Just a lovely day in Friesland

Today we slept in, then Gryt made coffee and Walter got some eggs from his chickens and we had a leisurely breakfast. Afterwards mom, Carole and Gryt headed over to the Friesian Museum to see an exhibition of antique quilts. Dad, Walter and I went all around Friesian so I could take pictures and visit horses. We saw Walter’s broodmares and his weanlings and yearlings – all fillies. I think this is almost the prettiest group I have seen from him. But then, the broodmares he has now – Kike and Hadewich (I never spell that right), are great as always. Walter sold most of his older broodmares and just has these now. So he wants to keep the little ones to build his herd back up.

Anyhow, I also popped in on Jan Englesma and it was wonderful to see him too.

Walter, Dad and I stopped by the farmhouse to feed the horses and visit Marten then we rushed home to see (on TV) the finals of the European speed skating championship – being held just down the street in Herenveen. After the winners are announced they are pulled around the in sleds. Which, of course, are being pulled by Friesian horses. Walter tells me the drivers are friends of his.

The day was capped off by a gourmet meal in Joure (“YOW-ruh”), probably my favorite little town in Friesland. The meal was so incredible that I wrote down everything so I can share it here with folks – especially Pam and Phil/Lisa from work, and Dawn of course. I’ll write about it later.

In the meantime, I have new pictures posted on flickr, here (the most recent ones are from today):

And to show you something lovely, here is teeny clip of skaters on the canals today.

Time to pull out the “Winter Carriage Ride in Friesland” video

This year the Friesian geldings/driving horses Mark and Hessel continued their long winning streak by taking home the golden whip award once again. They and their owner/driver (and a friend of mine, I am so lucky to say) Walter Bruinsma, set some kind of record by winning this prestigious event for the 7th year in a row. These two horses, especially the more talented one, Mark, are famous all over Friesland and regularly get written up in The Phryso magazine. This picture is from the cover of an issue in the summer of 2007 (click it to see a nice, big version).

Something I admire about the Friesian people is their simplicity – they see horses as horses and believe you should treat them well and with love, but give them a job to do. Things are pretty basic over there. Even the famous Mark and Hessel are not pampered and do not live in one of those gold leafed barn mansions. No, they live in a garage next to a farmhouse built in the mid 1800’s. This farmhouse, paddock and garage are known, tongue in cheek as “Snakkerstate” (the “estate” on Snakker Street). When we are lucky enough to visit Friesland, Walter and Gryt Bruinsma, who we love dearly, let us stay in their farmhouse. From the tiny bedroom upstairs you can open a cupboard door and look down upon the horses in the stalls below you. Most of their horses are in tie in stalls rather than box stalls. But Mark and Hessel are “special” – they get box stalls. Since they are out in the garage, when we park the car we go over and pet the horses.

On Sunday mornings the Bruinsmas and their friends go on a carriage ride through the streets of Rotstergaast. After a few miles they stop and have coffee, and the horses get sugar cubes. Then everyone climbs back aboard and heads home. A couple of years ago on a frigidly cold Sunday morning in January we went with them and I captured it on tape. I know many have seen this but I love to pull it out around the holidays. Mark and Hessel, the famous driving horses on the cover of The Phryso this summer, are pulling the big green carriage. You see, they have a job to do.

Below is a picture of my niece Lexie with Mark after last year’s carriage ride. She fell in love with him and would sneak sugar cubes to him every evening. I think if he could, he would be hugging her in this picture, as she is hugging him.

To see the carriage video, click the picture. Happy holidays everyone.

Our Friesian Friends come to America

Back about 7 or 8 years ago we met a young Friesian man named Auggie when we were in Canada picking up our mare Hiltje. The next year Auggie came from Friesland to the farm and worked the horses for a month or so in preparation for the keuring. Most of the pictures on our website where the horses are pulling a carriage have Auggie as driver. Over the years we have become friends with Auggie, his parents, and his two sisters Anneke and Hedwich (who we call “Happy”).

This year Anneke and Happy came to visit America and stayed on the farm during the month of August. Both of these young women are good horsewomen and they reveled in being able to ride the mares every day. Happy had been here before and ridden Dahlia’s mom Matsje. This year she and Anneke were able to ride Dahlia. Both also rode Cori, who was first ridden when brother Auggie was here years ago. And both rode Hiltje, who has always been Happy’s favorite.

While they were here, Anneke and Happy visited Washington DC, a winery, a horse trailer manufacturer, a zoo in North Carolina, and various other small places in SW Virginia. But I think maybe they were most content when they were with the horses. I was thrilled to have them helping these green broodmares learn basic gaits and signals. “Do not worry”, Anneke told me, “we will teach your horses”. And so they did.

One weekend soon after they arrived, I came to video Anneke and Happy as they rode the mares, with little Wikke frantically trying to figure out what was going on. It was a wonderful day. These were broodmares, barefoot and right out of the pasture. Dahlia and Hiltje pregnant. Cori nursing a 2 month old. Happy and Anneke worked with them on learning to canter and with just being comfortable. After a bit of work, each horse got a nice hug of appreciation. I asked Anneke – are you teaching them with your seat, or legs, or hands. Or what? “I use my weight and my stem she said”. “Stem?” (I still do not know where that came from. Maybe the crop?). “Mostly”, she said, “I talk to them. ” Indeed, the horses had the ears pointed to the riders, obviously listening intently as two young Dutch women whispered Friesian words to them. Our horses usually seem content, but I believe they were even more content during August when they got the chance to be with their new Friesian friends. I suppose in a way it was like going back to the motherland.

Here are more photos of the Friesians – Friesian horses, Friesian people.

I have to brag on Dahlia’s grandma

This past winter while in the Netherlands I was able to meet the grandmother of my mare Dahlia. Grandma’s name is Wilmaa B and she is 16 years old now and has had 8 foals. Wilmaa B’s mother recently died. Her name was Hillie B. and she was a daughter of the famous stallion Hearke. Hille B. had a rating of Model + Preferent. Less than 2% of all mares will make the Model rating. Perhaps one half of those could also achieve Preferent. Wilmaa B. is also rated “Model”. The damline is unbroken (ster, Model, and/or Preferent) back to 1948. Most breeders in Friesland know of Hillie B, and Wilmaa B. For mares, they are pretty famous.

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Our annual visit to Friesland

The 2007 Stallion Show in Friesland

Lexie and Mark

The annual stallion show was held in Leeuwarden, Friesland on January 12-13, 2007. Visiting the show and our dear Friesian friends is a highlight of our year. This year Dee and Carlton’s granddaughter (Jeannine and Carole’s niece), Lexie, was able to attend. This photo is Lexie with Mark, the famous Friesland driving champion.

We have added a new page of videos and breeding information for the FPS stallions. Just look for the stallions/breeding link in the left navigation column. You will be able to see many clips from the show on this page. Our intention is to continue building this page over time. Enjoy!

And Speaking of Stallions….

Breeding season is just around the corner and we’re selecting the stallions we will use for next year. This is always a very exciting time for us as we try to continue to improve our breeding program. We should have an update soon ….

And Speaking of foals …

Cori is now into the second half of her pregnancy. She is doing great and is big as a house. We are happy to note that the baby’s father, Heinse 354, just had a half-brother win the 2007 World Championship. This means that Heinse has had two half-brothers win the championship in the last three years. Heinse also has the highest lifetime percentage of star mare offspring (51.8%) of all US stallions and for active stallions with 50 or more judged offspring, he is 5th in the world. He also has another son going to the stallion finals in Drachten this year. Not too shabby. Cori also just had another half-brother make it to the stallion selection finals in Drachten.

Yes, we are looking forward to this baby.