ForthDownsNews

Welcome to the Forth Downs Auxiliary Page.  This is an experiment to provide an easily updated source of news. Since my webmaster and household IT expert also needs to teach night school, clean corrals, go to his day job and level up his world of warcraft character, I created this amatuer site which I can update as required.  If you got here by mistake and really want the real Forth Downs site, just click on the link in the nav bar to "Forth Downs Main Site."

Last update:  May 12, 2009

May is here and the weather is mostly great.  Wouldn't May be a wonderful time to polish up your riding skills?  The days are long enough that lessons after your working day may be a possibility.  I'm willing to schedule lessons up until 6:30 pm.  Then you can take advantage of my new student starter package:  5 lessons for $150.  You can use up these lessons at any rate you want - once a week, once a month, or daily.  They don't expire.

My fjord horses are calm and happy.  They are very patient with learners.  I enjoy teaching adult beginners or anybody who wants to learn to ride, or learn new riding skills.  Give me a call and we can discuss if your needs mesh with my abilities.  619-669-1577 (call before 9pm - we are up to feed at 5am and then off to our day jobs)

I have an opening for a working student.  This is an unpaid position where you provide exercise for the horses in exchange for getting free riding lessons.  Since I  have a day job and periodically need to travel out of town, I can't always give the horses all the rides they need in order to stay fit and trained. 

The horses that need exercising are 3 Norwegain Fjord mares.  These are my lesson horses, but I don't have enought students that they have lessons every day.  These mares are well trained, calm enough for beginner riders, but are also interesting to ride - both in the arena and on the trails.  (We have direct trail access.)  These mares have all been shown in dressage, one of them to second level.  Two of them participated in the Jamul parade this year.  I also have a Dutch warmblood gelding that is NOT a beginners horse.  We call him the idot savant, because he has competed successfully in dressage to 4th level and yet he is afraid of his own shadow.  It would be nice if one of my working students became advanced enought to ride this guy.  He can teach you a lot if you ride him with tact and sensitivity.  He also is a good lunge horse to help develop an independent seat. 

To be considered as a working student you must be self-motivated and goal oriented.  I would prefer that you have no other riding obligations to conflict with riding my horses.  You do not need to have any previous training, but the abilty to walk and trot a horse is good.  I can teach you from there.  You must have either a driving license and access to a car, or a parent who will committ to getting you here when you need to be here.  You must be willing to sign an agreement about how many days a week you will ride.

Call Sarah at 619-669-1577 if you are interested in being a working student.

If you cannot be a working student, but want to defer some of your riding lesson expenses, I am always willing to discuss trading barn work for a riding lesson discount.

Updated:  I now have a working student and only need another one if they are willing to clean horse corrals.

Nika and Valka represented Forth downs in the September 28, 2008 parade.  

Did you see our fjord horses in the Jamul parade and want to know more about them?

Here is a list of frequently asked questions:

 

Q: What is it with the mane?

A:  The fjord mane is naturally upright and stiffer than many horses manes.  95% of all fjords have the black stripe down the center.  Our horses manes are trimmed in the traditional style, but we have seen some people who really go crazy with designs.  It will fall over eventually if you never clip it – then they tend to look like Cruella DeVille.

 

Q: Are your fjords so calm because they are really old?

A: Actually Nika and Valka are fairly young and inexperienced.  Fjords are just mellow.

 

Q: Can you only ride them English?

A: You can do anything with a fjord.  I know of English, western, jumping, trail riding, carriage driving, draft fjords, cow fjords.. the list could go on?

 

Q:  But they are so calm – they must be boring to ride?

A:  Many fjords can get interested in the task at hand and perform to very high levels.  That can be fun, unless you miss the spooking.

 

Q:  Are they really from Norway?

A:  The breed originated in Norway.  There are now Fjord in many countries and there are registries in most of them.

 

Q:  How big do they get.

A:  Typical range is 13 hands to 15 hands, but even a short fjord is usually strong enough to carry an adult rider.

 

Q:  How can I find out more?

A:  Talk to me, or go on line to the Norwegain Fjord Horse Registry – there is a link on the main page of the website.

 

Q:  Can I visit them?

A:  Yes, but we have day jobs, so an appointment is a nice courtesty.

 

 

The "Harris" fire of October 2007  http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1012/  (the official story)

We had an exciting week - too exciting.  If you would like more details on our fire experience go to the FireBlog page!

Many people associate forth downs with football, not fjord horses.  and when I have a little more time, I am actually going to write a paragraph explaining why our farm is named "Forth Downs."