Starting the two year old colts

April 20, 2009

This morning Orville was using the tractor to load up last winters outside horses manure pile into the dump trailer.  Line came ambling over to see what he was doing with the tractor and that big pile of manure.  What Was That Box?? She walked around the other side of the dump trailer and tried to see where where Orville was putting it.  Line could not figure out where that manure was going.  She couldn't look over the top and see inside  so it must be disappearing.  Orville drove over to the big compost pile and dumped the full trailer and she finally figured it out.

After lunch Orville lead Lyn over to the hitching rail fed him his grain, groomed and saddled him up and put a snaffle bit in his mouth.  Yesterday he had put the back pad and crupper on each of the colts and today was another step in the process of training and getting used to different situations.

April 1st we wormed and used the electric clippers to take manes off all the Fjords.  With no power we use a generator on wheels and a hitch to hook it to the quad and take the clippers and genny out to the horses.  Easy to worm everyone and take manes off the Fjords all at the same time.  

Now Lyn was looking really spiffy with his mane standing up about an inch,  under saddle and a bit in his mouth.  Picture perfect and I did not have my camera.  He had had a bit in his mouth once before and was very comfortable with it now and did not chew or play with it.  Orville took him back to his pen and tied him up and brought Magnum back with him.   Orville trimmed his front feet then put the saddle and a snaffle bit on him.  Again no reaction just a another day of doing something new and interesting.  Magnum did chew and play with the bit as it was his first time wearing one.  His turn to go out to his pen and stand quietly tied up with saddle and bridle on.  Orville brought Lyn back to hitching rail, unsaddled and bridled and put them on Daniel.  Lyn was turned back out and Danny was put in his pen to stand tied for awhile.  Orville had trimmed his front feet prior to getting Lyn.  After all the colts had been turned back out Jarry was brought in and Orville rode him up the mountain for an hour or so.

Jarry is really liking the hackmore and responding much better.  Orville rode him to the cabin where the mares were grazing and Jarry walked quietly  through the mares and I managed to grab my camera a get a few pictures.  

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

Anvil's Jarald

Now that Orville has been laid off work and he is home we have been getting the spring cleanup done.  All but one corral has been cleaned up and hauled out to the compost pile.  Almost have enough to level the yard out where the cabin is.  All the fields and yards have been harrowed with the tractor or using a small harrow with the quad. The plan is to do enough work on the horses we have in to do the rest of the harrowing with them.

After lunch I caught Jarald out in the field and he was so good coming through the gate and turning around so I could shut it quickly while keeping Reba and Mektig, who were determined to come as well, in where they belonged.

After giving Jarry his grain and a good grooming I went and found the mechanical hackmore I had borrowed to try on Jarry.  Orville put it on a headstall and put on Jarry.  He was a little confused at first but picked up the cues real quick once he figured out there was no bit.  Jarry has never really liked a bit when riding him so we thought we would try this.  Jarry sure has a nice canter in our 70x70' corral he was worked in.  Orville commented it was his best gait and I said that every winter when they come charging down the mountain side to come home for feeding Jarry and Weilew both always canter where most of the other horses will trot down.

He is nicely balanced and very comfortable in the corral working.  All his riding has been out on the trails not in small spaces. Jarry has not been ridden for about a year and went very well so Orville took him out and checked the 11 mares out on the mountain side. When Orville finished riding and took the bridle off, Jarry opened his mouth to have the bit removed.  Old habits die hard. Orville laughed and said not this time.  Looks like we have found a bridle Jarry is more comfortable with even though we had never used a mechanical hackamore before.

Back out to the field again and fighting off Reba as I caught Mektig and lead him through the gate.  Tied him up to the hitching rail and gave him his grain and a good grooming.  Orville switched his saddle from Jarry to Mektig and rode him in the corral for awhile working on transitions.  

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

April 2009

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

Here it is another beautiful spring day. Third in a row after having one of the top five coldest springs on record.
Orville has started driving and riding Fjords again. Brought in Reba, Mektig, Ibn and Jarald and after energetic use of the shedding blade can at least breath around them. We drove Ibn and Jarry, then the next day drove Reba and Ibn and yesterday drove Ibn with Mektig and they seem to get along the best as a pair.
Drove Reba single and Orville rode Jarry. We are just doing light driving on a sled to get their shoulders toughened up so we can do some field work once all the ice and snow have disappeared.
Will try and do daily reviews on our Fjord experiences this year.

Anvil's Lisbet and KeJaCo's Josefa

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

Saturday, August 18, Anita and Edward Goodfellow and their five daughters came from Victoria, BC to look at the Fjord mares. When they emailed and inquired about a bred mare suitable for their family I mentioned that Lisbet was the closest match to what they wanted even though she had not been rode or drove in six years. I had previously decided to bring Lisbet in and condition her with the idea of making her my personal riding horse. I have ridden very little the past 30 years and with my jaw surgery still healing I wanted a good quiet horse I could trust and decided Lisbet was my best choice to enjoy walking and trotting the trails with friends. Orville rode her for me and I got to ride her once before the Goodfellow family arrived. Lisbet had remembered everything about the bit and cues from when she was a three year old. Was incredible to be able to ride her after a six year lay off for raising foals.
Really enjoyed our time visiting and looking at horses with the Goodfellows. The five girls where fun to have around and two of the daughters had a ride on Lisbet while another one tried to catch the wild kittens. That evening, leaving Edward with the girls, Anita came back out by herself and we took Jussi and Josefa for a drive around the property and seen more of the horses. The outside bunch had been good enough to come home while the whole family was here in the afternoon and they did get to see all the Fjords in a loose herd.
The Goodfellows decided to buy Lisbet as well as Josefa. What a incredible pair of mares to start off a small breeding program with. Congratulations to The Goodfellows on their choice of mares.

Love those Leidjo babies

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

Had a busy time lately. Took Lara and Solskinn to the Vet for Coggins and health tests. Previously I had put a halter on Solskinn but never tied him up or lead him. The morning we had our appointment with the Vet, I put a halter and lead rope on him and Orville put a bum rope around his buttocks and I lead Lara out of the pen while Orville and Sol with a little encouragement from the bum rope followed. Led them up to the stock trailer and I lead Lara up and let her look in and settle for a minute. Orville put her front foot up on the trailer floor while still holding onto Sol. I gave a gentle tug and Lara walked in the trailer. Her first time away from home. Josefa and Jussi were already in the front half. We had decided to get their coggins done at the same time incase Orville was home so we could go to the Libby Fjord Show in September.
With Lara tied and standing relaxed in the trailer, I stepped out and put Sol's foot up so he would walk in. Took a little more encouragement and in he went. We decided to turn him loose as he hadn't been tied up yet.
At the Vet's they had the blood drawn for the coggins and Sol was microchipped as well.
They stood quietly the whole time.
Home and Sol unloaded like an old trooper but Lara decided she was unsure about coming out.
The following Friday, Dan and Levi Watanabe and Pamela Garofalo arrived to pick up their horses.
Solskinn, as white horses are prone to doing, laid in the manure and required a bath. Again the Leidjo disposition shone through as he stood relaxed for his first shampoo and rinse. He stood quietly tied to a post eating his hay while he dried off.
Lara was beautiful as ever and only needed a good brushing. Orville had trimmed their feet the previous day and Sol stood quiet and relaxed during that as well. Do love handling those Leidjo Babies!!!!

Anvil's Lisbet

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

As usual down doing chores by 6:30 am and letting the horses have an hour to finish eating their breakfast. A little late starting Lisbet and Mektig on the quad. It was 8:13 this morning when we started our warmup walk. So proud of Lisbet, she is walking the first walk averaging 6 kph and going over the 1 km in ten minutes. we went up the meadow and through the trail Orville mowed for me through the trees. Lots of chipmunks running across the path and a pair of Muley does watching me and gliding off through the trees. We were at the end of the first kilometre when I seen Stina and Ellie standing in the trees swishing flies. We finished our walk going up the steep incline to the first bench or first loop as I call it, and onto our 11 min. trot.
Just as we got going there along the trail was the rest of the outside horses. A quick count got me 11 when the number should be twelve. Did I miss count. Mental note to double check numbers later on. Leisel and Jarry come trotting up and as usual Leisel is the only one to come with us. Thought I lost her when we came past the cabin but she was taking a short cut through the trees. Down past the corrals and Lara, feeling very left out, was whinniying and following as much as she could.
Just past the corrals we started our second walk, again averaging 6 kph and onto the second trot and I figure Lisbet is doing well enough to do a second loop and not just stay in the meadow area for her second trot. I have to really remind my thumb to stay at 11 kph for the trot. Keeps creeping up to 12 or 13. Near the end of our 11 min. trot Lisbet has more room and she is up by my left shoulder. Interesting, maybe she is ready for 12 k's at 12 kph. Better wait another day or so. Mektig likes to stay right by my right shoulder or just behind the quad at my shoulder if the going is narrow. I did a little longer walk home and we travelled 7.6 km total.
We started out doing 6, so Lisbet is coming along nicely. Leisel did the entire route with us again and came through the gate into the yard. I put her into the corral and fed her her grain. Orville meanwhile had caught, fed grain and harnessed up Josefa and Jussi.
Turned Lisbet and Mektig loose into yard for a few minutes to graze. Not sweaty enough to hose off, so soon as Orville was ready to go I put them away and we hooked up "the Sisters" to the carriage and worked on Dressage today.

Lisbet and Leisel

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

As usual I was up before six am and out the door by six thirty to feed the horses at the corrals. Our corrals are three quarters of a Km below the cabin we live in. I fed Josefa and Mektig, in the big corral and Jussi in the small corral as well as the black mare Orville is training to drive for our daughter who is in the other small corral. Check water for all the pens then off to the other corrals where four weanling colts are. I have soaked alfalfa cubes as well as rolled oats with their additives for them as well as free choice hay. The corral next door I feed hay to Lisbet and Lara.
Lisbet is a nine year old mare that was trained to ride and drive as a three year old and then turned out to be a brood mare.
She was left open last year but this June we borrowed Peppertree's Christian from Dan and Solvieg Watanabe of Olivia Farm and bred several mares to him including Lisbet.
I had jaw surgery in February and suppose to let that heal for six months. Since I am a very timid rider I felt the best horse for me to ride this year would be Lisbet. I based my decision on her bloodlines which tells me about her personallity and trustworthyness. The Rudaren daughters bred to Leidjo have always excelled as wonderful riding or driving horses with a great work ethic and sensible nature. I brought Lisbet in to start her conditioning and have Orville restart her riding as it has been six years since she was rode or drove.
Lisbet has lived up to all my expectations. Several days ago, Orville did some ground work with side reins to remind her what the bit was for and I started conditioning this overwieght broodmare with our gelding Anvil's Mektig on the ATV or quad as we call it. I had started her last Tuesday evening with a walk around the trails with her not realizing she had to keep going and not stop when she felt like it. Trotting was not on her agenda at this time.
Back after our 45 min workout and Orville followed behind and encourged her to trot on command. I use verbal commands of walk and trot when I change the pace. Wednesday morning we went out and had a ten minute warm up walk at 5 kph, followed by a 10 min. 10 kph trot, another 10 min. walk again at 5 kph, 10 more minutes of trot again at 10 kph and a 10 min. cooldown walk at 5-6 kph. Had a few stops but a great improvement over the night before. When I said "and Trot" Mektig would pick up the pace and Lisbet would take a few seconds to figure out what I meant. Mektig would look at me a though to say " What's with her. Can't she Hear you"
Spending the last six years eating and running out on the mountain side had conditioned Lisbet so she breezed through our workout with a very quick recovery rate once she figured out the routine. Mektig had been up to 14 min of trot at 14 kph and thought this slow going was very boring. Lisbet did need some encouragement to keep going and not stop at her favourite rest spots for the first few round but now has the routine down and as of this morning up to 6 kph at the walk and 11 minutes of trot at 11-12 kph now.
Did miss not having Leisel make the rounds with us this morning. On Thursday evening when I took Lisbet and Mektig on their nightly run on the quad, Rebe and the two year old white dun filly, Anvil's Leisel were home. They started following us up the meadow on our warm up walk and when we started our ten minutes of trot they came along. Up on the first loop or bench through the trees above the cabin the herd of horses where just below the hill. Rebe called and disapeared over the side to the other horses. Leisel watched her go and just kept on trotting behind or beside Lisbet when the trail was wide enough. Leisel followed all the way around and did the entire run with us. After our coolout walk back to the gate to get to the corrals she was still following so she got washed down, allowed to eat in the yard and then her grain, just like the other two. Once her grain was done and my evening chores finished up I lead her from the quad, back through the gate and turned her loose. I went on up to the cabin for a much needed shower and to bed.
Next morning Leisel was waiting and again made the entire trip with us cutting a few corners once in a while but otherwise going the whole route.
Again on Saturday morning when we came across the herd on our first trot, Leisel left the herd and made the run with us and had her grain etc. just like the others. However today she was missing. Kind of missed her happy presence but didn't have to eat her dust when she went out in front on the last walk home.
Maybe she will be home tomorrow when I make the rounds with Lisbet and Mektig.