This message is from: "Carol Riviore" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hello Everybody from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam Farm in Nova Scotia --
I wanted to talk about Patti Jo Walter's comments about breeding
stallions ----
Breeding horses is complicated. There are a lot of hard decisions to be
made, and the decisions have serious, very long-term consequences.
I understand perfectly what Patti Jo is saying when she talks about
disposition being so important in our Fjords. She's 100% right. However,
we have to be very careful not to overlook physical flaws or imperfections
in favor of a wonderful disposition. -- When it comes to
stallions, the decisions are pretty tough. --
Somewhere I read these lines . . . . "When it comes to stallions, there are
no excuses."
Patti Jo said
. . .
<<it seems to me lately unless you receive
a blue level in today's evaluations your led to think your horses are less
than the ones whom have received a blue. . . . . "sometimes the ribbons
are only part of the whole picture",>>>
It seems to me that if you believe in the purpose and intent of the
Evaluation process, then you must agree that a Red
Ribbon evaluated horse is not as good as a Blue Ribbon evaluated
horse. --- This is a whole different ballgame than a Horse Show . . . or
at least it's supposed to be.
Bob van Bon doing an Evaluation in Vermont a few years ago, gave a Model 1st
Class to a mare that paddled excessively. The owners even said her "legs
worked like egg beaters." -- The thing was that this mare was a
phenomenally good working horse. She had a fabulous character and
temperament. She was 100%. Nobody could ask any more
in a horse, and for that reason she got evaluated very high.
However, had she been a stallion, there would have been no question of her
getting a good grade no matter how good his character.
Patti Jo wrote . . . .
> Nik in particular is a great example of a great minded Fjord that
although he
did not received a blue in conformation his disposion should and has to be
preserved, for the disposition of the Fjord is truly what the breed is all
about. . . . >
I agree with Patti Jo that disposition is paramount in the Fjord breed.
But, I believe
that we can find good moving, well conformed stallions who also have very
good dispositions.
Another thing I think we have to watch out for is that we don't make the
mistake of choosing only very very quiet stallions.
Sometimes very quiet stallions just don't have sufficient male hormones. --
I've known several cases in Holland where Studbook stallions have been
culled from the roster because they were not sufficiently masculine. --
Keeping the gender qualities in both mares and stallions is a vital goal in
Fjord breeding. -- It keeps the breed strong!
I'm certainly not saying that Nik, the stallion that's been discussed lacks
anything in this area.
Nik received 6's and 7's in his movement because he does NOT have the big
flare stride that seems to be the "in thing" right now. BUT he DOES have
the
TRUE Fjord disposition that we all want in our Fjords and sometimes seem
to be
loosing.
I'm sorry but I don't agree that having a big stride is an "in thing". --
Having a big stride is important in all horses. A short strided horse is
difficult to sit to when riding, and does not cover ground making him an
inefficient working animal.
Patti Jo says . . .
I am fortunate I think Ole is a wonderful mover PLUS he is calm and
quiet.>>
Yes, you are fortunate, and also wise to have chosen a stallion like this.
Patti Jo says . . .
<<I just hope people consider
the
WHOLE picture and not just the score AND what is it you are wanting to
breed??
Many people just want disposition and is that so wrong??? I know I know,
you'll say "you can have it all". Movement, disposition, looks,
conformation,
etc etc etc Well nothing is perfect.
I strongly believe that breeding stallions should have - Movement,
disposition, conformation. --- "Looks" can be dispensed with if all else
is great.
Kind Regards, Carol Rivoire
