By Taylor Pelcher
Last month, we celebrated the feisty Norwegian Fjord as our Breed of the Month on YourDressage! Did you know that dressage riders who choose a registered Fjord as their dressage mount are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program? The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry and the Norwegian Fjord Horse Alliance Inc. are participating organizations!
Finding out that my Zangersheide, Caliber, had sustained a significant tear to his deep digital flexor tendon and would need to be retired was not what I had in my plan for September of 2024. But, as it turns out, the universe had other plans. I called a close friend to share the news, and the very next day she called me back with an idea. A good friend of hers had a young Fjord, Bear Creek’s Kirby, or Lars, who needed a job for the fall and winter.
I have had a Fjord in my life since 2008, so I already knew and loved the breed. What I wasn’t particularly looking for was another horse. I certainly wasn’t expecting a young Fjord to enter my life at that particular moment. But when I learned that Lars was very green (lightly started under saddle, both in the arena and on the trail), I was intrigued. I gave it about an hour of thought and agreed to pick him up in mid-October. Long story short, I ended up with a six-month trial on Lars, with the opportunity to purchase him at the end if I decided he was a good fit.
Looking back, it really was the definition of kismet. Caliber needed to retire, and Lars needed a job.
Our first winter together was all about getting to know each other. Lars was four, with a busy little mind and plenty to learn. We trail rode through the snow, found ways to keep him occupied, and generally spent a lot of time figuring each other out. He was sensible, brave, curious, and he had a way of making me smile. All. The. Time.
By the time I reached the halfway point of our time together, the decision to buy him wasn’t particularly difficult. His personality was like none other, and I had become completely attached to this sweet boy. I had no idea exactly where our partnership would take us, but I knew I wanted to find out.
When spring arrived, we were able to start building on everything we’d done over the winter. My goal for that first summer was exposure and experience; Lars needed mileage. We went on as many field trips as possible. We took lessons, attended clinics, went trail riding, participated in a hunter pace, and went to a schooling show. In August, we wrapped up the summer with a recognized show, where we competed in the Introductory Opportunity classes. It was a wonderful experience and gave me a true glimpse of what Lars might be capable of.
I knew that Lars had real athletic potential in him. I was excited to see what we could do with some more focused training and began making plans to dive into a more structured training program with our amazing trainer, Kimberley Omans, and see what the winter would bring.
As it turns out, it brought a lot.
2026 has been an incredible year for us. Lars turned six this summer, and he has stepped up to the plate every time I’ve asked him to. We made our Training Level debut, earned the scores we needed to qualify for the Great American/USDF Regional Dressage Championships, and then went on to qualify at First Level as well. We recently wrapped up our season at the USDF Region 8 Championships, where Lars put in three solid tests between Training and First Level. To watch this little Fjord walk into a Regional Championship arena and hold his own among some very fancy dressage horses was pretty special.
Lars has taught me to appreciate the process. When I first brought him home, I wasn’t thinking about horse showing at all. I was thinking about giving a young horse a job, keeping his mind busy, and seeing what kind of partnership we could build. Everything else has come one step at a time.
Already having a Fjord, Lars reinforced the way I think about dressage horses. I have always loved dressage, and I’ve ridden and worked with many different types of horses over the years, but Lars has reminded me that a dressage horse doesn’t have to fit a particular mold. He may be a little shorter, a little hairier, and considerably more compact than the horses he often shares the warm-up ring with, but he is every bit as much a dressage horse. He is athletic, willing, incredibly brave, and always trying to figure out what I’m asking. And he has a personality that makes every ride an adventure.
Some of my favorite moments with Lars actually have nothing to do with dressage. I love taking him out on the trail, introducing him to new things, and watching him experience something for the first time. Those early field trips were such an important part of building his confidence, and I still love getting him out of the arena. He is the kind of horse who makes even the ordinary days at the barn fun.
I’m incredibly grateful for the people who have helped us along the way, especially my special friend Carol, who connected me with Lars in the first place. It truly is about timing and who you know! Kimberley has been such an important part of our journey, helping us develop Lars’s potential and keep raising the bar. I’ve also been fortunate to learn from wonderful clinicians, including, but not limited to, Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel, JJ Tate, and Gary Rockwell, and to have so many friends and family cheering us on. Team Lars keeps growing, and we are so appreciative of everyone who has become part of our journey.
Looking ahead, we’re not planning to slow down. We’ll continue training throughout the fall and winter, using the off-season to build strength, balance, and confidence. Our plan for 2027 is to keep building on what we’ve accomplished, qualify for First Level again, and hopefully give Second Level a try. I’m excited to see how Lars develops over the winter and where he tells us he’s ready to go next. I don’t feel the need to rush him. For now, I’m excited to keep learning, keep improving, and see just how far this little Fjord can go.
If our story encourages even one person to take a second look at the Fjord breed as a potential dressage partner, I’ll consider that a pretty great thing. I would absolutely encourage anyone looking for a dressage partner not to overlook a Fjord simply because they don’t fit the traditional picture of a dressage horse. They are smart, willing, athletic, and incredibly versatile, and, in my experience, they bring a whole lot of personality to the partnership, too.
If someone had told me in September of 2024 that a phone call following one of the hardest days would lead me to another special Fjord, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. I didn’t know just how much this particular Fjord would come to mean to me. Sometimes the best partnerships aren’t the ones you plan. Sometimes they are the ones that find you.
I am incredibly proud of Lars, beyond grateful for the journey we’ve had so far, and very excited to see what comes next.
