How do you say."Giddy-up" in Norwegian?

Everyone expects stories about Vikings to be associated with ships as they sail from one conquest to another. Little thought has been given to Vikings traveling on-land, outside of simply walking. While battling their enemies on land , the Vikings had a super weapon, a war-horse. Vikings bred one of the world's oldest and purest breed of war-horse domesticated over 4,000 years ago. Horses were known to exist in Norway at the end of the last ice age, and are believed to be the ancestor of the modern Norwegian horse we know today as the Fjord horse. The Fjord horse is strong enough for heavy work plowing fields, pulling lumber, yet light and agile enough to be a fine gentle riding and driving horse. They have an extremely mild temperament, even used in therapeutic schools, suitable for children and disabled individuals.

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Fjords are buckskin colored ( Norwegians refer to them as 'brown duns') with a dark dorsal stripe from their mane, down their back, and all the way to the end of their tail. The inside of the adult mane is black while the outside hair is white. They are a little horse with big heart and friendly as a puppy!

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While visiting our relatives in Northwest Wisconsin, we learned about a herd of Fjord horses on a farm nearby and decided to check it out. The Clifton Nesseth family of Cameron, Wisconsin has been involved in breeding and raising Fjord horses for some time. Their daughter Kristen had been studying at Saint Olaf College, and being the main groomer, when time permited came home to care, train and groom and ride the friendly horses. We were quite taken by the calmness and friendly nature of the horses as they gathered around us, nuzzling for attention. The young Fjords didn't have their traditional black stripe that will develope , but surely had the mild temperament.

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Another Wisconsin well-known breeder of Fjord horses lives in Barronett, Wisconsin. This breeder is well-known for raising, training and selling quality Fjord horses that are known as Odden's Registered Norwegian Fjord Horses. Phillip Odden and his wife Else are even better known as the owners of Norsk Wood Works in Barronett, a location of excellent Norwegian woodcarvings. After moving his studio to a nearby farm, they began their development of a quality fjord horse business that is active to this day, having traveled to Norway to study the horse in its natural country resulting in a herd of gentle, athletic fjord horses. Phillip Odden states: " To us, the fjord horse is folk art". ---------------------- If you happen to be near St. Paul, Minnesota March 17-18th, the NFHR will be holding their annual meeting and forum. This is the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry organization held at the Leatherdale Center at the University of Minnesota Equine Center. ( All Fjords are invited). When you get to meet a Fjord horse, you will be seeing a little horse with a big heart, who will be happy to be your best friend!