiment on this, and they'll be there for you when you need your next Fjord. As for a picture, I can send a hard copy. I do not know how to make/send a copy on my PC. I have a scanner and can make a .BMP file, but they are so large I don't know if you can mail them successfully. If you know how to do this, I would be willing to try something. Thanks for the comments. My husband is interested in a Fjord since I got Kilar and insists it needs to be a draft-type to carry him. He weighs about 180-190. Kilar would have no problem carrying him, but John is so used to his large Walking Horse that he is not comfortable getting on something smaller for fear of hurting it. I sincerely hope you are correct about the drafty Fjords staying around. I have seen what happened to the Quarter Horses and Morgans up close and personal. I have owned several 'typy' Quarter Horses in the past and now have an Appendix Quarter Horse who looks more like a Thoroughbred. While I don't like the looks, he does at least have the old-style Quarter Horse temperment. A friend I ride with has had Morgans on-and-off for years and decided to go with Arabs for now because she doesn't like the newer Morgans being shown and sold around us. I have always liked the 'pony-horses' although none of my riding friends like the smaller versions of the Quarter Horse, Morgan and Arab. Mine have all been smaller 13.3-14.3 in the past. Kilar fits right in for size. Thanks, Martie Bolinski and Kilar
Re: Nebraska State Fair, Driving Humor, Evaluations
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hear! Hear! Cynthia. Right now Marnix is my top priority in terms of performance. He is currently being ridden and driven everyday getting ready for Gladstone and Fair HIll . Intermediate. He excelled at the VT Fjord show because of the time and effort we all put into him. Only time will tell wether or not his off spring will also have the conformation and temperment to excell in performance, but at this point in time he makes me look awfully good and is very well behaved so a delight to be around. Thre are many nice Fjords out there who would be his equal as performance animals if given the same amount of attention and conditioning. I would love to see more of the stallions out there prooving themselves in one discipline or another. - I would also like to address the draft issue brought up in earlier posts because I see a correlation in draft type and the temperment issue. Draft horses aren't just big they are also steady and reliable as they would have to be for farm work and logging. They should have tractable dispositions, be attentive to their handlers and ready to do their jobs. Size alone does not make a good draft horse. Temperment and working disposition are also of the utmost importance. Vivian, I live near Fairhill and hope to be there for the competition! I will be GREAT to see a Fjord horse! My Kilar is not the type for this competition, although I hope to someday show him in pleasure classes. Which brings me to your comments on draft Fjords. Kilar is a draft horse(pony?) with the excellent disposition and willingness to do anything without much fuss that should be part of that type of horse's temperment. He is not large at 14.1, but ACTS larger and looks much bigger in draft. I would hate to lose the opportunity to get another draft type Fjord down-the-road because of changes in the breed standard even though I realize the breed much do what the public wants or they won't sell and will just disappear. Martie Kilar in Maryland
Some driving humor?
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thought to try to inject a little humor from a few friends who have helped me put together some of our thoughts on 'driving definitions'. Remember, we are new drivers, still in training and confused with new terminology so decided to put together our own definitions, gleaned at horseshows and talking to driving persons: Harness parts: Breeching spider - an elusive or invisible arachnid responsable for the spider webs on your harness if you forget to cover it overnight. Blinkers, also known as blinders - named as a reminder to be sure to adjust properly to allow enough space so they do not crush your horses eyelashes or make him blind. Saddle turret (sp?) - where you mount the machine guns? Lines - what riders call reins only longer and easier to tangle and get wrapped up in. Overhead check or bearing rein - the part that prevents your horse from trimming the arena when you forget to mow. The part bearing the most of his weight. Hames - used as an aiming device to be sure your horse is straight. Breast collar - equine sports bra; can be used with padding for extra uplift. Meadowbrook - a type of cart suitable for driving through meadows and brooks but seldom seen on the road. Other driving and showing terms that are confusing: Forward - where your horse should be relative to the cart; or the direction you should be going most of the time unless backing up. Presence - very important for both driving and riding horses; if they are not present, you cannot present them. I am pleased that Kilar has excellent presence. All I need to do is go to the gate and call 'Kilar, want to go for a drive?' and he comes romping up like a golden retriever on steroids, panting and drooling and wagging his tail. Actually, he doesn't pant, just breaths heavy and makes snuffly nose-noises. Bold - willing to go where no horse has gone before; for instance, into the mud puddle/pond during a hot lesson, or through an opening in the hedgerow guarded by evil attack trained guinea hens. Hitchy - a term I recent heard at a draft horse driving show, apparently means 'Looks nice hitched'. So why doesn't tacky mean 'Looks nice tacked'? Rein change - honestly, I thought for a long time that the announcer was saying 'lane change'. Really, how can you change your reins in the middle of a competition! Green horse - been rolling in grass and manure Pleasure class - where the drivers enter the ring with frozen smiles so the judge knows that no matter how badly the horse behaves, it is a pleasure to drive him. Reinsmanship class - where the driver and horse prove that the know that the LINES are for. Cones course - obstacle course designed to see which horse can knock down the most cones in the shortest time while driving the spotters farthest from their stations. Relaxed - My instructor says that it is good that Kilar is very relaxed when I drive, but perhaps being relaxed enough to take a leak when stopped to salute the dressage judge is pushing things. Surely this is better than stopping in the middle of a pattern? Good hands - Kilar is 14 good hands and a couple good fingers tall. Collecting at the trot - What Kilar does when the grass is too high or the overhead check is too loose. Nice turnout - a horse that looks good in the field. Good collection - a group of horsey things you have collected over the years, like my collection of bent horseshoe nails. On the bit - look out Mama, we're going for a spin! Behind the bit - watch out for bucks!
Re: re-discovering how beautiful your horses are
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] BRIAN C JACOBSEN wrote: This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (BRIAN C JACOBSEN) Isn't it a neat feeling when you've just been out trimming manes and brushing your Fjord(s) and you discover all over again how beautiful they are?? : ) Brian, And isnt' it wonderful what magic sense of humor they have? I just finished one of my most frustrating and fun driving lessons with Kilar. He has been acting 'dull' with arena work, so my driving instructor said to try something different for a while. I drove last week just for pleasure, around our 7 acre field and he really enjoyed it. But for my lesson this week we decided to try him on 'cones'. I have driven my instructor's percheron through cones courses, but never Kilar. By the end of my lesson he had both the instructor and her assistant rolling in the grass! Seems that after the first half dozen passes through the cones Kilar figured out what the object of the game was. The object is obviously to trot calmly straight between the cones, then at the last possible minute make a decision which of the two cones is the biggest threat and attack, trample and mutilate it. After going through 3 consecutive sets of cones this way I made him retreat to the dressage arena and stand for a couple minutes while the instructor and her assistant recovered from their fits of laughter and we went back to square one. We reset the cones and WALKED through. Cones are NOT a threat (or of any interest) when you walk. We went back to a slow trot and he did fine for a couple sets. Then I made a steering error and ran over a cone with a cart wheel. Kilar immediately dove for the other cone, picked it up and shook it and tossed it about 10 feet. At this point he tossed his head and made little farty half-bucks to show off what a brave and marvelous fellow he is. Once again the trainer and assistant are whooping and I am mortified. By the end of another 20 minutes of walk and trot, I think he was convinced that he had put the fear of Fjords into the cones so that they could now be ignored completely whether or not his driver saw fit to run over them. The training assistant, Sarah said she wants a Fjord because he obviously enjoys everything he does so much. Or if he doesn't, he makes a game of it so that he can enjoy it. Now his nickname 'Killer' is back only now they are calling him 'the great cone-killer'. Fjords are Fun! Martie Bolinski and Kilar
Re: Hello and introducing myself
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello, my name is Linda Lottie. I recently signed-on to the mailing list. I live in Corcoran, Minnesota (a rural area near Minneapolis). I own a quarter horse and am purchasing a Fjord the end of next week. My Fjord is a l0 year old gelding. Both horses will be coming to our hobby farm in a week or two. I am interested in suggestions or comments regarding carts. At this time I am thinking of an easy entry metal or wood cart or a wooden road cart. Most of my initial driving will be on mowed grassy areas on my property or gravel roads. I do not plan to show this horse. Also, my Fjord is trained for driving and has not been ridden since he was very young. We would like to ride him as well. Has anyone worked with an older Fjord making the transition from driving to riding? Any suggestions or comments would be most welcome. Thank you. I am eagar to learn all I can about this Fjord adventure I am about to embark on. Linda Lottie Linda, About older Fjords converting to riding after driving, our Kilar came to us after driving exclusively for more than 6 years although he had originally had some riding training. Since I did not have a cart or harness to fit him when we brought him home, he spent the first four months being ridden. We just saddled up and rode in the arena the first time. No problem at walk-trot. Next time we went on the trail with another horse to 'lead out'. Unfortunately, the other horse was not a leader. We wound up with Kilar, the unexperienced, leading the trail ride. He did quite well although it was evident he did not have a clue about leg aids. He was very calm and interested in everything he saw on the trail. On looking back, I suppose we should have spent more time in the arena, but it worked out well enough. He prefers to lead but now seems willing enough to follow if the other horse insists. He likes to ride side-by-side (the way he was hitched double for working?) but none of our other horses tolerate that well. Our major problem riding him has been a lack of saddles that fit. I recently bought an inexpensive synthetic with a wide tree that fits nicely. Good luck with your new Fjord. I am sure you will have as much fun as I am having with Kilar! Martie Bolinski
Re: Fjords and equipment for sale
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Amy K White wrote: This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Amy K White) Hello all. A fellow Fjord-lover here in Nebraska is in poor health and must sell his Fjords and equipment. He does not have access to this list, so we offered to post this message on his behalf. He has 2 registered geldings, half-brothers, ages 4 and 5 , broke to drive single or double and is asking $3000 for each. Also some very nice harness, carts, and wagons for very reasonable prices, as well as collars and miscellaneous items. Steve and I visited him last year and can tell you that his horses are well-broke and his harness and equipment are in good to excellent condition. We would love to have the horses ourselves, but our stable is full at the moment! If you are interested, please e-mail us privately and we can provide you with the complete list and prices. _ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] I would be interested in more information about the harness/carts in particular. With 5 horses already, I am not quite ready for another Fjord. But I would so like one! thanks, Martie Bolinski http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: adultry/bored Fjord
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Alison Barr wrote: This message is from: Alison Barr [EMAIL PROTECTED] But now, you would think Flor is already in my backyard in stead of in that gloomy box... Well, no! Tom, my non-horsey husband, objects! (as if he won the quiz!!!) and says I should use the money for food, vets etc.!!! But, no panic! I already have a super-plan... In a short time it's Toms 27 and halfth birthday and I'll give him Flor (or rather half of Flor...) as a present. Or not? Good luck!I hope you succeed, I know that Fj could not stand to be in a stall all day, as he strongly objects to more than an hour in one. another subject, how does everyone keep their Fjords occupied? Fj undoes gates (including one spring loaded one that I have to wiggle and lean my weight on to get open), unties himself, and jumps fences. We already discussed Fencing, but how does everyone relieve their boredom? Allot of my problems would be solved if I could relieve the boredom that makes him do all these things. I have found with Kilar, my Fjord and his side-kick Wee Willy, that as long as they have each other, I don't need to worry about boredom. They make up some pretty strange games. However, when I need to take one or the other out of the pasture for any length of time, the remaining pony usually runs out his frustration for a little while then plays soccer with a pasture ball we originally got for Wee Willy when he was weaning. Like your Fjord, my ponies untie themselves, open gates and generally get into trouble when they are bored. Everything that gets fastened gets fastened twice (gate latch plus rope tied around the fence, for instance). Martie Bolinski
Re: Questions
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] DDULOW wrote: This message is from: DDULOW [EMAIL PROTECTED] I have tried to post before and for some reason it never appeared so here goes again: I have two Fjords and live in Chadds Ford, PA. I drive them as a pair and single. They are from Anvile's farm in BC. I belong to the Brandywine Valley Driving Club and have been a member for ten years. I also belong to the Carriage Driving List (which I notice many of you do also). First, Steve: Where can one obtain this Small Farmer's Journal that you speak of? Can it be purchased at a book store or do you have an address? Please tell me, my husband would love it. John Bolinski: Where in PA do you reside? Just ask the Amish they love to answer questions. They would be most interested in your Fjords. They are probably a little too expensive (so we have been told) for the Amish but they really do like them. I have one request- please post where you are from. I know many people don't like to give out addresses but simply - Chadds Ford, PA or whatever. This way, if your interested in a carriage, horse, or whatever, you won't be dissappointed if it's to far away. I really enjoy this list. DDULOW from Chadds Ford, PA Hi again from Martie Bolinski in North East Maryland (USA). Although my husban John's name appears on everything, I am the reading (and printing) most of the Fjord messages. Thanks for the info on draft work and clipping. I think I will just let the feathers alone for the time being. My driving instructor thought they should be clipped if I wanted to show, but I am much too green to consider showing yet. The weather is finally getting better and he IS actually shedding most of the really long stuff. I would like to know where I might find the Small Farm Journel. My harness (I have a light draft harness that I use for driving to a Meadowbrook) was purchased from an Amish harnessmaker (Smucker's) in Pennsylvania. I did not get much information about possibly working a Fjord. I got the impression they thought he would be too small/light for 'real' farm work. Especially since they are used to using such large teams. I will try asking different Amish. We see very few Fjords in this area. I have never seen one at the driving competitions I have attended, although last year was my first year. Again, thanks for the advise, Martie
FJORDS AND DRAFT WORK?
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Martie Bolinski/Twin Oaks Farm) I have a couple more questions about using Fjords. First, I read in one of the previous messages (sorry, I am new to Internet Mail and don't know how to save the messages I want without clogging up my Inbox) about using Fjords for general draft work around the farm. What type of work could be done by a single Fjord? Kilar had been used for raking hay, mowing and hauling by his previous owners,but as far as I know, he was always used in double harness. I think he was mainly the 'trainer horse' for younger stock. Since I have to do farm chores anyway, it would be more fun to use the horse at the same time. There are a lot of Amish farms near us in Lancaster PA, but I never see them work less than 4 horses at a time, mostly 8-12 for plowing and mowing. Where would I look for equipment for this farm work? Are there catalogs? Next question is clipping. I keep Kilar's mane about 4-6 inches and have no problem with it, but I don't know what I should do about his legs. He has very heavy feathering on the back of the legs. I have a lot of trouble keeping him clean and dry in the Maryland muck and ice. I looked at the latest Fjord Herald and it looks like most of the horses have some feather on their fetlocks but not the long stuff higher up. Should I be clipping this longer hair? Thanks again for such a great forum!
Fjords
This message is from: john bolinski [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi, Time to introduce myself, I guess. My name is Martie and my husband John and I bought our first Fjord horse (Kilar) about 18 months ago. We also have an Arab (Kismet, nickname Kissy), a Quarter Horse (By Jiminy, nickname BJ) and a Tennessee Walker (Lady GH or just Lady). Plus a shetlandXwelsh pony, Wee Willy, sometimes known affectionately as Weasel. We had been looking for a LONG time for a Fjord. They are practically unheard of here in Maryland. I remember riding with a young girl who had one about the time I bought my first pony, a WelshXQuarter Horse many years ago and the Fjord mare was SO good and my pony was SO bad that I decided then I needed a Fjord. This forum is great! Kilar is a lot different than the other horses. I have had to completely rethink my training/handling methods with him. He is smarter then the Arab, quieter than the Quarter Horse and easier to handle most of the time and any of them. But he IS stubborn! When I bought him, the previous owners at Sorum Fjords in Ohio said he was trained to ride, but hadn't been ridden in about 6 years. Well, the first winter I had him, I rode because I didn't know how to drive and didn't have any harness or cart to fit him. Wee Willy's was way too small. He took his first trail ride like he had been trailing for years. He obviously had no clue when we came to the wide stream, but with only a little encouragement (and another horse behind; he couldn't go back), he walked right through. The only problem I had on the first ride was getting him to go home again. Every time we got near the barn, he turned around and refused to go back. I finally got off and led him about 1/4 mile. Next ride, same thing, but I had another rider 'lead' home and he was fine. I think he was hoping that if he kept on going he would get back to Ohio and the Sorums. Last spring I started taking driving lessons and bought a cart and harness. Kilar is OK to ride, but he really loves the cart. You can see in his body language how excited and happy he is when we harness up and drive out. The woman I take lessons from owns, trains and show Percherons. She says Kilar has a real attitude on the cart. He really loves it when you tell him how good he is doing. He's a ham. I have had difficulty with him invading space. I will try some of the ideas I read today in the forum. He just likes to be closer than my other horses and it sometimes makes me nervous. If the Arab pushed that close he'd be a real danger, he is so high-strung. I get the feeling with Kilar though that he just wants to be a 'lap-dog'. Thanks for all the helpful info! Martie
