This message is from: Cynthia_Madden/OAA/UNO/[EMAIL PROTECTED] Well, It was quite a week last week. It is always a relief to get back to work. We had a great time at Blue Earth. Tank outdid himself considering his lack of time in training. I was very happy with him. Our granddaughters had fun and did well considering their lack of experience. It was a good fun for us all. I was again awed by the increasing level of competition, but an atmosphere of fun and friendliness continues to prevail. I know there is some concern that the family environment will get lost, but I think that as long as there is no real money involved, things will continue as they are. The judging was more diverse this year and new winners emerged. This is good. I have great ideas for the cones courses next year if I again have the chance to do the courses. I really have to thank John Crawford and Jeff Pederson for their help in puttting up the courses on Tuesday. I could not have done it without them!
Welcome Casey to the list - while I train Tank under saddle using dressage philosophy, my main goal is for trailriding enjoyment. I find dressage an excellent method of training and it certainly makes your horse good on the trails. Fjords do make excelllent trail horses (or ponies) and I know you will enjoy him. I drive Tank a lot and Fjords are really fun to drive. Find someone experienced in your area to help you and be very patient - taking things one at a time. You could contact the American Driving Society to find out if there is a club or member near you. Let me know if you want their e-mail. Welcome, Jen. I was impressed by your photos in the Herald. I hope to visit the web site you provided as soon as I catch up. Gail, what a story about the bucking Fjord. I hope he finds a experienced person. I am sure though he has had bad experiences that he can be rehabilitated with time. Fjords are so smart - but I have feeling it will take a lot of patience. We had a discussion over dinner while at Blue Earth on this very topic of "pet fjords" going to people who did not know how to handle them and who were not involved in any Fjord associations. Mike May estimated that there be may around 2,000 Fjords out there who are not in the registery or their owners are not members. The feeling seemed to be that horse people, not just Fjord people, need to come up with some way of reaching the "backyard horse owner" who is not knowledgeable in horse handling and inadvertenly makes their horse dangerous to themselves and others. It is a very difficult issue. Cynthia Madden, Coordinator Office of Sponsored Programs & Research University of Nebraska at Omaha E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
