This message is from: "Beth & Sandy - Starfire Farm" <starfiref...@usa.net>
Hello All, This message is from: "Mary Ofjord" <ma...@boreal.org> -I believe Anne Appleby's horse "Wez" was shown at Grand Prix level and possibly Starfire Farm's stallion BDF Obelisk. (Beth can you help me here?) (Anne?) Anne Appleby did show Wez at Grand Prix. In fact, she earned all of her USDF medals, Bronze, Silver and Gold, on Wez (who is enjoying his retirement!). I believe Anne is now showing one of her mares at 4th level. Thanks for thinking positive Mary, but I have not shown Obie to GP yet. We have successfully shown through Third Level Test 3, with decent scores, but though he can piaffe and now perform an admirable passage, and do piaffe/passage transitions, we are still working on the tempi changes. If we can get those by next year (right...I can dream, right?) you should see Obie at the FEI levels. Maybe (or not) It's not because he is not able...he most certainly is! I just don't have the drive to show that gets me to sit at the computer and fill out all of those forms to enter the shows. Besides, I am always getting side-tracked by doing things like driving a 4 in Hand in the Rose Parade... ;-) But, I do not agree with Ms. von Dietze's statement. One should never make a blanket statement about any breed. I do agree that it is more difficult with horses that are not built "for dressage"...or shall we say, for competitive dressage... as dressage horses are being bred for specifically today. However, a blanket statement saying that Fjords can't bend at the poll simply isn't true. I have Fjords here, even those with thick, heavy necks and throatlatches, that can flex at the poll better than many thoroughbreds and even warmbloods I have ridden! Conversely, I have some Fjords that have lovely, light throatlatches and long necks but they just don't care to bend at the poll. In fact, you can watch them running around in the pasture and pick out the ones that like to flex at the poll and the ones that like to keep their noses sticking out. The results can be surprising. Having said that, there are a few factors to take into consideration. One is that a Fjord generally has a much stronger neck than the lighter breeds. Once a Fjord learns to use it's neck strength to push the bit, you have quite a chore to convince him not to do so. Breeds with lighter, less strong necks, can be "muscled" into giving in. It is easier to "hold" them in position without fatiguing the rider (which is still much of the "dressage" riding/training that one sees). One cannot muscle a Fjord into submission...they are too smart! Tact, which should be used in all horsemanship, is much more successful with Fjords. Riding a horse "to the release" is, to me, what is ideal. Another factor is that the more talented riders, riders that have independent seats and don't balance on the reins, if they have competitive goals are just not going to be riding a Fjord to get the higher scores at the higher levels. Face it, a Fjord just isn't going to get the good scores in the gaits that the specially bred "dressage" horses are going to get, no matter how good that Fjord's gaits are. And, Fjords have to have a lot of stamina and a great work ethic to complete a GP test. I have worked with and trained quite a number of Fjords now and some bloodlines and/or individuals don't have the energy and drive to continually train at the FEI level. Which isn't a bad thing...not everyone wants a Fjord with that kind of drive! Some are better suited to working all day pulling a plow, or carry someone or pack something over a mountain. Long, slow, distance work. A Grand Prix test requires a high level of continuous energy, with extra bursts of contained and sustained energy throughout the test. Not all horses are up to that...in any breed! Even if they have that drive, if one wants to reach the goal of competing at GP on a Fjord, it will take a lot of work to keep that horse fit enough to complete the test well. Anne told me that she had a girl take Wez out for gallops during the week just to help keep him fit enough to complete the GP tests during the show season. I do worry that, as Obie gets older (he is 18 this year, can you believe it?) he won't be able to maintain the stamina to complete a GP test. So, that's my opinion in a nutshell. Unfortunately for those of us with "ordinary" horses in dressage competition, "Dressage" horses are getting better and better and the scores reflect that. Therefore, sad to say that I think it is going to get harder and harder for a Fjord ...or ordinary horses...to get competitive scores at the FEI levels as the judges see more and more horses in the ring that are specifically bred for the sport. As for other ponies, I find that the specialized "dressage ponies" that are being bred is also unfortunate for the "ordinary horse." But that is the market. The Fjord breed has always changed with the market. That is why it is important that we, in our Evaluation system and in breeding for the future, maintain recognition and preservation of what is commonly referred to as "three types" or three body/use types of Fjords. Work/heavy, Classical/medium and lighter/Sport to maintain diversity and breed health. Beth This message is from: Caroline Warren <caroline.war...@att.net> I've subscribed to Dressage Today for about 8 years now, and finally they featured a fjord in their "Clinic" section (p. 28). Suzanne von Dietze, the clinician, wasn't too kind to our breed, saying that fjords aren't competing at Grand Prix level and because of their "short necks" find it difficult to bend at the poll. I don't know whether fjords have been shown at Grand Prix level--I seem to remember one that has, but I've seen many fjords that bend nicely at the poll. I would like to see more fjords, and other ponies for that matter, presented in articles in Dressage today. The magazine has good information but has become rather elitist in my opinion. I'd like to know what other fjord owners think about this article, especially those active in dressage showing. Caroline Warren Chico Ca Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
