RE: FJORDS - Breed thoughts, clipping and showing.
This message is from: Susanne Grönqvist [EMAIL PROTECTED] From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Apr 23 10:23:54 1998 Received: from localhost ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) by mailing-list.net (8.8.5) id LAA28091; Thu, 23 Apr 1998 11:20:47 -0600 (MDT) Received: by mailing-list.net (bulk_mailer v1.9); Thu, 23 Apr 1998 11:20:47 -0600 Received: ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) by mailing-list.net (8.8.5) id LAA28022; Thu, 23 Apr 1998 11:20:41 -0600 (MDT) Received: from wilma1.suth.com (wilma1.suth.com [207.127.128.4]) by mailing-list.net (8.8.5) id LAA27951; Thu, 23 Apr 1998 11:20:34 -0600 (MDT) Received: by wilma1 with Internet Mail Service (5.5.1960.3) id 2TX35PB0; Thu, 23 Apr 1998 13:19:24 -0400 Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Marge Littleboy [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: FJORDS - Breed thoughts, clipping and showing. Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 13:20:42 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.1960.3) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This message is from: Marge Littleboy [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi Folks, I have been lurking for a time, and have been enjoying all o the discussion that has been going on. Though I would put in my two cents and the lessons I learned from Gene Bauer, from whom I got my start with the Fjords. One of the things I remember Gene telling me is how he got his start with this great breed, (the wife of a very close friend had one, the wife died and the friend asked if Gene would keep the mare for him until she died, the mare was buried at Hestdalen - living well into her twenties). Gene fell in love with this pony - yes he always referred to them as ponies- and he went to Norway to by the best stock. On his search he was told that the best were already exported and were located in Canada, so Gene went to Canada and bought is stock. He also told me that Norway will only export to North American the cream of the crop, (and this next part will probably upset some of you), and the standards were not as strict to neighboring countries in Europe. We have to remember that when Gene got into these ponies it was about 30 years ago - he passed away in 1996. Truthfully I do not know what the standards are today, but I do know that many of the ponies/horses we are seeing in North America can trace bloodlines to stock from Denmark. I am not looking to get into a debate, I know we all love our critters. I bought from Gene because I liked what I saw, I spent one week each summer for five years helping him and Susan Engelking Keating - his trainer and employee for 20 years (she started with him when she was 13, and stayed with the ponies after his death, helping his family with the dispersal of the herd (there were over 50 on the farm at his death.). this was while they competed at the Walnut Hill Farm Pleasure Driving Competition. I saw other Fjords, but was sold on the stock from Hestdalen. (Susan now has a farm of her own with her husband/daughter and a 2nd on the way. She was given the option of keeping the Hestadalen name alive and accepted that option.) So although Gene is gone the standards that he and Susan set are continuing. I have two NFANA registered mares (mother - 13 yrs. and daughter -9 yrs.). On the mane I trim by following the crest of the neck, with the black and the white being even. I usually have a height of about 3 inches. My understanding for the geldings and stallions is that the black is about 1/2 to 3/4 inches longer than the white. The practicality of this is that you can tell the sex without having to look for parts! On both of our ponies I clip the legs completely, just as Gene did, and Susan does. What is the Norwegian Standard for this? Well I am sure I stirred up a hornets nest or two, although not the intention. Hope to hear from you on your thoughts. Bye for now, Marge Littleboy __ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Re: RE: FJORDS - Breed thoughts, clipping and showing.
This message is from: Reinbowend [EMAIL PROTECTED] The Dutch studbook has been breeding Fjords to standard for over 40 years. Bob van Bon has imported from Norway many fine stallions that are used for breeding in the Netherlands. From my observations over the 12 years I have been involved the Dutch bred Fjords live up to the same standards as the Norwegian horses. There are ofcourse mediocre horses produced in both countries, but this is related to the laws of genetics not their country of origin or the breeders intentions. As for only importing the cream of the crop to North America. Let the buyer beware. Their are horse traders of all nationalities. If you offer to buy an animal of inferior quality I would guess that it would be a foolish seller not to take the money and run. As for clipping the legs. I have been showing in Combined driving and Pleasure driving shows and ridden dressage for 10 years and have never found it necessary to clip legs. I feel that the feathers on the legs are just as much a breed characteristic as the dorsal stripe. My daughter doesn't clip her Welsh Cob's legs when she turns out for Combined Training or Dressage feeling the same as I about the feathers being a breed characteristic, and I have never seen the feathers on a Friesian clipped off. Grooming and turnout however is a matter of personal preference and you should feel free to approach from whatever direction works for you. Just my Two cents Vivian Creigh
RE: FJORDS - Breed thoughts, clipping and showing.
This message is from: Marge Littleboy [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi Folks, I have been lurking for a time, and have been enjoying all o the discussion that has been going on. Though I would put in my two cents and the lessons I learned from Gene Bauer, from whom I got my start with the Fjords. One of the things I remember Gene telling me is how he got his start with this great breed, (the wife of a very close friend had one, the wife died and the friend asked if Gene would keep the mare for him until she died, the mare was buried at Hestdalen - living well into her twenties). Gene fell in love with this pony - yes he always referred to them as ponies- and he went to Norway to by the best stock. On his search he was told that the best were already exported and were located in Canada, so Gene went to Canada and bought is stock. He also told me that Norway will only export to North American the cream of the crop, (and this next part will probably upset some of you), and the standards were not as strict to neighboring countries in Europe. We have to remember that when Gene got into these ponies it was about 30 years ago - he passed away in 1996. Truthfully I do not know what the standards are today, but I do know that many of the ponies/horses we are seeing in North America can trace bloodlines to stock from Denmark. I am not looking to get into a debate, I know we all love our critters. I bought from Gene because I liked what I saw, I spent one week each summer for five years helping him and Susan Engelking Keating - his trainer and employee for 20 years (she started with him when she was 13, and stayed with the ponies after his death, helping his family with the dispersal of the herd (there were over 50 on the farm at his death.). this was while they competed at the Walnut Hill Farm Pleasure Driving Competition. I saw other Fjords, but was sold on the stock from Hestdalen. (Susan now has a farm of her own with her husband/daughter and a 2nd on the way. She was given the option of keeping the Hestadalen name alive and accepted that option.) So although Gene is gone the standards that he and Susan set are continuing. I have two NFANA registered mares (mother - 13 yrs. and daughter -9 yrs.). On the mane I trim by following the crest of the neck, with the black and the white being even. I usually have a height of about 3 inches. My understanding for the geldings and stallions is that the black is about 1/2 to 3/4 inches longer than the white. The practicality of this is that you can tell the sex without having to look for parts! On both of our ponies I clip the legs completely, just as Gene did, and Susan does. What is the Norwegian Standard for this? Well I am sure I stirred up a hornets nest or two, although not the intention. Hope to hear from you on your thoughts. Bye for now, Marge Littleboy
