I am working very intensively with a "Holsteiner" gelding. He is 4 years old. He came 6 months ago without halter because nobody was able to put one on and his belly was full of mud he did not let us to remove. With Monty's techniques he quickly became a very nice horse. He has never bucked. Now he has been ridden a couple of times and still makes good progress. I would say that his basic character is very firm. Despite the difficulties he had he was able to overcome his fears.

Hi Rudi,
Thank you for answering.
You probably already know this about your breed of horse but I thought I would share this with you.
To get the breed you have they started with:
A Marsh horse, then an Oriental, then an Andalusion, then a Cleveland bay and finally a Thoroughbred and presto you have a Holstein. What a wonderful background.
They are beautiful and can be black, brown or bay.
And finally they like action.
They are considered a Warmblood, therefore he must be pretty big?
Are any of these facts correct for your horse?
What color is he?
Do you find him easy to train and what have you been doing with him?
Have you been using a dually halter on him and how does he react to it?
Another interesting fact I found is the Holstein comes from the Schleswig-Holstein area, is this true for you?
Monty's way is very easy for any horse to understand, do you agree?
Again thank you for answering,
Ronda Bergeron

I am not sure if your books have the Nokota horse breed, I believe they were the Native American horses that used to run wild in North Dakota. I think the breed is pretty new compared to most and is also pretty rare. I have a 3yr old Nokota and a 2 yr old Nokota/QH. If you have heard of them I would love to hear what you know!

I find it very interesting to learn about the different breeds and where they come from, it is all very fascinating.

Hi Almira24,
This will be a long post, OK.
The Nokota horse is believed by some to have descended from Sitting Bull's buffalo poines.
They have descended from the last surviving population of wild horses in North Dakota.
For at least a century they inhatited the rugged Little Missouri badlands. During the 1980's, Frank and Leo Kuntz began purchasing these horses after the N.P.S. round ups, named them "Nokotas" and started to create a breed registry.
NOW IT GETS INTERESTING:
The horse was a valuable commodity during the early 19th century. The native people of the Dakota's and the French and English traders from Canada were the first to aquire large numbers of Spanish horses and mules.
By the middle of the 19th century, some horses came into Dakota from Canada, where the French "Canadian horse" that came from stock imported from Normandy and Brittany. The "Canadian horse" decended from both hot and cold bloods, including the Andalusians.
They developed a reputation (like the Spanish mustangs) for durability and stamina and probably influnced generations of Indian, ranch and farming horses in the Dakota's.
When Sitting Bull returned to North Dakota his horses were scattered and not thought of as unique, rare or valuable. Some thought that their rough appearance, loud coat colors and small size made them undesirable.
But the Marquis de Mores, a french aristrocat and rancher in North Dakota, disagreed. He was an expert on horses and admired their stamina and purchased 250 of them. He set about breeding his Lakota herd, some were used as saddle and ranch horses, the rest range-bred in the badlands.
They are believed to have contributed to the wild bands of horses in the badlands.
Then Wallis Huidekopen cross-bred the Sioux mares to Thoroughbred and Percheron stallions.
All the "American horses" are believed to decend from the Indian horse.
Leo kuntz credits Huidekoper with developing the original Nokotas.
Blue roan is a rare color, but is dominant in the Nokota population.
Leo and Frank Kuntz saved them from cross-breeding because they were impressed by their intelligence, durability, bone structure and strong legs and feet.
They are now preserved and considered a new breed.
They are now a registered breed!!!!
You can go to the NAKOTA HORSE registry and find out so much more.
I enjoyed doing this research for you and I hope you have found it helpful and enjoyable.
Ronda Bergeron

Ronda, a lot of questions...
"They are considered a Warmblood, therefore he must be pretty big?", he is not that big, but usually they are.
"What color is he?" Bay
"Do you find him easy to train and what have you been doing with him?" He is very sensitive, but he learns quickly. Initially needed small steps. I usually let him move free, like in the inital Join-Up, then double line lounging, actually the rider has been added. He learns the meaning of the pressure of the legs and turning. I show him the different places where we go. We have done some free jumping.
"Have you been using a dually halter on him and how does he react to it?" He reacts to minimal traction on the halter.
"Another interesting fact I found is the Holstein comes from the Schleswig-Holstein area, is this true for you?" True.
"Monty's way is very easy for any horse to understand, do you agree?" I agree.

Wow, you found out a lot! Thank you so much for all this information :D I can understand why they admired the breed, my two girls are extremely curious and intelligent making them super fun to work with. Plus they are gorgeous, keeping nice and fit even during the long winters here. I thought that my full Nokota mare would turn out blue roan since that is a common color for the breed, she was 2 when I got her and she had lots of white hairs in her black coat. She is still only 3 but I think she just might stay dusty black ;) My NokotaX is defiantly colorful, at 1yr she was a yellowy grulla and during that winter she turned sorta whiter with a lot of black on her face, now this spring she in somewhere in between, with a red roan-inh color on her face. The only think that stayed the same was her leg barrings. They are both on my Uni picture! Thank you again for everything you found out.

Thank you both for responding, I really appreciate it.
Ronda

My pony Razzle is a Quater horse cross Arab Chesnut mare and she is very unpredictable. She was broken in at 4 years old ridden for a year - I was told that her first outing was to the pony club races which totally blew her mind - and since has been very difficult and excitable when anywhere around a race track. The rider rode her into A grade jumping and got where they wanted and then turned her out. I got her after she was turned out for three years. She has all the basic schooling in her and I knew that she had been well trained but would take alot of work. She used to bolt at jumps in and out of them would zoom around a show jumping ring being very differcult to control. She has made such and improvment though. She has the sweetest nature on the ground but is extremly sensitive to everything yet at the same time she can be pushy stubborn and just wont co-operate. When riding on some days She's really hot, exited, so she throws in the odd exited pig jump and rare and on other days she's the calmest horse in the world doesn't care about a thing except food. One these days people ask if I still ride the physco pony and I tell them this is her. When I first got her she would spook at anything that moved, she would jump trotting poles and on some days she was so excited it would be dangerous to get on her. Her attitude changes quite quickly though at the most unexpected of times. Her colouring is gorgeous as well she is Chestnut in winter and a lovely dark liver chestnut in summer and She has a very thick mane and tail, when I got her the mane used to stand up like a mohawk both mane and tail have streaks of black chestnut white and lots of colours in between. The other pony I was working on is a strong Kaimanawa stallion who thinks he is leader and would do nothing that puts his herd in danger. He never rests his position of protecting his herd even in training. He is black with a blaze down his face. He has a stubborn strong willed personality, If he gets an idea there's no stopping him. I was told good luck with training him as he bites and will not allow anyone to touch him. The first day I touched him he was quivering in fear until he realised that I wasn't hurting him and in fact he liked it. Once used to me he didn't like me touch or spending any attention to any of the other horses. Wild Kaimanawa Ponies only can be brought at certain times of the year during wild musters and only go to approved homes the horse that I worked with Dave was brought with another Kaimanawa who ended up being pregnant and had a mare - Rosie - she is just beautiful and while working with Dave I have been working on getting her to trust me also. She would make the most amazing show pony as in the paddock the way she moves is incrediable. She picks her feet up really high and perfectly during her trot and when she moves to an extended trot it looks like she is floating. Kaimanawa's can be very difficult to train due to them being wild horses but many people have had great successes with them. I believe that if you purchase a kaimanawa and you break it in and re-sell it you need to let the Kaimanawa trust know. If you want to know anything else just let me know.
Cheers Jade

The training that I have been using with Razzle - As mentioned Razzle was a handful when I first got her and in fact I nearly sold her and gave up - One day she bolted to a jump went half over then decided to change her mind and when her front legs landed she pulled back and hurt her leg, since then she refused to jump anything. I went to about 3 different horse trainers and all kept telling me that it was how I was riding and the problem was all me, many trainers told me to hit her on the rump before each jump hard to let her know that she cannot get away with stopping - after alot of money trying to improve me I heard about a horse trainer that did all natural and works on the relationship with the horse. I went to him, I explained to him what Razzle was doing and he put her into a round arena at liberty and she did everything that she would do with me on her back without me riding her. He said "It is not your riding - it is the horse she has lost confidence in her ability to jump" For the first three to four lessons I wasn't allowed on her back - he told me he wanted me to work on all ground work - join up, playing with her, moving with her around the paddock etc and when I did get on her back this trainer took away all my aids - no bridle no reins and standing in the saddle - this was so that I lent balance and could feel and move with the horse - over the horses movement. Since we have worked on Razzle and if she is unsure about going over a jump she is not hit ever - I just talk to her - the jump that she hurt herself on we took her back to the other day and when she refused my trainer went up to her after trying several times he went her to her rubbed her face and said "You can do it I know that you can" and the next try she did. This type of training is very much trust based - it is about your relationship with your horse - being one with your horse - not making or forcing it to comply but getting it to work because it wants to. Hope this helps explain me training.

If you would like to know more about Kaimanawa ponies check out this website www.kaianawa.com it has several stories about these horses from the owners.

Thank you Razzel,
I have been having a hard time finding this breed and I appreciate the information.
I'll look this up right away and make notations.
You sound like you are doing a great job with the horses.
It makes me pround to know so many horse lovers.
Again thank you,
Ronda

your welcome happy to help its just great to be apart of such a great community who care about horses
Jade

Hi Ronda,

There I come with my horse breed.
Renske and Luuk, mother and son are Groningers.
Yes, maybe you have to spell it, don't try to say it because we have (in Dutch) a very hard speaking g, ha...
What I know from the Groninger, that they are very kind, easy horses. Renske is 16 years old and Luuk 2 and a half now.
Luuk is so good, he is very playfull and everything what is new, it doesn't bother him. I am doing now groundwork with him and he likes it.
The other day I introduced a wet sponge and he was looking at it and putted his whole nose in it. I was laughing, because it was so funny.
I can see that Renske is more mature and she gives me the feeling that she know's things. Like; I already experienced this, you can't tell me new things.
Ha... but that was wrong... can you remember that story about the dually halter? You know excactly where I am talking about.
So Renske is more alert on new things, but doesn't jump or does "silly" things.
I am wondering if you can find a Groninger in your book.
In Holland we have also Fries en Gelderlander (horse breeds). In Holland we have provinces and those horses have the same breed name. The provinces are Groningen, Friesland and Gelderland
You are quite busy with all does breeds, but you learn from it and me too.
Thank you for doing this.
Good luck,May

Ronda
It is amazing how many breeds of horses there are. On interesting fact is that up to the 17th century most horses were the ambling type not the trotting horse. Ambling horses do not bouncy and are very comfortable to ride. A my Peruvian Paso is from the ambling breed of horses. Originally he is a cross between a Jennet, African Barb and Andalusian The Jennet is no longer around although there is a movement to recreate the original breed. The Peruvian Paso is part of that effort since the paso got their gait from the Jennet.
The carrage brought and end to the ambling horses populartiy and the trotting horse became dominant.

The larger breed of horse like the Belgium or Friesian are also great horses to ride as well as use with carriages. Years ago I have the privilege of riding a Belgium mare bare back. We rode up a very steep hill and down the other side. One of the most comfortble rides i have had on a horse that was not a Peruvian Paso.

Cheers

Yes, its amazing how many breeds there are that I have never heard of!
Great work with Razzle Jade - it's great what you're doing with your trainer. I have a thoroughbred (certainly the most common breed here in Australia) and he is learning to showjump. He loves it, and because I never hit him or yell at him, he always tries for me over jumps. Even when he is a little unsure he will look at the jump and then may jump really big over it, but it's so nice that he at least wants to try. I do however see A LOT of people who when their horse looks at the jump and is a bit wary of it, they hit or yell at their horses just before the jump, and they may jump that particular jump, but then quite often the rest of the round doesn't go so well.
So well done Jade on helping Razzle feel happy about jumping!

thanks it really good that i found out about monty at the moment i did because she is turning out to be a great pony and if i hadnt heard of monty i would have sold her and given up but im so glad i didnt give up shes made a real change.

Thank you all soo much for all of your information.
I wish I could block and copy all of this information.
It's overwhelming for me.
Perhaps my intelligent husband can figure a way to do it for me.
May, I found your breed and it is beautiful and has a wonderful background, I'll post sometime soon for you, OK.
Ruthy I have found the same thing, most I cannot even pronounce and some are so small but still considered a horse.
And the saddest of all is some are very few in number like the Kaimanawa of New Zealand, only 340 of them left and they are so beautiful.
All of you have a great day,
Ronda

Hi Ronda,

I am looking forward to that. Thank you for doing this for me.
I am going to England at the end of Oct. to see a demonstration of Monty. Then I will look in bookshop there as well, if they have some information what I can't find in Holland.
Maybe I can help you sometime with something as well.
Kind regards,May.

Hi Ronda
.
Just thought I would post this link as it gives some information on the history of the Australian Brumby.
.
http://www.australianbrumbyalliance.org.au/australian-brumby-story
.
Hope you find it useful :-)
.
Kind regards,
.
Gen

Hi again Ronda
.
Just thought of another breed to add to you list. The Australian Whalers (not sure of the spelling - sorry if its incorrect).
.
The Whalers were bred in Australia for our soldiers to ride in World War 1. I am not sure from what breeds they originated from though. I am thinking that Arabs and Thoroughbreds could possibly be in the mix along with some other more stocky breeds.
.
See you later,
.
Gen

Thanks guys,
I love learning so much.
I have always loved different horses and reading about them.
I'll be busy doing more research.
Thanks again,
Ronda

Hi Ronda,

I was thinking about horse breeds and I went a few month ago to Dülmen in Germany. There they have wild horses and they live in freedom on 350 ha. "THE 'DÜLMEN WILD HORSES' IN THE NATURE RESERVE 'MERFELDER BRUCH' The Dülmen wild horses are the last existing free-living herd of horses on the European ..."
When we were there the herd had round about 50 faols.. oh... it was so beuatifull to see.
I found some information for you in English:
http://www.wildhorsesandmustangs.com/wild-horses-in-germany-the-dulmen-pony/
This I found on You Tube for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kUEQqvua7I

Hope you like this and can find it also in your book.
If you want to know more and you can't find it, just ask me, maybe I can help you as an assistent researcher, haha.
Have a nice day, May.

You are sweet May,
Thank you very much/
Ronda

Ronda
Our Peruvian Paso horse club had it's quarterly meeting yesterday and our guest speaker was a lady that runs a horse rescue and therapy business. In 1998 several wild horses were removed from the Santa Cruz Islands. There horses had been there for hundreds of years and no one paid any attention to them s a breed. She rescued 27 of them and began to try and find out the origins for these horses. The genetic makeup is that of a spanish horse and its closest relative is the Peruvian Paso. The horses are quite small but well proportioned. They brought 4 of her horses to the meeting and asked my trainer to ride one. Unfortunately the horses training was severely lacking and did not understand the basic commands, but the horse remained calm and in a short time he was walking out as he should.
Here is a site that talks about these horses. I don't know if your breed book contains these or not

http://www.ridingmagazine.com/riding_onlinemag/articles/2009_03/heritagehorses.htm

Cheers

Thank you Dennis,
I really appreciate all of the infomation I am getting.
If I ever get this book finished it should be very interesting.
It just seems there is always something new coming up and I feel it has to be added.
I guess at some point I'll have to start another. Perhaps I'll try two different continents, one east and one west, that way I'll always be searching.
I'm going to some of the farms and even race tracks to see how they train and then ask permission if I can try something as simple as join-up with the horse, we'll see.
Ronda

Hi Ronda,

Can you handle an other one?
Maybe you heard from them and it is also in Europe, hope you don't mind.
It is the Dartmoor pony and lives on Dartmoor, Great Britain, district Devon.
My English ladyfriend and family is living in that area and I went quiet often to Dartmoor to see those ponies (and see my friend as well haha..).
I also did a horsetrack a few times on Dartmoor on a Dartmoor pony. It is so overwelming the area where they live.
So I found you some websites to start with if you like.
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/learningabout/lab-printableresources/lab-factsheetshome/lab-dartmoorponies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmoor_Pony
Good luck,
May.

Thanks so much everyone. I am overwhelmed by your kindness.
Ronda