This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: vivian creigh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Date: Sun Aug 7, 2005 7:58:35 PM US/Eastern >>To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com >>Subject: GMHA Fjord brag! Excessively Long! >> >> >>I just returned from GMHA CDE. I showed a Prelim pair, four in the class, >>two WB pairs and another pony pair. >> >>Shiloh Simino showed her Hostar son in Training Single Horse and won >>dressage and was in first place after cones, today she must have had a >>good go as she stayed in first in a large competitive Horse class. She >>has been having a very successful year with her boy and I think we will >>be seeing a lot of her in the future. >> >>My "Girls" had the best dressage score all classes and divisions with 42 >>penalties, the next best score of the show was 55. They warmed up >>beautifully and were really good in the ring. I didn't even walk cones >>but was having so much fun driving the ponies that I was just giggling >>the whole round and only had one ball down. We ended Saturday 21 pts >>ahead of the second place pair of Gelderlanders driven by Peter Bravmann >>which is a name some of you old timers on the list will certainly recognize. >> >>Marathon today was certainly not my best effort. "The Girls" were not >>firing in and out of the hazards like they normally do and in the first >>hazard my reins were too long and I was definitely not on my game. >>Managed to get it together for the second hazard, the water, and had a >>decent go even with Nanja sucking back and being her normal weenie self. >>Thank you Nordy. In the third I took the short route to gate D between >>two trees and hit a large root hard bounced me straight out of my seat >>and I came back down on the side of the seat. OUCH! Thankfully my >>terrific navigator kept us upright and I managed to get back into the >>seat in time to make the turn. The rest went alright but not brilliant >>ponies were well ahead of time so we strolled into the finish all in good >>shape, although I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. We won the marathon 5pts >>ahead of the second place pair which put us 26 pts ahead of the others in >>our class. We had the only combined score under 100 penalty points of the >>entire show and had fun doing it. >> >>What made this all the sweeter was the fact that on Friday I was the test >>driver for a forum on what judges look for in dressage. Two licensed >>judges critiqued my test, I was driving a single, and the clinic >>participants got to ask questions about why they would award a certain >>score. The test was broken down into sections and I would drive several >>movement and then stop and tell the judges and participants what I >>thought was wrong and how I would score myself as I am also a licensed >>judge I lent perspective from the box seat. Both clinicians, Natasha >>Grigg and John Greenall felt the pony was not round enough in the first >>three movements and was poking her nose out above the vertical but was >>well engaged and just being evasive. A well known trainer from the New >>England area started to say that it was a breed related defect that >>prohibited Fjords from going correctly on the bit. I turned towards this >>gentleman and said "Let's not even go there". He left shortly thereafter, >>I believe somewhat embarrassed as >>I corrected this flaw in subsequent movements and with Shiloh's and my >>stellar performance this weekend hopefully dispelled all notion that >>Fjords aren't every bit as capable as any other breed out there. >> >>After 17 years of hearing the same drivel regarding the Fjords >>capabilities it has become less grating and more amusing especially when >>I am lucky enough to put these notions firmly to rest with a great >>performance. Of course the next outing may not be as successful as I am >>dealing with two equine individuals who may or may not share my delusions >>of grandeur and except to savour my 15 minutes the slate will be wiped >>clean at our next outing. >> >>Tuesday I am off to The Netherlands for the 50th Jubileum of the >>Fjordhorse in Holland. My husband will be performing at the welcoming >>party and I am looking forward to seeing some old and dear friends. Also >>heard from a friend who was at the Pony Worlds in England that the >>Germans had a four in hand of Fjords on their team. Let's face it if the >>Germans thought enough of these ponies to put them on their team they >>must have been pretty good ponies! No breed prejudice just good well >>trained equine athletes doing their job!!!! Yeah!!! The single pony >>entry from Poland was a Haflinger not a Fjord and the front wheels were >>off the ground because marathon vehicles are as light as possible and >>when the groom sits back on the back step going uphill they tend to tip >>backwards. In the total scheme of things not a big deal. >> >>I'm off to the barn. Good times with these remarkably resilient ponies. >>Vivian Creigh
