About Us

Stefan and Lori

We are Lori Albrough and Stefan Vorkoetter, owners of Bluebird Lane Fjords.

Lori with the foal Bluebird Lane Kestrel
Lori and the foal
Bluebird Lane Kestrel
April 2000
Lori is the farm manager, and oversees the daily care and training of all the horses.

Lori's horse experience started early - she began riding at the age of eleven, joined the Pony Club at age thirteen and got her first horse soon after. In Pony Club she learned all aspects of horse care and horsemanship, achieved her C-2 Level, and was active in training and competing in eventing (consisting of dressage, cross-country jumping, and stadium jumping).


Lori and Prisco
Lori and Prisco
Lori now devotes her training efforts to dressage riding. This focus took root back in 2000, when she started taking lessons from the Canadian Grand Prix competitor, certified coach, and certified dressage judge, Ute Busse. This was Lori's first opportunity to take lessons from a coach of such high calibre, and Lori soon became hooked on the sport and art of dressage. She has been in training with Ute, and Ute's daughter Tina Irwin (also a Canadian Dressage Team Listed rider) ever since. At present, Lori and her Fjord gelding Prisco are schooling USDF Third Level.

Lori with the mare Bluebird Lane Kestrel
Lori and the mare
Bluebird Lane Kestrel
February 2005
The establishment of Bluebird Lane Fjords as a high-quality breeding centre producing beautiful and well-trained Fjordhorses is Lori's life-long dream come true!

She appreciates and credits her Pony Club years for providing the excellent foundation for her future horse-related activities. As Sophie Pirie Clifton, Stanford Law Professor and Pony Club graduate, was quoted as saying in the April 2000 issue of Practical Horseman:

"You can go anywhere in the world and people will trust you with their horses. A C-level Pony Club member is welcome anywhere."


Lori and Stefan with Prisco
In the Pony Club, and later at private hunter stables, Lori taught riding lessons to students ranging from six years old to adults. Currently, Lori does not teach or train outside horses, instead concentrating on improving her own riding, moving up the dressage levels, and on the working, training, and breeding of our own Fjordhorses.

Stefan is also a long-time horseperson, who started riding at age thirteen and got his first horse, a thoroughbred saddlebred cross, a year later. Stefan is involved in the day-to-day operation of the farm, and acts as Lori's groom, photographer, videographer, and support team when we go to shows and clinics.

Down the Road
Down the Road at Bluebird Lane
Stefan is personally most interested in the non-competitive aspects of riding, and enjoys going for long hacks and drives in the cart. We are lucky at Bluebird Lane to have access to a variety of fields, trails and quiet country roads to be able to enjoy these activities while exposing our Fjords to many sights, sounds, and new experiences.

Contact Us
Bluebird Lane Fjords
R.R.#3
Moorefield, Ontario
Canada N0G 2K0
phone: (519) 638-5598
fax: (519) 638-2812
email: lori@bluebirdlane.com

 
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Why the Name Bluebird Lane?
Shortly after moving to our farm we were inspired by a local bird-enthusiast, Barrie Hopkins, who wrote an article in our local paper about the plight of the Eastern Bluebird.

The species had lost up to 90% of its population through a combination of loss of habitat, wide-spread pesticide use, and competition with non-native starlings and house sparrows.

That year, following Barrie's published plan, we made and put up four bluebird houses. Each year since then we have added more houses, and now our half mile laneway and all our horse pastures are lined with bluebird houses.

There are definite advantages to providing habitat for the bluebird, as, in addition to its beauty and happy song, its diet consists almost exclusively of insects and grubs during the summer - a boon for gardeners and farmers.

Long a symbol of love and happiness in poetry and song, the Eastern Bluebird now symbolizes hope as well. The species is reappearing in regions where it hasn't been seen in years. This recovery is due to grassroots efforts to supply nesting boxes throughout its range. We named our Fjordhorse farm to honour this beautiful and happy bird.

 

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