This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Arthur Rivoire)
Hi Everybody from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia -
We had such a good trip to New England over Christmas, I have to tell about
it. Our first night at a hotel in Maine, we sold another of the imported
fillies. GREAT WAY TO START A VACATION! The next few nights we stayed
with Mel & Joanne Gobele, and BDF Jason, but I already told about that, and
believe me, it wasn't a sales pitch. BDF Jason is NOT FOR SALE.
The next night we were entertained royally by Anne and Don Sullivan in New
Hampshire. Anne had visited us twice this summer before purchasing Carla,
and it's success stories like this that make the horse business
pleasurable. Anne and Carla are a MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. Anne is petite,
attractive, feminine, and classy . . . . So is Carla.
Anne is "d'une certaine age", as the French say . . . So is Carla.
Anne had some bad horse experiences and accidents, so needed a dependable,
experienced horse. Carla is that and more!!! We'd imported Carla 13 years
ago from Holland, and repurchased her three years ago to use in our Nova
Scotia Learning Vacations. She was unusually valuable to us being great
with beginners, but with talent and pizazz for more advanced students.
---- We love matching people and Fjords, so when Anne came to the farm, it
was immediately obvious to the entire staff that Carla was meant for Anne.
--- And now visiting them, we're pleased and satisfied with our decision.
Anne's barn and fields are wonderful. Carla looks superb. She's the light
of Anne's life, and knowing that is immensely satisfying.
Leaving the Sullivan's, we visited another couple who'd vacationed with us
this summer, and purchased one of the imported yearling fillies. Tracey
Turner brought her non-horsey husband, Paul, to our farm in a last ditch
effort to interest him in horses. Previously, they'd been on a riding
vacation, and although a good sport, he'd been luke warm. She thought
driving might strike a spark, and it did. He loved it, and was thrilled to
win our Mini CDE the last day. His First Prize was a silver demi-tasse
Fjord spoon. He stirs his morning coffee with it every day. Both Tracey
and Paul are tall and athletic. They needed a BIG FJORD. Tracey's into
dressage and trailriding, so she needed a good mover. --- I thought of a
filly called Solgard, daughter of the Dutch Studbook stallion, NORDAL
(ELITE STALLION), and tall as a big two-year-old. And what a mover!
Everyone agreed . . . Solgard moves better than a lot of Warmbloods. ---
So, Solgard went to Tracey and Paul, and Arthur and I had a great visit
with them, staying the night in their wonderful home, and enjoying a superb
meal.
It's great visiting people who've purchased horses. This was the first
time we've done that to any extent, and I loved it. Not a CLOSURE exactly,
but somehow it fills the void created when a horse leaves our farm. Each
time the truck comes to take a horse, I feel sadness. Not for me, but for
the horse. I have this nagging feeling that it's immoral to wrench a horse
away from his home and buddies, and send him into the unknown. One minute
he's happy and secure, and the next he's on a truck heading somewhere. I
feel guilty uprooting him. So, seeing these horses in such excellent
situations made me feel good again.
After visiting the Turners, Arthur and I independently visited old high
school friends, and then headed down to Massachusetts to visit family. We
stayed through Christmas and New Year's, which was great.
While in Mass., we went to see a 7 yr. old Gjest son, and ended up buying
him. He's a grandson of our old Dutch mare, Tessa, now 25 years old, and
looks like her. Small, dished face and huge eyes. The gelding rides and
has had some driving, but will need work. He has a lovely character, and
should be ready for our Driving Vacation program by the end of June.
Rounding out our holiday vacation with a mix of Friends & Fjords, we left
my mother's and headed to western Mass. to visit our oldest friends.
While there, we took a side trip to Christine & Bob Burgess's farm.
They're a young couple with a 1 1/2 year old daughter, and had just
purchased a quiet, well-trained young mare from us. Bob has a degree in
forestry, and the mare will work on the farm and be a promotional
attraction. Christine told us it was their little daughter's interest in
horses that led them to Equine Affair in Springfield, Mass. where they met
Fjords, and decided this was the breed for them..
That was the end of our Perfect Holiday. We headed home. Two days driving
with cloudless skies and dry roads. Who could ask for more?
Best Regards, Carol
Carol and Arthur Rivoire
Beaver Dam Farm Fjords II
R.R. 7 Pomquet
Antigonish County
Nova Scotia
B2G 2L4
902 386 2304
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/beaverdf
