The Fjord horse, also called Vestland, is a kind and strong breed of horse or pony - it can be both. The shoulder height makes the difference. The dun-coloured, crew-cut Fjord horse or Norwegian Fjord Horse (in Norway: Fjording), is a good driving horse among other things. Other names: West Norwegian, Norges Fjordhest, Norwegian Fjord (horse). It is strong and easily trained, and Herds of wild Vestlands existed in Norway after the last ice age. A Vestland is easy to ride and keeps calm in difficult situations.

In "army horse circles", the Fjord is recognized as the best mountain army horse in the world, hardy, sure-footed and with a springy jump and a quite comfortable gait. US president Dwight Eisenhower and general Montgomery both spoke with admiration of the Vestland horse. And the British Queen Elizabeth II once owned one such horse herself, Glen Tanar.

Riding for fun grew in popularity during the 20th century and made the fame of the Vestland transcended the boundaries of his native land. Normally, Fjord Horses (Fjordings, Fjords, Vestlands) can be trusted on and ridden with great ease in English or Western manner, or driven in shows, parades and down country roads.

The Vestland is one of the world's oldest and purest breeds. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Vestland became highly popular in Germany where he is the mount of choice for recreational riders. In the late 1990s there were about 3.000 Fjord Horses spread over the United States.

The original Vestland varies in colour and averages 12.1 hands in size (within pony limits). Selection has increased the height to 13 to 14.1 hands (still pony sized in general) and the breed is one of the few modern ones that exhibit only the dun coloration.

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Donkeys, Ponies, and Sad School-Children

Decent human learning is in a free-flowing show from inside each night. Decent upbringing of donkeys, horses and even children, ought to concern responsible citizens, for in some ways we are like them. (Kemp 1981:108)

How few are first-rate at just being themselves first and foremost, and not just parts of fattened herds of people. [A Jungian view]. (Ullman and Zimmerman 1979; cf. Schunk 2012)

The crucial step is "After preparing them, set them free to enjoy what they have been robbed of. And by the way, zoos are animal prisons, especially cramped ones are. As for circuses, abuse is not all there is to life.

Jenny Edwards tells of natural horsekeeping:

I have always been of the opinion that all animals in our care should lead as natural a life as possible. (Edwards 2009:5)

My six horses (I have since adopted another four . . .) live as natural a life as possible . . . I keep them all barefoot and ride in treeless saddles and bitless bridles. They eat a natural grass (and grass hay) diet with some supplements and are only wormed when necessary. I do not have them routinely vaccinated, apart from a ten yearly tetanus shot. (Edwards 2009:5)

Illnesses . . . can be triggered by high levels of sugar in the grass. Hay is a much safer alternative to be used when horse feeding and it can also be soaked in clean, warm water for 30 minutes (or for an hour in cold water) before feeding to further reduce the sugar levels if necessary. (Edwards 2009:6)

Natural boarding recognizes the fact that horses are herd animals who need the company of other horses 24 hours a day. They need to interact by touching and playing. Through evolution as a herd animal, horses are programmed to know that safety is in numbers. So a solitary horse is often a stressed horse. (Edwards 2009:13)

Given enough space horses love to romp, play and hang out together. This also helps develop social skills that help keep harmony in the herd. In the wild most horse families are made up of a single stallion and a number of mares. One of these mares will be the stallion's favourite. She will be dominant (the alpha mare) and lead the herd, including the stallion. Within the rest of the group there will be a pecking order which is established through daily interactions.)

Horses are adapted to deal with colder conditions. (Edwards 2009:14)

Movement - over varied terrain . . . is very important to the horse's well-being. In the wild, they live in areas where feed and water is often scarce. So to survive they need to continually travel to seek out food and water. They also move around whilst playing and establishing rank order. (Edwards 2009:15)

You need to provide your horse with somewhere that he can go to get out of extreme weather conditions. In the winter that means somewhere he can get a break from the wind, rain or snow. In the summer, somewhere he can go to get out of the sun or away from biting insects. . . . a run-in shed . . . Trees and hills can also provide shelter and wind-breaks and some horses will prefer these to man-made structures. (Edwards 2009:16)

Natural hoof trimming, natural hoofcare and barefoot trimming are all terms used to describe a method of trimming that enables horses to be kept and ridden without shoes. (Edwards 2009:20)

It may be necessary to use hoof boots for a while when you first start transitioning your horse to go barefoot . . . For most horses it is something that you do need to invest in - although the majority of horses only need them on their front hooves. (Edwards 2009:62)

Building strong relationships based on trust . . . is achieved by working with the horse's behavior, instincts and personality in a clear and kind manner. ⸺ You can learn how to effectively and kindly work with your horse . . . By learning to listen to the horse by watching for subtle moves that indicate understanding, a two-way conversation can be achieved.)

. . . as one with trust and respect. (Edwards 2009:93)

A "causal connecting principle", as Jung called it, is the basis of the ancient Chinese attitude to reality incorporated in the I Ching or Book of Changes - namely, that anything that happens is related to everything else ... at the same time. - Anthony Stevens, Jungian psychoanalyst. (Stevens 1994:42)

And then there is horse therapy. It allows students with mental, emotional, and or developmental disabilities to develop a measure of physical strength, balance, control, self-confidence, and self-esteem. ◦BOC Ranch Horse-back riding has been proven effective with people of very many types: Victims of accidents and war, stressed professionals interested in improving their teamwork and others.

As for human children, all are individuals, and hence different, even though some are more different than others. Compare Carl Rogers' client-centred councelling. The method is also called to get into the "organismic feel" and derive benefit from it. (Rogers 1961; 1971; Kirschenbaum and Henderson 1989)

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Animals and Human Id

Employees in large numbers are handled harshly. Many, further, drive themselves into stress, neuroses, diseases and a too early death so as to compete. Maybe there are biological limits to what the little pony (read: life energy; willingness) in man and woman can endure and survive in the long run. Illness results if the natural zest (libido, id) is harshly handled and gets psychosomatic diseases in large numbers.

Medical doctors estimate that between 40 and 90 percent of all main physical diseases are directly related to stress, emotional stress - and that stress can kill too. In fact, stress is a major killer. Medical researchers see a direct link between diseases and stress. Insomnia, ulcers, cancers, headaches, migraine headaches, muscle tension, heart-attacks, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other illnesses and diseases are directly or indirectly related to stress.

Handling your inner little horse (life energy) well, may help. ◦Transcendental Meditation, TM, may resolve stress-related diseases. Much and staunch research confirms it.