Greetings from North Idaho
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I have traded in my insulated coveralls this week for water wings. My ponies all look like a cross between a chocolate lab and a fjord, and the dogs are getting impatient with the foot bath they receive each time they come into the house. Ahhh - winter in North Idaho. Oscar and I are planning our last delivery of the season. We head to Roundup, Montana tomorrow morning with a pair of geldings. Nice boys that will be teamed together, and will be trained by a 80 year young man that found us because of the Sandpoint Draft Horse show (a show that doesn't allow Fjords to participate). A short 672 mile trip to Merle's home. We are praying for more rain! I must admit to being a little disappointed with the recent posts on the list (I have abandoned lurking to reply). I have long considered myself a back yard breeder, and suddenly I find that the location of my horses and the acreage owned have eliminated me from that group. Perhaps I will find another identity that will fit better. On a more serious note, the Fall meeting of the PNFPG has come and gone. The show committee for the 2003 Libby show has began to organize, and it is time to start planning to attend the September show in beautiful Montana. See you there, Shirley Anderson Oscar's Round Mountain Fjords.
cold weather
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Good Brr Morning, 8 degrees in north Idaho this morning. I have already found which tank heaters work, and am carrying a hammer for the ice on the tank that has a problem. My ponies are fuzzy and appear ready for the cold, I however am not. Don't forget that horses continue to need a large amount of water each day, and I personally think they do better if that water doesn't have ice cubes floating in it. I am also sending out a reminder to anyone involved (or those who would like to be involved), that Saturday, November 2 is the Fall meeting for the Pacific Northwest Fjord Promotional Group. Bill Weber and Woody Hoopes have planned a packing clinic, and hope to put together a (late July) pack trip for those ready to try an easy trip with their Fjords. The clinic is at 2:00pm with a buffet dinner and meeting at 4:00pm. It all takes place at the Shilo Inn in Moses Lake, Washington. For more information contact Bill and Sally at [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Shirley Anderson, Oscar's Round Mountain Fjords.
Fjords for Kids
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Fjords for kids? Of course our kids rode our horses. They rode all over - but never without adult supervision. Fjords make great kids horses. When my daughter Laree gives riding lessons to children, her mount of choice-Budd. A wonderful big guy that has been our schooling horse for several years. Children need training as much as the mount they are on. It is a valid point that children can't pull a big strong Fjord head around, but neither can I. They need to learn how to compensate for their size, and they need to be taught safety skills. Did I mention that kids should never ride without an adult? Here are the rules we used when our kids were younger. 1. Never put a green kid on a green horse, 2. Always know your child's expertise level, 3. Never-Never-Never let a kid ride without adult supervision, and 4. Always remember a horse is a horse (their isn't a bomb proof one out there)! I realize that not every Fjord makes a safe and dependable mount for a child, but the temperament of this breed does lend itself well to use by inexperienced riders. Although it will be several years before my grandchildren are ready to ride, you can bet that their first mounts will be fjords. Shirley Anderson, Oscar's Round Mountain Fjords.
Libby Horse Show
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> September 13-14-15 are the dates of the PNFPG International Fjord Horse Show in Libby, Montana. For those of you planning on attending their is another important date to remember. August 15 is the deadline for stall registration. Registrations and payment must be sent to Lincoln County Parks & Recreation, 418 mineral Ave., Libby, Montana 59923. Stalls are rented and brought in and set up for this show. If you don't pre-register a stall won't be available for your use. August 15 is also the close of class pre-registration. Classes are $5.00 each until August 15, at that time the cost doubles, and registration in any Libby class will cost you $10.00. Another advantage to pre-registration is the program listing that each pre-registered exhibitor receives in the show program (free advertisement for your farm!). Your class entry form should be sent to Shirley Anderson, HCR-01 Box 358, Naples, Idaho 83847. August 15 is the deadline for entry in the Produce of Dam and Get of Sire Classes, as well as the weight pulls. If minimum numbers aren't reached these classes will be cancelled. Don't procrastinate any longer if you are planning on this show. Join us at Libby for a great show and a lot of Fjord fun. Shirley Anderson Oscar's Round Mountain Fjords Naples, Idaho
Fjords
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> At 5:30am Wednesday morning we welcomed the birth of our first foal of the season. A nice looking stud-colt out of Annie, but Annie's closterium didn't come in. We supplemented with a reconstituted product, but the outlook was grim. Yesterday we made the decision to take Mom and baby to WSU's equine hospital. At 8:16pm my daughter Laree called to tell me that Round Mountain's Gunner had died. Annie arrived home about midnight and has settled in well. This morning her bag is no longer engorged, and she is eating. Our loss has prompted me to look at the 13 healthy babies that have been produced here, and the wonderful people we have come to know because of our Fjords. I know that once the numbness wears off, I will look forward to the two births still to come on our farm this spring. I don't imagine I will ever take for granted again the miracle of a healthy birth. Shirley Anderson Oscar's Round Mountain Fjords.
Round Bales
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I thought I would add my imput to the round bale discussion. Several years ago we were unable to fill our barn with the square bales we normally use. After locating enough round bales to finish the season we purchased a feeder to accomadate the larger bales. Our hope had been to let the horses have free forage. Very quickly we found that unlimited access to hay was not going to work for us. My husband Oscar solved the problem by taking a chain saw to the bales. It worked well to slice the bales between the strings. We were able to feed the appropriate portion and inspect the hay as well. Shirley Anderson In sunny north Idaho.
I'm back!
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> After a series of business trips (which included Libby), I am back on line. I generally lurk, and for those of you who don't know me, let me introduce myself. I live in north Idaho (an hour drive west of Libby, MT) close to Bonners Ferry. My husband Oscar and I have a farm here, and with the help of our children, who all live in the area, we raise Fjords. We are members of the PNFPG. Although I am far more comfortable reading and replying privately, occasionally I have been known to address a subject on the list, but for now I will go check out the archives and see what I have missed in the last 3 weeks. Shirley Anderson Oscar's Round Mountain Fjords [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Fjords in Sandpoint
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Just a little note about the Sandpoint Draft Horse and Mule Show in Sandpoint, Idaho this coming weekend. Although it is true that Fjords can't compete with the Big Boys in Sandpoint, Fjords have and will be seen. The show has created a filler class (non-competition) on Sunday. The only requirement is that there be at least one draft animal in the entry. The Selkirk Driving Association, of which I am a member, has been invited to participate in that float class. Our entry is a covered wagon train. The first wagon to enter the ring will have our required draft (two wonderful draft mules owned by Clyde Long of Plummer, Idaho); the second wagon (Ron Dayton's Chuck Wagon) will be pulled by Dennis Johnson's Fjord geldings; and pulling the third wagon will be Wendy Hall's Halflinger pair. Although I don't expect this show to open up to other breeds, the show committee is expressing interest in community involvement. The Selkirk Driving Association is very happy to help out. Shirley Anderson.
Libby, Montana
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Good morning List! Great News for anyone going to Libby, Montana. Level 5 Fire Restrictions were lifted this morning. Although the Lincoln County area continues to be extremely dry, the situation here is easing. Fire restrictions will continue to be in effect (no campfires or burning of any kind), but those of us in this area who work in the woods are going back to work after 3 weeks of woods closures. This year at Nordicfest we have alot to celebrate. See you soon in Libby. Shirley Anderson.
[no subject]
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Two thoughts came to mind while I read yesterdays list. 1. Trimming manes: When we purchased our first Fjord from Larry Boe several years ago he suggested the following method. Begin cutting at the withers and angle up the mane until you are above the fullest part of the neck (about 2/3s of the way up the neck), at this point hair length should be about 3 fingers deep. Now start at the bridle path and angle up to meet the other cut. Round the point off. If you want to trim the hair to show that wonderful black strip - trim about 1 finger of the white hair along entire length of mane. Of course practice makes perfect. 2. New Zealand fencing: We have it - I love it. The big springs that we have at intervals give enough to handle snow and ran away horses (but not the local moose that takes out my fence periodically). My stud ran into our fence at a full gallop. Gus was unmarked, and is now well trained in avoiding that nasty little bite that comes with a hot wire. I also had a young gelding try to jump the fence. The insulator broke - more slack built into the system. We have used the New Zealand system for eight years, without mishap. On to other projects. Shirley Anderson.
Libby Log Skid
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I haven't been able to keep abreast of the List this summer, but did pop in yesterday and saw interest in the log skid at Libby. I have included the class description, I think it describes the class well. It goes without saying that it looks much easier than it is. This class is - as explained yesterday - ran between two parallel ropes (boundaries) with cones down the middle. The log is serpentine through the cones in both directions. Single Horse Log Skid - Entries to pull two 16 1/2-foot logs both directions through five cones set 16 feet apart, while staying within 30-foot boundary lines. Timed event. Penalties of five seconds will be assessed for touching cones, and horse will be disqualified for going outside of boundary lines. Best time wins. Shirley Anderson Oscar's Round Mountain Fjords
Libby Show
This message is from: "Oscar and Shirley Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Just a couple of notes about the Libby Show from one of the lurkers on line. First - the show program. We (the show committee) are trying to accommodate the requests that we have received. The decision was made last year to include pedigree information in the Get of Sire and Produce of Dam classes in 2000. Funding for the program has not increased, in fact we are changing the way our program is produced this year in an effort to decrease costs. More pages (if we could get enough pre-registrations) to include pedigrees on all horses would be costly, and we hope to address this issue using other venues. Numbers will be assigned to a specific horse this year, instead of the exhibitor as we have done in the past. This change should make it easier to track horses in and out of the ring. We will continue to strongly encourage all exhibitors to post pedigrees on individual stalls. I have personally done this for years with success. Simply cover your information with clear contact paper or have it laminated to weather proof for outdoor stalls. Second - as the parent of one of those girls at Libby who dress. I can assure you, that what you don't see from the stands is the price tag on the $2.00 yard sale shirt being worn, and the $12.00 feed store straw hat. All of Laree's vest are sewn by Mom - the most expensive cost $8.00. That one of a kind horse hair flob my daughter wears at her throat, was graciously donated by Opal and Maybelle (close 4-legged friends), and completed with a large gold button purchased at a fabric store. We spend time on show clothes not $$$. By the way I wear black jeans (redyed for the occasion of course), a long sleeved white blouse and vest when I enter the ring. Please remember clothes do not make the presentation, really clean, well trained Fjords, tacked up safely are what I want to see in the showring, although the formal dresses Lisa suggested for the men in the group, would be a refreshing change. Shirley Anderson.
