Dakota Fell

10/13/2026

YES…..
Helpful read is Dr. Steven Peters; Horse Brain Science
When we know better we can do better!
Education is a lifelong journey.

10/08/2026

YES - “western” or “English” riding disciplines …

For years, I have referred to the classical Horsemen and the principles they developed. But I realize that when I say "classical", many Western riders may assume I'm talking about a completely different world.

I'm not.

The more I study, the more I believe there is a bridge between classical horsemanship and good Western horsemanship – and that bridge is the horse.

The horses body doesn't change because we put a Western saddle on him.

Balance is still balance. Straightness is still straightness. Rhythm is still rhythm. Suppleness is still suppleness.

A horse still has to learn how to carry himself, use his body correctly, respond to the rider without tension and become increasingly balanced as his education progresses.

The classical Horsemen spent generations studying those things. And I believe there is an enormous amount that we, as Western Horsemen, can learn from that knowledge.

That has become a big part of my own journey with Noble.

I'm not trying to turn him into an English dressage horse. I'm developing a horse using principles of correct, progressive training that has been studied for centuries.

There is a difference.

Good horsemanship isn't defined by the type of saddle.

It's defined by what we develop in the horse.

10/04/2026

Young pony in training. Line-driving star. Classical partner. Obstacle-course pro. Trail buddy. Family pony. 🐴

Yesterday we shared where the Fell Pony comes from. Over two days at The Gathering, we've seen what they can do!

Our young ponies worked on the groundwork that sets them up for life. Today, ponies also took to double lunging, moving off pressure both in-hand and under saddle, and rehabilitation of relationship to pressure.

The same toughness and good sense that once carried loads over the hills now make Fells easy to handle, comfortable for adults and kids alike, and ready for just about any job you give them.

If you're looking for one pony who can do it all, meet the Fell.

Tonight we're welcoming everyone to DakotaFell for dinner, and tomorrow is our final day. Follow along!

🔗 Meet our ponies: www.dakotafell.com
📖 Learn more: The Fell Pony Society, www.fellponysociety.org.uk

10/03/2026

For the second morning in a row, The Gathering began before anyone picked up a lead rope. 🧘

Before we ask anything of our horses, we need to arrive ourselves. Each morning, Sarah Barton of Flat Broke Performance Horses has led us through a short yoga session, offering simple breathwork exercises to connect to our bodies before connecting with our horses.

Mindfulness has been a thread through the whole weekend. Yesterday on the Square, Andrea talked about how the work develops mindfulness, rather than just rushing them around a circle. This morning, we put that into practice, utilizing the JC Stage Stop Resort's incredible obstacle course.

Fells are steady, sensible ponies, but they read their people. When we breathe, settle, and soften, they notice.

Mindfulness and breathwork make us steadier, clearer, and more present horsemen, and our ponies feel the difference. 💛 Then, once we're together, we can venture out into the world and have fun!

Follow along at Dakota Fell as The Gathering of the Fells continues!

🔗 Meet our ponies: www.dakotafell.com

10/03/2026

Good morning from The Gathering ☀️

Day two starts now. Coffee in hand, ponies fed, and a full day ahead. Follow along at Dakota Fell!

10/03/2026

Before there were roads, there were Fell Ponies. 🖤

For centuries, these ponies from the hills of northern England carried wool, cheese, and ore in long pack trains. They worked the farms, the mines, and the moors, and they're still going strong today.

Curious about the Fell Pony? A few quick facts:
📏 Never over 14 hands, but with at least 8 inches of bone below the knee
🎨 Black, brown, bay, or grey, and many have no white at all
🦶 Sure-footed, with tough hooves
👑 The breed society's patron is King Charles III
🐴 Calm, friendly, and up for just about anything

The breed standard says a Fell should be "constitutionally as hard as iron." Anyone who's spent time with one knows it's true, and knows there's a kind, clever mind in there too.

Day one of the second annual Gathering is a wrap, from young ponies learning the ropes on the ground to classical work on the Square. Now we're gathered around the fire, swapping stories. 🔥 Follow along at Dakota Fell for more gorgeous ponies and moments from the weekend!

🔗 Meet our ponies: www.dakotafell.com
📖 Learn more: The Fell Pony Society, www.fellponysociety.org.uk/about_breed.htm
Breed standard quote: copyright of the Fell Pony Society

10/03/2026

Day one of The Gathering began with yoga and groundwork, and this afternoon some of our riders took to Gueriniere's Square with Andrea Mills of Mills Consilient Horsemanship, both in hand and under saddle. 🖤

Fell Ponies were bred to work, with strong, square hindquarters, a smart, true walk, and a steady, sensible mind. Those same qualities make them wonderful partners for classical work, and in recent years Fells have been making their mark in the competitive world (2025 USEA Eventing Pony of the Year Kimberlake Jophiel!)

Here's why Andrea loves the Square, in her words:

“Feeling is believing…
We can try to use words or visuals to get our point across or convince someone we have a helpful way of doing things…
But the horse remains the litmus test.
Are they happier, healthier, prouder?

What I love about the square, is it's both diagnostic, and therapeutic.
It allows us to assess the current capacity of the horse, and because we're prioritizing rhythm and integrity, we may not actually get a mobilization step, and that's fine.
The postural muscles, the stabilizers, will still be firing in a closed chain exercise, that will eventually strengthen the horse enough to allow the step under.

The good news is, it's one of the safest ways I've found to start developing strength and coordination, since the geometry keeps the horse from stressing the stifles with abduction or excessive repetition.
They are truly riding back to front, and as a result, getting releases of asymmetry not accessible from flexions and front end work alone.

It develops a lot of mindfulness, rather than just mashing them around a circle.
If we allow it, it can be a spiritual practice.
I want to see someone convinced by their horse.”

As always, any horse with known or suspected stifle pathology should be evaluated by a veterinarian, and any rehabilitation program should be undertaken with veterinary guidance.

Watching our Fells settle into the Square this afternoon, we'd say the ponies were convinced. 🐴

Later tonight we'll share more about where these incredible ponies come from. Follow along at Dakota Fell!

🔗 Meet our ponies: www.dakotafell.com

10/01/2026

Last year, Fell Pony people came together for the very first Gathering of the Fells. 🖤

This weekend, we do it again!

Riders and ponies are arriving from across the country for the second annual Gathering, kicking off tonight with a welcome dinner and introductions.

Here's what's ahead:
🧘 Morning yoga to start each day centered
🐴 Groundwork, lunging with purpose, and starting our young ponies right
⬜ Classical dressage work on Gueriniere's Square, in hand and under saddle
🐎 Double lunging / line driving
🚧 An obstacle course to put our ponies' curiosity and courage to the test
🔥 Fireside chats and an open forum discussion
🍂 A trail ride through the fall colors to close it out

We'll be sharing it all right here. Follow along at Dakota Fell!

In the meantime, we wanted to leave you with this gorgeous image of one of our Fell Pony mares against a South Dakota sunset sky from earlier this week ❤️🧡💛

🔗 Meet our ponies: www.dakotafell.com

09/30/2026

By nature
A fundamental to learn the essence……for the horse and the rider
#3 the beginning of the “shoulder in”……move and how it can impact their future under saddle.

09/28/2026

The young horse - more to just leading than “following along”….preparing for more in the future.
DakotaFell Chinook - soon to join new owner Tammy in Texas.
Setting new owners up for success with a young pony with solid foundations and a preschool education as a two year old.

10 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR 2-YEAR-OLD OTHER THAN RIDING…

There’s so much we can teach a young horse without needing to ride them.

The goal shouldn’t be how much training we can cram into a young horse, or how quickly we can get them under saddle, but how much we can invest in them and their future with the life skills and early education they need to thrive.

2. LEADING WITH FEEL & FINESSE

We aren’t just looking for them to follow us, we’re looking for them to follow a feel.

Can they lead with finesse and hunt the slack, through upward and downward transitions, and turns away from us?

Can they trot up off light halter pressure?

That last piece can help tying enormously.

A horse who understands how to follow light pressure is so much better prepared for the inevitable moments when they reach the end of a lead rope.

A big priority for me is to get people to stop pulling on their horse’s heads, whether it’s with a lead rope or a rein, because pulling creates torque on the poll.

It also contributes to a motor pattern I call flexion/abduction, where when we pull the nose to the side, the horse learns to let go of the opposite thoracic sling and de-collect to step out to catch themselves with the forelimb.

Handlers often get frustrated when their horses lean into them and won’t yield and bend around them, but that’s exactly what we’re teaching them to do!

Teaching a horse to ‘follow their nose’ actually needs to happen from the hind leg.

For instance, when halter-breaking a young horse, if we release when the front feet move, they will often learn to step forward with the front feet, but lag with the hindquarters, so they might get stuck, or they’ll always drag on the lead a little bit, whereas if we release when the hind leg steps forward, too, they’ll start hunting the slack a little better.

That’s also a great way to ensure a good translation to trailer loading.

The amount of times I’ve seen horses get stuck trailer loading because they don’t understand how to lead back to front, and the handler keeps releasing when the front feet move…

Trailer loading is kind of like dressage.

We want them to do it back to front, with the hindquarters driving them forward.

Whether it’s leading, or bending, or steering, we don’t get softness by pulling, we get softness by communicating to the whole horse, starting with the hind leg.

We’ll talk more about that in the next piece…