Feathered Foothill Farm Fell Ponies

06/03/2026

A new story is live on Through the Lens.

This one follows a thread from Dr. Steve Peters’ Horse Brain Science seminar into my reflections from a Working Equitation show — where learning, memory, stress, and regulation became less like theory and more like something visible in horses and riders.

It is part reflection, part field note, and part reminder that the horses are always teaching us, if we are willing to stay curious.

Subscribers are welcome, and so are submissions — stories, photos, artwork, poetry, essays, field notes, show memories, or reflections on life with Fell ponies.

One story at a time.

Drawing on lessons from Dr. Steve Peters' Horse Brain Science seminar, this reflection explores equine neuroscience, behavior, and learning through the lens of preparing and showing a Fell pony, and what science can teach us about partnership.

05/30/2026

We love this photo of the 2026 Royal Windsor Horse Show mountain and moorland in-hand champion Bracklinn Sonny Bill in perfect step with his breeder and handler Alistair Smith.

05/27/2026

05/23/2026

We survived. Oregon Horse Center, Working Equitation. L1, Stressage test ✅ Born in America. 16yo mare, JKL Istas. Great Granddaughter to Sleddale Rose Beauty.

05/23/2026

So it begins. Practicing the dressage pattern (test before ease of handling obstacles on Sunday, for Working Equitation) at 9 at night, pitch black, and there was someone waiting in line to also practice in the dark. The Dad showed up with true Dukes of Hazard headlights on to light up the arena for his daughter.

Horse people are crazy perfectionists or just last minute warriors with busy lives.

Trying to get in and out of this show, incognito. And with a headlamp.

It came back (my memory), after study, but trying a different approach that I use for Mountain Trail. Walk the pattern myself until I know it well. No ridden practice the day before.

Call me crazy but Istas is always better on a good night’s rest at home. And fresh. Really fresh. Do not nag her and she will give you her best.

And she’s better not staying in a stall overnight.

We ride around 2pm.

I won’t say I’m prepared, but I’m not “not prepared.” I’m just in “life happens” mode, for good or for bad. This feels lonely after loss and facing more to come.

And I won’t explain that, as if you know, you know. A prayer wouldn’t hurt right now. And I’m not the praying type.

05/22/2026

2026 FELL PONY OPPORTUNITIES

LEARN, GROW, SHOW & CELEBRATE

There are several opportunities this year for Fell pony owners in North America to learn, grow, show, and celebrate their ponies — from virtual showing, to year-end awards, to partnership-based activities.

FPSNA Virtual Show — Colts, Geldings & Licensed Stallions
FPSNA - FPS Panel Judge Peter Boustead

Now in its 4th year, this is the longest-running Fell pony virtual show opportunity in North America. It is friendly and educational while still following FPS show guidelines.

Yearling Colts; 2-Year-Old Colts; Geldings 3 & Under; Geldings 4 & Older; Licensed Stallions 3–5; Licensed Stallions 6–14; Licensed Senior Stallions 15+.

$20/class for FPSNA members; $40/class for non-members.

Valid FPS passport required. Pony must be registered in the main section of the FPS Studbook and in the competitor’s name. Ponies 4+ must have a height certificate confirming 14hh or under.

https://www.fpsna.org/FPSNA-Virtual-Shows
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FPSNA Performance Premium & Awards Program — PPA
FPSNA

Running since 2011, the PPA is a year-end recognition program celebrating Fell pony versatility, performance, participation, and ambassador work.

Eligible activities may include shows, clinics, placings, trail work, driving, ridden work, in-hand work, demonstrations, public outreach, mileage, and approved challenges.
See current FPSNA forms/rules.

The virtual shows and challenges listed here may be used to apply for PPA points, when they meet current PPA criteria.

https://www.fpsna.org/All-Forms
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DPCNA Virtual Show — Fell Pony Classes

DPCNA, with Fell classes sponsored by FPC. Judged by
Andrew Thorpe, Wellbrow prefix and FPS Council member

In its first year offering Fell pony classes, this DPCNA virtual show offers another opportunity for owners to receive feedback from an FPS Panel judge.

Class 8: Youngstock In Hand under 3 years; Class 9: In Hand 3+; Class 10: Ridden Walk/Trot; Class 11: Ridden Walk/Trot/Canter. Classes may be split by age/sex depending on entries.

$15 Fell registration fee for Classes 8–11, plus $20/class.

Open to FPS registered Fell ponies or ponies proven eligible. This differs from FPS show guidelines because some ponies may not yet be registered, and no height requirement is listed.

https://dpcna.com/2026-coast-to-coast-show
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Partnering With Ponies Tribute
Willowtrail Farm / Jenifer Morrissey
Hosted by Jenifer Morrissey

A flexible partnership challenge focused on time spent with ponies, mileage, activities, reflection, and horsemanship.
Complete 25 miles, 25 activities, or a combination totaling 25. Activities include groundwork, handling, obstacle exposure, trailer loading, water crossing, ground driving, mounted gates, and more.

$25 by check/cash; $29 by PayPal.

One person may participate with any number of ponies. This is not a Fell pony breed show and does not require FPS registration, height certification, or formal conformation judging.

https://www.willowtrailfarm.com
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A FEW KEY DIFFERENCES

The FPSNA Virtual Show is friendly and educational while being held to the highest breed-specific standards. It follows FPS show guidelines: stock must be registered, height limits are enforced, ponies are naturally presented, and entries are judged within a breed-specific framework.

The FPSNA PPA Program, running since 2011, is not a single show. It is a year-end recognition program celebrating the many ways Fell ponies participate throughout the year. Virtual shows and challenges may be used to apply for PPA points when eligible under current PPA rules.

The DPCNA Fell Pony Classes are in their first year and offer another opportunity for owners to receive feedback from an FPS judge. The eligibility language allows ponies that are “FPS registered or proven eligible,” meaning some ponies entered may not yet be registered, and no height requirement is listed.

The Partnering With Ponies Tribute is not a breed show. It is a flexible partnership challenge for people spending time with their ponies, building skills, recording miles or activities, and celebrating everyday partnership.

Both virtual show opportunities, if stock is registered with height proven in alignment with the highest level of FPS standards, offer a valuable chance to receive feedback from FPS panel judges and points for FPSNA PPA, while supporting continued participation, learning, and appreciation for Fell ponies in North America.

05/17/2026

Great first day back at the Horse Brain Science Clinic with Dr. Stephen Peters at Kim & Randy Ewalt’s ranch.

I believe this is my third time attending this clinic, with the last one around 2020ish, and it is still every bit as fascinating. The lectures are down to earth, full of great analogies, humor, and real interaction with the audience. I always appreciate when complex science is made understandable without being watered down.

This is not really a “how to train your horse” clinic. It is more about understanding why horses do what they do, so we can train and be partners with our equines in a more fair, and clear way, and with less anthropomorphizing. When you understand the horse’s nervous system, learning, fear, arousal, sleep, memory, vision, sensory awareness, and stress responses, you start to see behavior through a different lens.

We talked about the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, and how learning happens best when a horse is calm but still bright and engaged. Not shut down. Not over threshold. Alert enough to learn, but not in fight-or-flight.

The end-of-day demo with Kim was a perfect example. A horse was worried about having a fly mask put on, and that simple situation ended up illustrating so much of what we had discussed: timing, dwell time, rest-and-digest, sympathetic arousal, stress response, down regulating, learning theory, not getting greedy!, and knowing when to stop.

One phrase I loved was, when wondering how long to wait between repetitions: wait as long as you think you should wait, and then wait some more.

We also covered some fascinating topics: functional MRIs, equine sleep and REM sleep (there us a sleep study lab for equines with EEGs in Germany now), window of tolerance, Hebb’s rule — “neurons that fire together, wire together” — super-spaced practice, boundary cells in the hippocampus, BDNF, dendritic branching, myelination, scaffolding, vision (did you know horses can see animals against camouflage far better than we can- I remember quite a spook my mare gave me one year when this owl was in a tree, she saw it, I didn’t) - our rods and cones differ), vibrissae, and why both imprinting and early weaning deserve a much more thoughtful conversation.

A few favorite takeaways:

Vibrissae are not “just whiskers.” They are sensory structures around the muzzle and eyes that help horses navigate blind spots, darkness, and close objects. This “model” of sense has been used in tech for robotics in space, it works so well.

Myelination is part of how the nervous system becomes more efficient; the pathways that are used and supported well early in life matter.

Early handling matters, but overwhelming a newborn foal in the name of “imprinting” is not the same thing as thoughtful, low-stress, consistent handling.

Tomorrow is day two, with the horse brain dissection. The brains are from horses already deceased, and after a full day of learning the structures and functions, it is pretty incredible to be able to see and hold those anatomical pieces in real life.

There is also a bit of sweet timing to all of this. A photo I shared today was from six years ago, on my birthday, and tomorrow is my birthday again — and here I am, back in this learning space.

Pretty cool. Looking forward to day two.