Dales/Fells what are they like to ride?

Hutchie

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Hello everyone

I've always loved the look of dales/fells but have never ridden one, for anyone out there who owns one or ridden one, can you tell me what they're like to ride and your experiences with the breed?

Thanks :)
 

suestowford

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I have ridden both and like them a lot. They ride like a much bigger horse IMO. I am always surprised by how close the ground is when I dismount!
 

Hutchie

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Aww I'd love to have a ride of one, they've been my fave since I was a kid, but never had a chance to ride one... I'm currently on the look out for a horse of my own, Natives being my pref but I haven't come across any dales/fells for sale :(

Such a shame... I'd love to spot a suitable dale/fell :)
 

suestowford

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Google the Fell Pony Society - they have a sales list on their website!

The other great thing about a Fell or a Dales is they are not too far from the ground so easy to get on and you can go through low branches with ease.
 

kyanya

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I've known a pony of each of these breeds quite well - both are nice ponies to be around, both are fab all-rounders and both have a bit of personality about them :)

I might have been lucky with the one's I know, but they are both superstars and I'd be chuffed to own one. They'll hack all day long, pop around a SJ/XC course and do dressage.

Dales Pony Society sale list - http://www.dalespony.org/Sales-List.html & click on the little W

Fell Pony Society sale list - http://www.fellponysociety.org.uk/sales_list.htm
 

McNally

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When i was younger my best friend at the yard where my pony was had a Dales pony. She was beautiful- very lazy and stubborn but a really lovely ride when she had woken up a bit!
Very smooth and comfortable, also she would go all day over any terrain and past anything.
A fab pony!
 

Hutchie

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Thanks for your replies, they sound fantastic, makes me want one and to try one out even more :) xxx
 

MissMistletoe

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The Dales ponies that I have ridden have been a little on the sharp/forward thinking side compared with Fells.

Lovely riding ponies and are very sure footed.

Let us know if you find your perfect pony :)
 

Bettyboo222

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Love fells learnt to ride on them, I have posted loads of photos in the past.

There are loads for sale on horsemart, preloved. The funny thing is I learnt to ride at 5,3 on a 13hh Fell, but I never felt too tall.

Where abouts are you ? If you are near rossendale contact Peers clough packhorses, they only have fells and you can go have a ride with them.

http://www.peerscloughpackhorses.co.uk/
 

c2b

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In one word......comfortable lol.
I have a Dales mare. She is loyal and very brave. Not a lot bothers her. She can be strong willed and argumentative. We are just very happy hackers.
I think she would do well at dressage. She seems to enjoy schooling and is very willing. Learns things easily and is eager to please. I however hate schooling so we don't do a lot.
At the beginning of winter I broke my hand and couldn't ride. I got someone else to ride her. Their first words were....."Oh she's very forward isn't she? She always looks such a plod".
You don't have to be a skilled rider to ride her but you do have to be quite assertive or she will take over and make the decisions for you.
 

Walrus

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I own a fell! He's awesome (but then I'm biased). My boy is tough, can be speedy on hacks and rides like a much bigger horse. He's got plenty of character and can get a proper piggy glint in his eye and be very stubborn, on one of our first solo hacks last year he was fine hacking through field of pigs, through a scary farmyard and was fine when chased by a couple of dogs, however, on the same hack it took me 25 minutes to get him past a large round bale in a field gateway!! My boy is a baby so he tend to keep me on my toes!

I love him though because he's solid -I've ridden spindly little tbs and I like the fact that my boy is chunky. Means that he can mess about and there is plenty to hold on to (and lots of mane).

You do forget they are so short (particularly as the biggest horse on my yard is about 15.1hh!!) but occasionally you get reminders like hacking through some rape fields (we have permission to ride up the tractor tracks) and I think only the top part of my upper body was visible!!

All the fells I've ridden have been forward going and proper characters. I would always say from the expereince of the ones I've met they are definitely adults ponies and not kids ponies (but I'm sure there are child-friendly ones!)
 

ClobellsandBaubles

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ridden quite a few fells and fell crosses being in the lakes growing up 2 i remember well one was a young mare she was very very pretty but also very stubborn and green (introducing her to traffic involved some very athletic flying bucks) she also thought she was a mountain goat and quite frequently tried to climb on top of and along the top of dry stone walls when she didn't get her own way but none of it was malicious she had a very pony like temperament cheeky, intelligent and likely to push the boundary's if you let her.
the other was a pony i was riding as it had been bought as a first pony for young girl and entirely unsuitable, the girl was very novicey but thought she was god's gift and the mother just took the daughters word as law, but thats another story, anyway he was lovely looking but very strong and quite spooky (very was also very green) and the only places to ride involved crossing quite a busy road and he acted like he'd never seen a car before so definitely not a childs ride. i think people see a cheeky pony of a good size and think they are suitable for kids but i would say they make much better adult fun allrounder with lots of one on one attention.
i apologise for all he waffle :D
 

Vixen Van Debz

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My favourite horse (well, pony) on my old yard in N.I. was a Dales mare called Millie. She was 14.2hh of forward going, jump-out-her-skin fun. She was tricky to catch, but was otherwise wonderful in every way, and could jump much higher than most cobby-types are given credit for. She was the only horse I've felt 'comfortable' on bareback as she was like an arm chair. She made me fall for the breed: I'd love my own someday!
 

touchstone

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I've ridden quite a few Fells and currently own one. Mine can be a sharp ride and very forward going, other days she can be laid back. She will try her heart out for you whatever you want to do, and is practically bomb proof in traffic and with scary objects. My hacks nearly always involve riding along a main A road or crossing a river and she'll do both with no fuss.
The ones I've ridden aren't suitable as childrens ponies though, although I know there are some placid ones out there too, it is just a case of finding one with a temperament to match what you want. They've all ridden much bigger than the 14hh they were and felt much more horse like than pony.

I've also ridden a few Dales, one of which was particularly stubborn, but the others were fine.
 

Merrymoles

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I had a 14.2 Dales cross and agree they ride like much bigger horses. He was very sharp, could jump pretty well and was forward going and not a novice ride. He did dump me on a regular basis because he was quite spooky but was always a character! Loved him to bits.
 

Nitro mouse

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I have a 19 year old dales he is cheeky intelligent and lots and lots of fun. He will turn his hoof to anything, is wonderfully comfortable to ride, but does have an attitude at times, but to be fair he gauges the amount of attitude according to the level of rider, he will plod around like a donkey giving a pony ride to my 4 year old niece, while happy to challenge a more competent rider. Solid to hack and chilled to handle. I fell in love with the breed when I was lucky to get to ride a mare, who was pretty similar in character to mine. I love them dearly but worry that they seem to be getting rarer and rarer. Good luck with your search. You will end up with a wonderful friend for life. I have had Sooty 13 years and he is my best mate and I utterly adore him..
 

goldenlegacy

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they are amazing i used to have a dales and he was the best horse i'd ever rode, only 13.3h and would jump 4foot 6-9, they are soo comfy its likke riding in an armchair and their loyalty is unbelievable, you could do anything to him and he'd stand there (i even did limbo on him) if you ever get chance to ride one do it :)
 

Piglet

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Used to own a little Fell pony - absolutely loved her, she was great fun had opponents of character, she loved drinking tea and coffee (yup I know it is probably bad for her she only had an occasional slurp). If you want a fun all round safe low maintenance pony - go for a Fell, don't know about a Dales but am pretty sure they have the same temperament. :D
 

friesian80

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I have a Fell, as mentioned they ride much bigger than they are, he can be stubborn and if you are a novice he will soon suss that out and can take the piss :rolleyes:

But once he knows you mean business he is a fantastic ride, forward going and has bags and bags of energy. He would trot around the school till the cows come home without breaking into a sweat.

He has really struggled with canter as he was broken to drive first, but now is doing 20 metre circles in canter and has recently started jumping and he LOVES it!!!

He's not a turn away type he very much likes to have routine and a job to do or he turns into a total grump.

Mine isnt the most attectionate horse ive ever met but he is a loyal safe and ground type.
 

c2b

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he gauges the amount of attitude according to the level of rider

That is exactly what my mare does. My grandaughter can ride her safely off the lead rein walk/trot but put my experienced riding instructor on her and it's a different story.....it's like she is saying, "oh you think you can ride do you? OK then lets see"
 

StarFell

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I have a fell and I think he's amazing :) He's very forward going but just about bombproof and will jump anything you put in front of him. He's another that behaves according to the rider - he can be quite silly with me and push it a bit sometimes, but if I put my 8 year old cousin on him he's an angel :) He has loads of personality too, people always comment on what a character he is. I swear he thinks he's human sometimes! :p
 

Moggy in Manolos

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I had a 14.3hh dales X years ago, she was an absolute gem of a mare called Molly, she was so willing and honest and seemed to enjoy hacking out, she was excellent out hacking on her own from day one with me. Usually horses can be unsettled after a move but she was good to go right away. I love dales and fells..

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Thorthepony

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First of all Hutchie where abouts are you based??

I am really lucky enough to own two gorgeous Dales and they are both such individual characters. As others have said, they have a lot of attitude, are full of fun and mischief, can be wonderful with children and beginners but will challenge the more experieinced rider. They are incredibly intelligent ponies, and I love them to bits.

Try having a look on Dalesfans website, it is all about Dales and mainly Dales owners so a lot of help and advice to be had there. Also look up Devon Riding Holidays as they do trekking holidays on Dales.

They are just wonderful ponies and I cannot recommend them enough!!!
 

gillianfleming

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My sister has a fell, has had since she was 4 (the pony) is now 16 and have bred a foal from her.
She's spooky and speedy and definately not a kids pony. But she is so comfy to ride, built like a tank and is like a mountain goat, will go anywhere.
But she is so pig headed, sis was having a lesson years ago on her and her instructor was riding, Thena just stood with her head up going you can't make me lol
 

NormandJ.J

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I have a fell and he is awesome! Norm's forward going and fun but totally bombproof school buses don't bother him in the slightest. He's totally unflapable and has a so what attitude. He can turn his hoof to anything and loves jumping. Norm can deffo shift when he wants to. He is however rather strong willed and very food orientated and is very strong and if he uses his strength against you to investigate a feed bucket you haven't got a hope in hell of stopping him! He can be a bit of a grump at times and thinks he knows best but that's what makes him the amazing little pony he is! And he generally does as he's told. ;)
 

smiffyimp

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I had a Dales many years ago and she was the BEST! Very light and forward going. Jumped like a superstar. Tough as old boots, rode bigger than her 14hh something. Never ridden a Fell, so cant comment, but I bet they're great.
(I have had Arabs for the last 20 years, and the Dales was every bit as brill):D
 

Lacuna

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I share a 8 yo Dales for about a year and he is one of the most comfortable rides I've ever had. He can be rather stubborn if he puts his mind to it and can also be an enormous wuss ove the wrong coloured string in the riding school. When I first started riding him he was a nappy little begger but these days is much better.
 

Kadastorm

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Yup, thats the same people and they have lovely dales! so so nice.

I used to have a fell, def not a childrens pony but gawd i loved her. jumped,hacked, went cross country, did dressage, everything.
You should definately ride one :)
 
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