The time for Equine Affaire has arrived once again and present this year will be the Fjords not only with a booth but in the flesh as well!  Members of Blue Heron Farm volunteered to be the head of the event this year organizing all of the set up and take down of the booth.  We’ve also got a stall this year to go along with our beautiful display to not just show on paper how wonderful our Fjords are but in the flesh as well.  Amongst the Fjords there will be a real show stopper.  Yup you guessed it a foal!  We all know how much we love their curly little manes and fur.  

Along with the foal several other Fjords will be around to give the little fella a break and to show the public how wonderful the Fjords are in their breed demo.  Yes, the NFHA will also be doing a breed demo this year on Saturday at 5PM in the Mallory Complex.  This year’s theme is the motto of the club.  “No matter the feat, great or small, Fjords can and will do it all!”  We’ve worked real hard to show off each of the Fjords wonderful characteristics, temperament, willingness, and partnership.  We strive to make the breed and our club proud.

Now if all of that Fjord news that wasn’t enough excitement in one read two Fjords have also entered to have a chance to compete in the Equine Affaire’s Versatile Horse and Rider competition (VHRC).  Last year Margaret Williams and Tulie of Blue Heron Farm were accepted and placed 11th by ½ a point, however, got the second fastest time!  We all knew Fjords could move and boy Tulie sure did.  They both made us all proud.  This year Margaret and Tulie have put their application in to give it another shot and joining them in entering for a spot to compete in the VHRC is member Angela Young and her horse Frits.  Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have TWO Fjords in the mix of 30 horses and riders?  I sure think it would.  Now, unfortunately, Margaret and Angela do not find out if their applications were accepted until October 1st; much after the deadline of when I’m writing this so please be sure to check the website to find out if they made it and if so when they’ll be riding so you can go cheer them on!

Equine Affaire is a big exciting event for all of us horse lovers but a ton of work for those participating, working, or presenting.  We have a wonderful group of members and many of you wonderful people have already come forward to volunteer to take a few hours at the booth to educate all those interested about Fjords.  We are always looking for more people to take a small lot of time out of their day to help those that worked so hard to set the whole event up and man the booth to give them a break.  Any of the volunteer slots that are not filled are done so by those that set the whole Fjord portion of the event up.  This is on top of the hours they’ve already put in to volunteer at the booth.  If you can spare a couple of hours to help out please contact Angela at Spookus3@aol.com.  Any help is much appreciated.  With this said we hope to see you at the Affaire rooting your Fjord friends on.  Please stop by the booth as many of your officers will be there.  Introduce yourselves and make some new friends both 2 and 4 legged.  Until next time Happy Fjording.

The sun was shining, birds chirping, and horses munching as the camping crew ran around gathering the last few items needed for their 4 day camping trip with their equine friends.  Fjords Anita, Sophie, and Frits along with their other friends Emmy and Carbon were going to spend 4 days with their owners sleeping in and exploring the wooded park of Myles Standish State Forest.  The four days would consist of portable paddocks, sleeping under the stars (for the horses anyway), swimming for both horses and humans, food, laughs, and great quality time spent in the saddle with friends and in nature.

Myles Standish State Park spans across the towns of Plymouth and S. Carver MA.   It is the largest owned public recreation park in Southeastern MA.  It has 35 miles of marked designated equestrian trails, 16 ponds, and a 37 site loop designated to horse camping only.  The host family is on site during the weekends and are very well educated and informative about the park and its trails and hospitable for anyone new to the park or horse camping itself.  If you’ve forgotten something, which happens, they’ll have it or chances are one of your neighbors will too!

Day one at the park consisted of setting up camp and getting the horses settled.   We started with the portable electric paddocks, that worked thankfully, as we all know how green the grass is on the other side especially for the Fjords.  By the time camp was set up it was time for dinner so we let the horses settle in for the night and get acclimated to the woods as we ate some delicious Chicken Quesadillas cooked by the marvelous Sheri Bankert and turned into bed ourselves.

Morning arrived early as my dear Frits got a bit frisky and was “fighting” with his neighbor Carbon.  So out of the truck I leaped, pajamas and all, to re-position electric fences and provide some food deterrents.  The adult members of the group were up early to drink their morning coffee while the younguns were still fast asleep.  We took care of that with a bit of coaxing, breakfast on the fire, and the excitement of what ride was to come with our horsey friends.

After breakfast we packed our saddle bags with all we would need, tacked our horses up, and began on our exploration into the vast woods of Myles Standish State Park.  This was the first camping trip for some of the horses and first of the year for all so the excitement in the beginning was great but they all quickly settled in to enjoy the great outdoors.  The day consisted of some work on the trails, fun, stories, wild animal signs, swimming with the horses, and beautiful scenery.  All in all 5 hours in the saddle was good for us so our day ended there and we settle back down into camp for the evening.

The next morning was a bit hot so we decided to do an early morning ride then an evening ride as to leave the hottest part of the day in the pond for us and in the shade for the horses.  The morning ride was short and relaxing.  Two of the riders saw a deer!  We spent the rest of the day in the pond until later in the afternoon.  Refreshed and ready to go again we went out for an evening ride.  What a great time we had.  It was filled with races, videos, photos, fun, and a beautiful sunset to top it all off.  It was a bummer that the following day was our last.  It’s no fun to pack back up, but every good thing needs to come to an end.

Morning arrived and we were up and packing quickly as we wanted to get one last ride in before we had to be out of the park.  We hustled to get everything in and ready that way when we returned we just loaded into the trailers and were off.  We didn’t have a lot of time so we stayed close and explored a bit off the beaten path and found a beautiful forest trail with tall pines.  It was nice and cool as it was completely shaded from the hot sun.  What a great way to end a fabulous camping trip.  We can’t wait to do it again.

As mentioned to our members a while back, the Northeast Fjord Horse Association (NFHA)is proud to announce its sponsorship to the New England Horse and Trail Breed (Norwegian Fjord) mileage award each year.  New England Horse and Trail (NEHT) was founded in 1984 and serves a purpose to bring information and recognition to the pleasure trail rider and or driver.  The NEHT provides information to help riders find rides and rides find riders.  Awards are given by the NEHT to those that reach certain mileage totals (200, 500, …) and by various breed organizations to the horse and rider of that breed with the highest-mileage clocked in at NEHT recognized events each year.  It’s a real fun way to keep track of how far you’ve ridden and be recognized for doing so.

This year was the first year the NFHA sponsored the NEHT Norwegian Fjord Breed award for highest-mileage and it was awarded to member Michelle Moynihan and her five year old Fjord Anders.  Michelle and Anders clocked in 62.6 miles for the 2010 season.  Michelle won the award, which was sponsored by a Fjord enthusiast, the previous year as well on her Fjord Anita with 46.2 miles.  This year she won a $25 Gift card to Dover Saddlery!  Congratulations to Michelle and Anders in a job well done. 

If you’d like more information about the NEHT visit their website at: http://www.nehorseandtrail.com/.  If you’ve got a story to share with your Fjord friends please pass it along and share with us all!  All stories can be sent to Spookus3@aol.com.  Don’t forget to check our website for updates, dates, and events as they’re always changing.  Don’t forget the monthly photo contest either and send those photos!  Until next time Happy Fjording!   www.northeastfjord.com

Another great example of how much Fjords can do was demonstrated on May 29, 2011 in Boyds, Maryland at the United Stated Pony Club (USPC) Maryland Region’s Polocrosse rally.  Polocrosse, which is a combination of polo and lacrosse and invented in Australia in the 1930’s, is a fast moving game with three members on each team.  Teams play in tournaments consisting of several six or eight minute chukkas over the course of the day.  Unlike polo, players don’t use a string of horses during the match but play with the same horse all day, with breaks between chukkers to let the horses recover.   Even at lower levels it is an incredibly fast and exciting game to play and watch, with the horses and players barreling down the field close together and back again trying to score goals.  There are polocrosse clubs across the United States and around the world, as well as polocrosse played within the USPC.   

Alex Harvey, 16, is a member of the Redland Hunt Pony Club in Maryland, and participated with his 15 hand 11 year old Fjord gelding Lee Lane Ture.  This was the first year the club decided to play polocrosse and it was a resounding success, with them fielding three separate teams.  Alex, playing offense,  and his two fellow Redland Hunt Pony Club team members won their Novice division, undefeated in four chukkas with  Alex scoring 7 goals overall.   To quote Alex, “Polocrosse is awesome!”   Ture handled the challenges of polocrosse with no problem despite the heat of the day.  He also didn’t seem to mind the polocrosse ball (a soft ball about the size of a softball) bouncing off of his nose occasionally or the racket flying past his face!  After each chukka the players immediately dismounted and went to an area for untacking and hosing the horses down to cool them out.   You could just see the excitement in both Alex and Ture as they flew back and forth.  

Ture is one of our two Fjords.  We got him and our 14h mare GVF Jordbaer in 2004 and have done just about everything that can be done with horses with them.  They have been trusty trail horses, driven a cart and carriage (singly), done dressage including a pas de deux, jumping, eventing and Pony Club games.  Ture took Alex through his C-1 rating in Pony Club jumping 2’9” stadium and cross country courses.   We are so lucky to have them both and Alex has formed a real partnership of trust over the years.  Ture’s next event is the USPC Maryland Region C Level Dressage Rally on June 26, 2011.  Later in the summer he will attend some schooling dressage shows at First Level and possibly attend the USPC National Championships at Lexington Horse Park in Kentucky.  Just one more example of how Fjords make us proud!      Written by member Elisa Harvey.

Possible rain was in the forecast but sun in our minds as we prepared to head out to what was going to be the biggest event in our career together.  Frits, my Fjord, was calm cool and collected as I packed his belongings for his overnight  trip that could potentially give us an opportunity of a lifetime.  He might have had the indication that something was up as strangers had come to visit him, “speak” with him, and photograph him, but in typical Fjord fashion just brushed it off, walked onto the trailer, and munched his hay.  At 3PM on Saturday April 16th we were on the road and off to decide our fate of becoming America’s Favorite Trail Horse at Camp Marshall in Spencer, MA to be held on Sunday April 17th.

America’s Favorite Trail Horse (AFTH) is a competition being put on by the American Competitive Trail horse Association (ACTHA) to find America’s Favorite trail horse.  One of ACTHA’s missions with this event is to encourage people to get back in the saddle again and rescue a horse in need of a home by doing so.   They are heavy supporters of horse rescues and percentages of the profit from each ride they host go to local rescues around the nation.  In this competition there are regional auditions set up throughout the nation.  At the auditions each competitor will have to complete 4 ACTHA obstacles simulating those you’d find out on the trail, a 45 second freestyle to show your trail horse off, and an interview with 2-3 questions.  From there about 100 horses in total will be selected as finalists and head to Texas for the finals.  In Texas they will be coached by national celebrities and participate in a Competitive Trail Challenge which will all be filmed for the American audience to vote for America's Favorite Trail Horse.  It will be aired after the finals on HRTV and ACTHA TV.  Did I also mention that we’re competing for up to $100,000 in cash and prizes?  No pressure at all as we prepared to enter the arena.

As we entered the arena we were cool, calm and composed ready to face the challenges ahead of us.  The wonderful judge gave us the ok and we began.  We first trotted over 8-10 cavaletti poles at varying distances, judging our cadence over poles.  We didn’t knock one!  We then proceeded to halt over the sidepass pole and sidepass to our off side.  From there we entered the two cones and performed a figure 8 back up.  Lastly, we trotted out of the cones at the other end of the arena to stop our time.  From there we began our freestyle to show the judge what we were all about.  We caught the eyes and ears of all as we went and performed the Electric Slide.  We were able to show our personality a bit and how well we can move off of leg and change directions from side to side.  I was pleased.

After our dance we concluded our audition with our interview where I spoke a bit about Frits and I, why I thought he should be America’s Favorite Trail Horse, and how I came up with the Electric Slide.  We got lots of cheers claps and praise as we moved from the interview area.  So many wonderful people came out and drove long distances to support us in this event.  I was so very excited to participate in such an event and honored that people thought that we were good enough to even stand a chance not to mention come out and root us on.  Of course I think we make a good team but never really thought about the fact that we could actually have a chance at doing something so big and so meaningful together!  What a fabulous time.

April showers bring May flowers right?  And what do Mayflowers bring?  Why Pilgrims of course! 

By now the mud is drying up and the weather is getting consistently beautiful for enjoying our Fjord friends.  Those of us that were plagued by the snow and mud are able to get out there and ride more and play more.  Those winter months tend to find us all looking for things to work on and do with our Fjords.  I guess you could say that the winter months encourage us to think more and become more creative as the kids from Red Rock Farm had done with their sleds from a previous article.  Well, I do have another such story from Red Rock Farm that I’d like to share.

In getting ready for show season one of the things we like to do with our horses is some bombproofing.  You see many of the members of Red Rock Farm do competitive trail riding and versatility challenges.  On a competitive trail ride or challenge there are obstacles that test the horse’s braveness, boldness, obedience, ability, partnership and rhythm to name a few.  One of the biggest obstacles on these rides are the scary ones, so all season we look for things to expose our horses to that’ll help us practice partnership, confidence, understanding, and trust.  This year we got our help from the feathered friends of Red Rock Farm.

One day member Ben Bankert was in the upper barn speaking with the owner Michelle Moynihan who was grooming her Fjord Anders.  In the upper barn lives the rabbit, Nobel, and two hand raised “hens” (Really roosters) Billy and Bob.  While Billy and Bob are not my favorite because I have a thing with chickens, especially roosters, I do admit they are two of a kind and quite comical.  Billy and Bob are often held, loved, kissed, hugged and carried around the farm by their owner Madison Moynihan.  She has her own flock of birds at the farm that she tends to and cares for.  They are used to being handled and don’t mind being carried so on this one day Bed decided to hold a rooster and he and Michelle got thinking. 

Anders is a young Fjord just starting out on his trail career and has hit the OH MY GOSH “fives” as we call it.  He now has noticed there’s a world around him and wow is it great and scary at times too so he’s on super duty bombproofing .  Well on this night the two, Ben and Michelle, decided to see if Anders liked chickens, so up went Billy or Bob onto his back.  Well Billy, or Bob, decided to flap around a bit as he was unsure of his footing and soon settled in and that was because Anders didn’t really seem to mind much.  Before I knew it both Billy and Bob were atop Anders and getting a free pony ride.  It was the comedy of the night and started the chicken fad at Red Rock Farm.

Billy and Bob have each had a turn on all of the horses’ backs at one point or another now.  Some of the horses don’t like it too much (of course it’s not the Fjords) so it’s another obstacle to work on, however, Billy and Bob think it’s just great.  They even got to ride in a saddle!  This obstacle, while a silly one, has come in handy out on the trails when a pheasant has flushed out of the woods or chickens have been running around at their feet.  We won’t even talk about the pesky turkeys!  You’d be surprised at how many horses have never seen a bird on the ground before let alone flying along in front of them.  While birds, again, are not my favorite animal they have helped, in many ways, to bombproof the horses at Red Rock Farm thanks to Ben and his wonderful idea!

It was a chilly Sunday morning as we loaded our furry Fjords, Frits and Anders, and Fjord wannabe Emmy the QH, into the trailers for what was to be a bittersweet event.  Armed with snow pants, gloves, mittens, hot packs, toe warmers, face warmers and the like, we were off to Borderland State Park in Easton MA for an event like no other.  We were riding for our lost friends and to benefit their owners in such a tragic time.  We were riding in the Friends of Yankee Stables Benefit Ride.

On November 9th 2010 a fire began at 11:30PM in the Yankee Kennels horse barn located in Sharon MA.  Yankee Kennels is home to cows, dogs, and their equine friends (stables), owned by Eddie Little, and has been a proud fixture of the town of Sharon, MA for many years. On the night of the 9th the fire destroyed the Yankee Kennels horse barn.  The cause is still unknown.  Nine horses and two miniature donkeys were tragically lost that evening.  May JJ, Wish, Spirit, Ursula, Cody, Bert, Ryan, Avalancher, Myrtle, and the donkeys Nester and Jack run forever in greener pastures.

Along with the barn not only were precious lives lost but tack, equipment and dreams as well.  In an effort to begin the rebuilding and healing process for the owner of the farm and boarders a benefit ride was set up.  The Friends of Yankee Stables Benefit ride and fundraising event was held on December 19, 2010 at Borderland State Park.

When we arrived at the park we checked in and registered our horses.  Displayed in the booth were photos of the lost horses and given to us was a commemorative ribbon that included all of the horses’ names that perished in the fire.  Talk about a tear jerker as we were about to spend a great afternoon with our horses and these people could no longer do the same.  In the trailer area we met the owner of the farm and got to speak with him a while.  We also met some of those that suffered the loss of their best friends who were all overwhelmed at the turnout of riders and supporters and very thankful.  55 horse and rider teams showed up that day.

We had a wonderful ride with our Fjords and Emmy.  The trails were beautiful and the sun ended up coming out to make it a rather pleasant ride despite the cold temperatures.  Upon our return back to headquarters we were greeted with a fantastic donated lunch and many wonderful raffle items.  People were very generous in both donating items and buying raffle tickets to win the items.  Some of the items included Red Sox, Bruins, and Celtics tickets, riding lessons, gift cards, gift baskets, tutoring sessions, massages, summer camp sessions etc.  The items were endless.

The raffle, trail ride, and donations raised $6000 above and beyond the replacement of all the lost tack and equipment the boarders suffered.  While this doesn’t replace the lives that were lost, as nothing ever replaces a best friend, it helps those that did start to heal and create new memories; happy memories.  If you’d like more information or to donate to the cause, which is still accepting donations and having another fund raising event, please visit www.yankeebenefitride.com. 

Oh March what will you bring?  Mud?  Snow?  Ice?  Rain?  Warmth? Cold?  It’s been a long winter shoveling out of that snow.  I know many of you that did not have use of an indoor, are getting that spring fever and ready to get out there and ride, ride, ride.  I know I am.  Winter slows a lot of us down, however, not all of us.  A fresh coating of snow to some of us horse people is a perfect opportunity.  Well what kind of perfect opportunity does one see in a fresh snow?  Well for one I know the Fjords see it as fresh Fjord Angels, but what can a Fjord owner see it as?  Well according to the kids down at Red Rock Farm in Dighton, MA it’s perfect for sledding with their Fjords!  Yup you’ve got it, sledding.

As the first snow hit the ground I was approached with excitement and enthusiasm as a student asked if on Saturday, a day spent at the barn by the children with their Fjords, they could bring their sleds and hook their horses up.  The fresh snow provided the perfect opportunity to do so, so I said sure and gave them a list of what they’d need to bring along with them.  As Saturday arrived they rolled into the barn with sleds, ties, and smiles excited to, for some, have their first sled ride with their Fjord and for others to brush up on the skills they developed the previous snow season. 

With the equipment in place, minus the sled, the kids practiced line driving their Fjords that way they were prepared for what was to come.  Once they were able to line drive the sleds were hooked up, minus the driver, to practice with the noise behind the horses just to make sure all was well.  Of course all was well, theses were veteran Fjords, but you never know.  So, once all checks were marked off of the list the drivers climbed in and they were off.

As the Fjords took their first steps, laughter, giggles, and excited chatter filled the air as the drivers attempted to maneuver their Fjords and selves through the field.  Some trees, shrubbery, and each other posed as obstacles to maneuver around creating a comedy show for all those watching.   One driver kept “running over the vegetation” as they kept rounding the bush in the field while another kept wiping out around the corners.  Mind you this is all while they were walking!  We called in the side walkers for the trot and good thing we did because the divers broke into hysterics when the trot began.

After a good while of fun and tired yet happy Fjords we decided to call it a day.  They have some ideas on what they’ll do the next time they get into that sled.  I can only imagine what’s to come and what types of creations they come up with to modify their “vehicles.”  It’s a great way to spend a day with your Fjord and friends while the weather doesn’t present the opportunities that the warmer dryer months do.  The kids at Red Rock Farm definitely know how to use the weather to their advantage.  There’s never a dull moment with that crew.

Now while this sounds like a ton of fun, and it is, I do have to mention that it was done in a very safe manner with horses that had done this before or were thoroughly tested before the children were allowed to hop into that sled.  The children were also prepared for and practiced “dismounting” in any sort of emergency just as we would do in riding.  Helmets were also a necessity.  Safety is number one in any fun with, on top of, behind, or near any of our four legged friends.  Being safe allows for that much more fun.  So, until next time have a FUN, safe, and productive March with your Fjord as we await the spring months, warm weather, and shedding.

In my travels around New England my Fjord and I, along with our other Fjord friends, often attract quite a bit of attention.  As we walk through the fields or rows of trailers you can hear comments from people and watch heads turn.  I have to admit I like the attention.  As we ride in our events it is very rare for us not to get at least one question about the breed.  I’ve gotten some real funny ones over the years.  The best one yet was, “is that a Morgan?”  Thankfully they are normally a bit more geared towards their appearance and athletic ability. I take these opportunities to promote the breed and answer their questions entertaining their awe at any chance I get. Who doesn’t like to talk about their horse?  

Do you cut their mane that way?

Why yes of course we do.  They are horses and grow manes just like any other horse does.  If we did not cut it it would grow long and flop over just as a Quarter Horse’s mane might.  Their manes, as a rule, are very thick and normally flop on both sides as they have so much.  You see we cut their manes in such a fashion for a couple of reasons.  For starters we cut their mane to show off their strong necks that have a natural arch to them.  We accentuate this natural arch by cutting their mane so that the arch’s highest point is about 1/3 the way down the neck from the ears.  It goes from 0 at the poll to 0 at the withers.  We also cut it this way to accentuate the dorsal stripe these horses carry from their forelocks down into their tail.  Most Fjords have a black stripe; however, some of the other colors have more of a red brown stripe to no stripe at all, and no we don’t dye their manes. 

They come in different colors?

Of course they do.  Your brown dun is the most typical color as they have a golden dun coat with dark points including the dark dorsal stripe.  Your red dun is typically lighter in coat color with a red tint and has red/brown points including their dorsal stripe that can run from a dark red/brown color to a light red tint.  The gray dun Fjords have simply that, a gray coat color, while your white duns have a white coat color.  There is also a yellow dun that is the rarest of the colors and similar to the red dun but has yellow tints instead of red. 

What can they do?

Why anything you want them to do.  By nature they are very reasonable horses.  As a rule they are easy going and really can excel in whatever you’d like them to do.  Some are more suited for a specific discipline than others; of course, as not every Fjord has the same desire as the next but they are seen in almost every riding sport imaginable.  They are very versatile.

Are they gaited?

Most often I get the confusion that they are cousins of the Icelandic ponies.  While each breed has their own wonderful traits to offer, other than the shaggy winter coats, they are like night and day.  Fjords walk, trot, canter, jog, lope like any other horse does.  Their gates are comfortable and not pony like at all.  They don’t have the short choppy quick gaits a pony would but more resemble the horse’s gait.  Again this is not for ALL Fjords as I’ve seen my share of “pony” trots; however, as a rule they more resemble a horse than a pony even though they have the pony height.  Don’t let that height fool you though.  What they lack in height they make up in width often requiring extra wide saddle trees and draft sized tack. 

So, while there are many misconceptions about the breed my crew and I are slowly spreading the Fjord knowledge and educating about the breed.  It helps when the top placings at an event go to all Fjords too!  We not only show how great they are we prove it.  As I said before we all like to talk about our horses so I encourage you to do so and let all know why we love our Fjords.  Knowledge is power.

Welcome New Year!  Each New Year we start out with a set of goals for ourselves and for our horses as well.  “No matter the feat, great or small, Fjords can and will do it all!”  I truly believe in this quote as do many of those that have had the privilege to work with this wonderful breed.  Whether the feat at hand be big or small it truly is great to accomplish it and worth bragging about.  

We’d like to highlight some of our members that had a wonderful 2010 with their Fjords and were gracious enough to share their accomplishments with us all. 

 Robin Malkasian from Milestone Farm in Connecticut writes:   On August 17, our Fjord mare Bryhyl Sophy competed in her first 25 mile Competitive Trail Ride in Rhode Island sponsored by NEATO.  She was ridden by junior Doni Hanshaw.  They placed first in the junior division and had the 2nd highest score of the entire ride.  We are so proud of them both!

Susan Griffin of Muddy Water Farm Fjords in Rhode Island writes:

I'm proud of my Fjords for participating in a horse show for children with mental and physical disabilities. They got all dressed up for the special day as other animals.

Susan G Baer of New York won a blue ribbon in her first show ever with her Fjord BHF Roan. It was only her 7th time riding him in the previous 3 months due to her broken hand healing.

 

Wendy Luscombe of New York writes: 

BDF Quest  moved up to Open Class One Jumpers and jumps 3' 6" courses now. He won the Bucks County Spring Classic 3' 3' Gamblers Stakes and Open Jumping ridden by Stephanie Kleinbauer.

 

Kingstonachieved his Award of Excellence in August. He won many awards including but not limited to Amateur High Score at Dressage at Saratoga, USDF All Breed Champion at Training Level Open, and Amateur and Vintage Cup.

 

Koriakin of Narnia achieved his Award of Excellence in September. He won the USDF Foundation Benefit Class, Champion First level and USDF All Breed Champion at First Level Open, Amateur and Vintage Cup to name a few.

 

 Vestmark's Nikoline won a very large Intro class at Dressage at Saratoga with Emily Kamenovsky.  I rode Nik at the NFHA Show and discovered she was talented in many more areas than I knew about. She won in equitation, trail, hunter pace, and dressage and ended as High Score for her division, Dressage Champion and Trail Champion.

 Orgonne was in his first year of showing. He won a high score championship with a 74% and received four 9s for his walk in dressage tests.

Morgan Podielsky of Empty Pocket Farm in Massachusetts writes: Being a full time college student with a full time job has sadly taken me away from my Fjord this year, but I found a wonderful family that was looking to lease their own horse and Otto (my fjord) fit the bill. These 2 younger children give him the time and the attention that he loves and deserves and I am very thankful for their help!

Margaret Williams of Blue Heron Farm in Massachusetts writes:  Blue Heron Farm’s Tulie and I had a very successful summer.  We won the hunter classic at camp Marshall’s show series.  In the Fall Tulie and I competed in the Equine Affair’s cowboy challenge.

Ron's description of his trip this week when he redeemed the auction donation from the show.
  Ron Konove and his friend Arnie had a terrific day in late October on the “Right Now” with Capt. Mike McInerny and his mate and brother-in-law, Mike. It was a perfect fishing day on Long Island Sound; no wind, flat water, sunshine, and great company. We caught more bluefish than we knew what to do with, along with Porgies and one beautiful sea bass. Mike and his mate are fantastic, knowledgeable, and hysterically funny guys.
If you want a awesome day on the water, hook up with Capt. Mike.

Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry Announces
Register of Excellence Award Winner
The NFHR announces that Kingston has earned the Register of Excellence Award.  Kingston is a brown dun gelding by Kvest Halsnaes out of Hafdis owned by Wendy Luscombe, Craryville, NY.


About Kingston by Wendy Luscombe   It only took two and a half seasons for Kingston to earn the 100 points needed for his Award of Excellence.
 
He was my first Fjord, he was bred by Inge Burr of Blue Raven Farm and I bought him from Beaver Dam Farm as a two year old. Kingston was the first Fjord born in this country to Blue Raven and was always very special to Inge.
 
I wanted a pony that I could feel safe on, would not always be spooking and I did not want anything that was too far off the ground as I have numerous (!!) prosthetic joints that don't do well in falls. I had fallen in love with the Fjord breed, so this is how Kingston entered my life - or rather I entered his.
 
He was slow to start as a dressage horse, his trot was always rhythmical and steady, he had a lovely walk but his canter could be an unbalanced charge. More than once I entered a show only to cancel, as I was not sure I could stay in the ring. I then changed trainers and took him to Jane Rodd at Cricket Hill in NY. I said to Jane my aim was just to get through ONE Training Level test. Little did I realize that one year later he would end the year 43rd in the nation out of hundreds of horses competing at Training level ridden by amateurs.
 
We spent that first winter doing gymnastic exercises to help his balance at the canter. By spring Kingston was ready for his first recognized dressage show. It was a big one and Kingston was over-awed by these big thundering horses half passing up to him and flying off again on a different lead. I had dislocated my hip only 3 days before and I was wondering if it would go again. Our first warm up the day before his first class was tough he just wanted to brace his neck and run. Anyway, before my first class, Jane told me to just sit on him and let him chill. We did this - in the next ring Courtney King was riding a Grand Prix Musical Freestyle on Mythilus, who she rode in the Olympics later that year. Kingston watched enthralled his head following Myth's every movement, he was glued to the spot. It was although a light came on for him as he realized what this was all about!!
 
The next day he did his first test, a bit nervous to begin with but more confident as the test went on. The second test he was positively strutting and beamed at the judge at our final salute. She was smiling and said "I can see why you ride Fjords." He ended up with  the high score for that level.
 
Kingston dressage career then took off. He has won 8 USDF All Breed Awards, many championships, high score awards, year end awards - far too many to detail here. I would always get a kick at the mounted award ceremonies when I would be there on 13;3hh Kingston amidst a sea of mostly brown, very big warmbloods.  About the NFHR Register of Excellence Award   This award recognizes outstanding Fjord Horses who have accumulated 100 points in halter and performance classes and gives these animals the formal recognition their achievements deserve. The award will be indicated by means of an E after the horse's name. Winners of the award receive a certificate, a trophy and are permanently listed by the NFHR.    For more information about the NFHR Awards program, contact Ann Karns-Crandall at awards@nfhr.com.

Important Equine Virus Information!
Agricultural Officials Issue Alert: Contagious Equine Virus

MDAR is alerting horse owners, breeders, and veterinarians of four horses that were known to have been exposed to the EHV-1, a contagious virus, in New Jersey and were subsequently transported to Massachusetts. Since one of the horses has since tested positive for the virus and is exhibiting clinical signs associated with the disease, agricultural officials are urging horse owners to take precautions to curb possible spreading of the virus among the state's horse population. EHV-1 is a contagious disease of horses, which can cause respiratory illness, spontaneous abortion, neurological disease, and death.  This virus does not pose a risk to humans. Suggested precautions: Effective vaccines for the disease are available.  Horse owners should discuss vaccination with their veterinarian. Anyone who is in contact with horses should adhere to strict bio-security measures. All equipment and footwear should be disinfected after handling horses; all outer clothing should be changed before going to another farm or location where horses are kept.  Any newly acquired equines should be isolated from other horses for a minimum of seven days. The most common means of transmission of this virus is by direct contact with infected horses. The virus may also be transported via inanimate objects such as contaminated clothing, footwear, water and feed buckets, and grooming tools. The virus can survive for up to several weeks in cold, damp weather, which makes the current risk higher given the wet weather across the Commonwealth over the last week.

For more information and regular updates on EHV-1, visit
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine.



Agway Equine Awards Fundraiser.

Those of us that buy Agway brand bagged feeds have an opportunity to help raise money for NFHA activities. Recently, we joined the program that will add $0.25 to $0.35 to a club account for every bag of feed purchased. All you have to do is cut out the “Proof of Purchase” label (on the back of the bag in the lower right corner) and send them to our treasurer or to me. We will submit them for credit to our club’s account. When we are ready to draw on the Equine Awards account to participate in an equine-related event, the Treasurer just needs to send a written request to Agway stating the purpose of the event and a check will be mailed to the club. This seems like a painless and easy way to raise money for our events, and we hope you will all join us in supporting this effort.

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Kurn Hattin Homes

Kurn Hattin, located in Westminster (southern) Vermont, is a residential home and school for young boys and girls at risk or in need. As described on the school’s web site, Kurn Hattin was founded around 1894 by Charles Albert Dickinson, a clergyman of great stature and influence in Boston. A humanitarian who worked tirelessly to improve the lot of the less privileged, Reverend Dickinson came home to Westminster, the Vermont village where he had been born and raised, and, with the help of colleagues and townspeople founded Kurn Hattin Homes, a place where children could find a secure and supportive haven during a troubled period in their families’ lives.

Julia and Alex Merriman have informed the NFHA that the Kurn Hattin School not only has a horse program, but that they have several Fjords. As a nonprofit, they depend on support from the public to maintain and enhance this program, and they are always open to receiving horse-related equipment in good condition to use for the program. The program contact person and head of development at the school is Kim Fine.  She will see that any donations, equipment, riding attire, or direct financial support will go to the horse program if labeled as such. Kim will also insure that donors receive appropriate acknowledgment for tax purposes. To find out what items are on the horse program’s “wish list”, please contact Kim at 802-722-3336 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              802-722-3336      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Kurn Hattin Homes
PO Box 127, 64 Mathey Road
Westminster, VT 05158



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