This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Arthur Rivoire)
Hello Everybody from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia -
>
>This message is from: Nancy Hotovy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Carole -
>
>I really agree with your post on the older horses. Steady, well trained
>Fjords are definitely in high demand but I never, never, never recommend
>someone buy a young, untrained colt unless they have had previous horse
>experience.
Hi Nancy,
I guess we agree with each other, which is nice.
When I recommend that a buyer might do better with a youngster
(weanling/yearling) than an older horse, I'm not talking about someone who
is totally inexperienced with horses. That kind of person won't do well
with any horse no matter how well trained and old the horse is.
-- That is, she won't do well UNLESS she boards the horse at a good
stable, and is under supervision while she learns about horses, and how to
ride and/or drive.
IMPORTANT POINT! --- I wouldn't sell our quietest, best trained horse to
a totally inexperienced home, not for fear that the buyer might get in
trouble (which she well might), but more out of concern for our horse.
There are too many things that can go wrong with horses, and totally
inexperienced people can't read the signs. A person like that needs to
board at a good stable.
What I'm talking about are the many experienced horse people who think they
can't bring on a youngster because they've never dont it before. I get
calls from people who've owned horses for years, and ridden for years, who
are shocked at the idea they might train a youngster. They say, "But, I've
never done that before!" Perhaps true for other breeds. I can't speak to
that, but I am sure that a person who knows horses, and can care for them,
can start with a weanling Fjord and bring him on to be a very pleasant,
useful horse. This kind of person can be successful even if they've never
done it before, and even if they can't ride or drive.--
At the very least, this owner can do all the preliminary work leading up to
saddle and harness work, at which point, they "may" choose to have a
professional start the horse. And, if they do this work concientiously,
they and the professional trainer will be amazed how wonderfully that young
horse will train.
Over the years, I've found that everything to do with horses requires a
VALUE JUDGEMENT. Should the horses stay out tonight? Will it just snow,
or will it be freezing rain?--- The horse is scheduled for a trim, but
does he need it? Could this horse use a little oil in his feed? Should
this horse have the richer hay, or the other kind? Is this horse too
thin, too fat, or just right? Is the horse being willful, or didn't he
understand? Etc., etc., etc.
And the same is true when a breeder/seller advises a customer. The seller
must put some thought into the individual situation. Ask questions about
the buyer's experience. Where will he keep the horse? What kind of
fencing does he have? Does he enjoy working with animals, or does he just
want to ride and drive?
And remember, I qualified my advice by saying that the young horse had to
have BRAVERY & WILLINGNESS. These two character traits are essential to
the project. The opposite to these good characterisitcs are TIMID &
WILLFUL. If the youngster is timid and willful, rather than brave and
willing, the training will take much more time and much more patience, and
could require a professional. Not only that, those characteristics will be
with the horse his whole life, NO MATTER WHO TRAINS HIM. --- That's been
our experience, anyway.
A few years ago, we discovered that the time period between weaning the
foal and his first birthday is a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINING not to be
wasted. The more you can handle your colt during this period. The more
you can teach him, the bigger headstart you'll have when "real" training"
begins in the Spring. By "real", I mean grounddriving in harness. If,
during your Golden Opportunity, you've taught the youngster obedience and
submission, everything else goes smoothly, and almost anybody will be able
to handle that yearling.
On the other hand, if you've let him run wild during this very formative
period, you'll have a 700 lb monster to deal with in the Spring. The first
step in ending up with a nice horse is training him young. And, if you've
done it yourself, then you know it's been done.
So, I stand by my advice. A person with a certain amount of horse
experience can be succesful starting with a Fjord weanling. Their
successes and results will prove very satisfying, and in the end, I believe
they'll end up with a much better horse than buying a horse with an unknown
history.
Best Regards, Carol Rivoire
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
