Susie owns one of the most unique breeds of horses in America. Her horse, Robin, is a Norwegian Fjord who is small in stature but mighty in heart and ability. Robin’s life is not boring. Since he arrived from Blue Bird Lane Fjords in North Carolina, he has learned to kiss ladies and bow.
He never knows if he is going to be ridden on a country trail or asked to draw a cart right up to the bank teller’s window to make a deposit. One day he even led the Old Santa Ynez Day Parade with parade marshal John Crockett aboard in which Robin proudly pulled a handmade Bronson wagon, created by Crockett himself.
If Robin could talk, he would probably tell you that it’s a lot more fun here than carrying battle-scarred Vikings around, which is what his ancestors had to do. This breed was domesticated in Norway around 2000 B.C. and is believed to be the descendant of the Przewalski wild horses of Asia, as their likenesses appear on walls of prehistoric caves. Fjords have retained their original dun color, with a dark dorsal stripe from forelock to tail and unique leg markings.
Something you can really admire about these small horses is that over the centuries they’ve adapted to all types of service for the human race. Strong and pleasant natured, they became treasured farm horses in Norway, where their heavy winter coats kept them warm in the harsh winters.
So willing were the Fjords that sometimes they were actually fitted with special snow shoes and asked to tramp down the snow around trees, so loggers could come in and cut them down. Then, because of their strong, compact bodies, they often were the victors in heavy log pulling contests. Whew!
Now modern-day Fjords enjoy a life as riding horses and being driven to carts. If presented with a jump, they can sail right over with ease. And even some fancy dressage moves can be mastered. These attractive little horses are said to be quite affectionate, and they strongly bond with their owners, almost like a pet dog.
Susie got excited about driving during our golden years of the Carriage Classic. So she took driving lessons and started with her Arabian mare, Luna. Susie tells me: “A hot-blooded horse like an Arabian is always looking down the road for a mountain lion or maybe a big rock looks like a predator but the cold-blooded horse like a Fjord is so easy. They wait ’til they see the mountain lion, then they take off.”
She became a member of the Santa Ynez Valley Carriage Club and puts on an annual drive at her farm, where Robin loves to do the hazards and cones course weaving in and out and over the bridge with ease. He even puts up with other beginning drivers trying their luck.
When he goes on a campout with the Sage Hens, Robin has learned how to move his portable corral over to the grassy spots for some juicy cuisine. He’s also not above chomping on a few straw hats even if they’re still on someone’s head. “In Norway, these were work horses and Robin is a little like driving a tractor, while an Arabian is like driving a Ferrari,” Susie says. “Because of his 14.2 size, he is technically a pony, but if you look at his body, he’s just a short horse.”
Susie also owns a Welch pony, who does not intend to be overlooked. He wants visitors to realize just how cute and talented he is. Since he, too, has mastered kissing and bowing, whenever he sees someone coming out into the pasture, he lifts his lip to kiss them and then makes a deep bow.