Between all of us at Beaver Dam Farm (Carol & Arthur( the owners) and Kelly & Jaimie (the trainers), we have a total of 74 years experience raising and training Fjords.

Fjordhorses are not like other breeds of horses. They’re different, and they need a different kind of handling and training. -- It’s well-known in the breed that many Fjords do not do well with trainers of other breeds. -- For one thing, almost all of these (other breed) trainers do only one thing. They train horses for a living, and in order to make a decent living, they have to train a lot of horses every day. -- To train as many horses as possible each day, they employ helpers. These people brush the horses, saddle or harness them up, and hand them over to the professional trainer. -- The trainer then jumps in the carriage or hops on the horse’s back, and starts to train. --

Well, Fjords don’t go for this kind of “training”, and professional trainers soon find this out, and as a result, many of them don’t like Fjords. And, we have to say, the Fjords don’t like them much either. -- -- Fjordhorses are much more intelligent, intuitive, and sensitive than most other horses. -- They like people, and want to be treated as a friend, companion, and partner. They do NOT want to be treated as a vehicle where you get in, turn the key, and expect a good ride. -- Definitely not! Fjords want something more personal than that.

Carol Rivoire, and trainers, Jaimie Benoit and Kelly MacDonald, have studied for years, and are thoroughly familiar with Fjord bloodlines. -- Unfortunately, knowledge of the breed’s bloodlines is not only rare in the Fjord world, but many people don’t even understand the relevance and the absolute necessity of having a solid understanding of what the various bloodlines produce in the breed. --

At Beaver Dam Farm, we not only understand and know Fjord bloodlines, but we totally believe in the standards of quality we’ve seen in Europe. -- Fjord quality in Europe is maintained and tracked through the stallions. -- This is why in Holland with about 13,000 Fjords, the Dutch Fjord Studbook only stands about 45 stallions. -- Beaver Dam Farm’s stallion, GJEST, was one of those Dutch approved stallions. -- He’s an extraordinary example of the breed, and has always been an example to us at Beaver Dam Farm as to what a Really Good Fjord should look like.

Carol has made thirteen trips to Holland and one to Norway to study the ways of the Fjordhorse. This study included 14 hour days criss-crossing Holland and Belgium visiting Fjord farms and talking with breeders. Carol’s study trips included attending large numbers of Keurings (Fjord breed quality evaluations). Carol also attended many shows to watch Fjords compete. -- However, Carol will tell you that her most profound education came from one of the most knowledgeable Fjord people anywhere, Chief Inspector of Fjords for Holland, B. J. van Bon. -- Carol considers Mr. van Bon her mentor in the world of Fjords. She’s traveled with him all over Holland, and has based the philosophy behind Beaver Dam Farm on Chief Inspector Van Bon’s convictions about the breed. -- B. J. Van Bon has held the position of Chief Inspector for Fjords in the Netherlands for over 30 years. He’s judged Fjords in almost every Fjord breeding country in the world, including the U.S. and Canada.

Beaver Dam Farm is unique in the world of Fjordhorses. We’ve been breeding, importing, raising, training, and selling Fjords for 27 years. -- We’ve been a professional (and we don’t take that word lightly) Fjord farm for the entire 27 years. And for all of those years, we’ve been exclusively Fjord. We don’t have any other breeds. We don’t train any other breeds. We don’t sell any other breeds. – We are now, and always have been, 100% devoted to the Fjord breed!

OWNERS & STAFF AT Beaver Dam Farm --

Carol & Arthur Rivoire - Carol has had a lifelong love affair with horses. She saved her pennies as a child in order to rent horses by the half hour at the local hack stable. Many years later, when she and Arthur were living in Frrance, Carol started serious dressage lessons. She often rode five or six times a week under a strict, military-educated riding instructor. It was hard work, but Carol learned the correct way to ride, as well as proper horse management. Eventually, Carol earned her Premiere Degre in riding with a certificate from the French Equestrian Federation. --- Many years later, having moved to Nova Scotia, Carol earned her Level 1 Driving Instructor’s Certification from the Canadian Equestrian Federation.

Carol is the author of the book, THE FJORDHORSE HANDBOOK, which is the only “how to” book on the Fjord breed published in English. The book is now in its second printing, and has been extremely well received with excellent reviews by some of the top horse people in the industry. The book is available for $36.95 U.S. dollars from Beaver Dam Farm, payable either by check or VISA.

Arthur Rivoire came to horses rather late in life, and it was carriage driving that turned him on. -- For many years, he competed in driving competitions with his imported mare, Tessa. Arthur and Tessa won many of those outings, and were known in the New England carriage driving world as a “very speedy team”. -- Tessa is now 32 years old, and Arthur is getting up there too. They don’t drive anymore, but Tessa continues to look for Arthur whenever he comes in the barn. -- Since Beaver Dam Farm started their Driving and Riding Vacations, Arthur has been the dressage judge. -- He’s an artist, he brings his keen eye to the art of judging movement and dressage. We all recognize that Arthur is able to see these things much better than most people. -- He also brings is keen sense of humor to his judging, and always manages to make people feel good no matter how lopsided they’ve driven their circles.

OUR TWO PROFESSIONAL, FULL-TIME TRAINERS - Jaimie Benoit and Kelly MacDonald, are exclusively devoted to the Fjord breed. --

Jaimie is from our village of Pomquet. She has a French Acadian heritage, and she started here at Beaver Dam Farm when she was 11 years old. She had her first horseback ride on a Fjord, and has never looked elsewhere. She was trained here at Beaver Dam Farm, and when she graduated, we offered her a job with us. She’s been with us ever since, and is considered a member of the family.

Jaimie is an instinctive horsewoman and animal lover in general. She has a natural talent to communicate with horses and dogs. She has a very tender heart, and infinite patience in working with a caring for her horses and dogs. -- There is nobody more devoted than Jaimie, and everyone who comes to the farm (clients and Driving Vacation guests) immediately recognizes the natural affinity Jaimie has with the horses. –
If Jaimie hadn’t discovered Beaver Dam Farm when she was 11 years old, she would have become a veterinarian. -- As I said, she’s exceptionally intuitive, and able to recognize immediately if a horse is feeling a bit off. --

Jaimie has been training Fjords at Beaver Dam Farm for 15 years. She knows each horse personally, and has a deep understanding for the breed as a whole. -- Jaimie is a natural rider. She has a wonderfully solid and deep seat. Well, why wouldn’t she? She literally grew up here at Beaver Dam Farm, and from age 11 on up, she rode the horses bareback with a halter a leadrope all over the farm. She even jumped rope on her beloved Fjord mare, Toril. -- Jaimie took the Fjords to the local chapter of the Canadian Pony Club for lessons, exams, and shows. -- She participated in many local competitions with our Beaver Dam Farm Fjords. --

Jaimie is a now a good dressage rider, and all of our Fjords are trained from babyhood using the classic dressage principles and methods. -- We use dressage in both our ridden and driven training. -- To us, it’s the only way to go. It’s simply GOOD TRAINING. Along with training horses from birth onwards, Jaimie is one of our instructors for our Nova Scotia Riding & Driving Vacations.

Kelly MacDonald is from the town of Antigonish, and her heritage is Scottish. -- Kelly has been with us just five years, but in those years, she’s proven herself to be absolutely competent in all areas of farm management, as well as in training horses and people to ride and drive.

The first time Kelly came to Beaver Dam Farm, she fell in love with Fjords, and has never looked back. -- Since Kelly’s had extensive experience with other breeds, she had the background to make a firm decision to devote her life to the Fjord breed. -- She often states that she can’t understand why anyone would want any other kind of horse.

Kelly grew up in a horse family -- Her mother always had horses, and still does have horses. In fact, currently, Kelly’s mom is the president of the Antigonish Horse Club. -- Kelly got her first pony at age 6. Her father took her shopping, and when they found a pony that could buck her off, they bought him. -- Since then, Kelly has had several horses, and grew up taking lessons and competing. -- For many years, Kelly worked and cleaned stalls during the summers for an opportunity to have one lesson a week at the local Pony Club.

Kelly is an excellent dressage rider and trainer. She gets a lot out of a horse, but never with force. -- With Kelly’s background in showing horses, and her love and pride in the Fjordhorses, it was inevitable that she’d want to show our Fjords. -- The opportunity came about this summer at a local open breed show. Kelly took a young gelding she’d been training, BDF Quest. He was a young 6 years old. -- She entered a lot of classes, and came home with a lot of topribbons, which included CHAMPION OF THE SHOW, and BEST MARITIME BRED HORSE. – In other words, she kicked a lot of butt, and surprised a lot of Quarter Horse people when the Best Maritime Bred Horse turned out to be a Fjord.

Kelly is also an instructor in our Nova Scotia Riding and Driving Vacation program. -- She enjoys the challenge of driving as much as riding, and is eager for the chance to compete in driving one of these days.

TO SUM UP . . . We are unique in the Fjord World in that we’re a professional breeding and training farm. -- We don’t have other jobs. This is what we do. This is our live, our love, and we’re devoted to it. --- We employ two trainers year-round. --- In spring, summer, and fall, we have as many as ten trainers working on the farm. -- No other Fjord farm has either the facility or the staff that we do at Beaver Dam Farm. – This is why the Fjordhorses that we turn out have the best training and best start to be found anywhere in the world.

This is why Beaver Dam Farm Fjords are known to be . . . GREAT QUALITY . . . WELL BEHAVED . . . WELL TRAINED . . . . SOUND & HEALTHY

FJORDHORSES THAT ARE JUST ABOUT 95% PERFECT!

Example:

Buy within 6 months of foal’s birth and get 40% off price. Commits to 3 years of training

Buy up to one year of age, and get 35% off price. - Commits to keeping horse at BDF until 3 years of age.

Between one and 2 years, get 30% off price and commits to keeping horse at BDF until 3 years of age.

Over 2 years, get 20% off price and commits to min. of 1 ½ years of training.

We believe this to be a very good investment for an owner. -- Many people wait long years until they and their facility are ready to accept horses. -- With our program, you don’t have to wait. - You can select your horse, and then get on with the preparation with the security and comfort of knowing that your horse is being prepared just for you. You’ll have the pleasure of knowing that your horse is in a virtual paradise for young horses. -- A place with bracing ocean air, and a climate particularly healthy for horses. A safe place with good fences and a staff that’s always on the job. – Both of Beaver Dam Farm’s professional trainers live on the farm. There’s always at least two qualified people on the farm 24/7. You youngster will grow and prosper in a place with bounteous good grass, long hills for exercising, and the most knowledgeable group of Fjord experts to take care of his every need.

Our training fees at Beaver Dam Farm are extremely low by all industry standards in all areas of the country. In the Midwest, quality training costs a minimum of $800 per month. -- In the East, horse training costs from $800 to $2100 per month.

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