This message is from: Arthur and Carol Rivoire <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello and Happy New Year to everyone from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia -
We've been away to New England on our annual Christmas vacation, and have just returned. We took our unbelievably good dog, Champ, with us, and as a result of visiting and staying with family and friends in three states, his reputation as "Champie the Wonder Dog" is even more firmly established. I've been skimming all the Digests that I missed, and was particularly impressed by Lynda Bailey's comments on "Push Button Fjords- I agree entirely . . . Forget about so-called push button Fjords. It's a ridiculous concept in my opinion. Fjords are much too intelligent to be Push Button Horses. Fjordhorses will "work with you", rather than "perform" for you. Lynda is right when she says a new owner should spend a week or so working with her horse on the ground. It's time well spent. It gives both horse and new owner a chance to learn about each other, and this is vital. How can the horse be expected to perform if he hasn't understood the cues? And on the other side, the owner needs to learn what cues to give her new horse, and how best to give them. --- Anything else is unfair to the horse, who is, afterall, less intelligent than the human. We've learned over the years (23 of them) that no matter what anyone might tell you about the horse's training, which may or may not be true, the best, smartest, and safest thing to do when you get a new horse, is to work the horse on the ground starting with leading. If the horse, indeed, was well-trained and worked well for his past owner, it was because they knew each other well, a relationship established over time. Therefore, it's not fair to expect the same behavior with a new owner . . . at least not right away. There's no such thing as a Push Button Fjord. This concept may possibly work with other breeds, but in my opinion, only if the horse has been trained to the point of being Brain Dead. Fjords don't work that way, in our experience. They're much too intelligent. They work "with" people, not "perform" for them as a machine. Lynda's advice is good! Please don't even think about riding or driving your new horse until he's settled in, and you've done considerable work with him on the ground. It's the only way to establish a working relationship. Bob van Bon of the Dutch Fjord Studbook told us a long time ago that a horse needs time to settle into a new home, and it matters little if the move has been to another farm in the same town, or across the ocean. Best Regards, Carol Rivoire BLUNDERSTONE BOOTS - I also LOVE these boots!! They are by far the best pair of boots I've ever owned. They are comfortable, but still supporting, and the sole is marvelous. I can walk on rocks and not feel a thing. I used them all last summer for barn work, riding, and gardening. Every once in a while I saddlesoaped and oiled them a bit. They look and feel great! They're expensive, but very good value. Vivian, I deleted the Digest with the Blunderstone email address. Can you send it again? While I'd willingly buy another pair at retail, a discount would be nice. 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://www.beaverdamfarm.com
