DRYBARROWS HAVANA

2022 Bay Filly • Imported by Feathered Foothill (Cumbria, UK)

Overview

Drybarrows Havana is a bright, well-typed bay filly from the respected Drybarrows stud in Cumbria. Friendly, bold, and naturally forward-thinking, she represents the classic hill-bred blend of kindness and courage. Imported by Feathered Foothill in 2024, she shows excellent potential for both future performance work and eventual broodmare suitability.

A Memorable Beginning

I first met Havana during a 2022 visit to Drybarrows on a “Ponies and Pints Tour.” Even as a foal, she stepped forward with confident curiosity, greeting me while I photographed the mares and youngsters. Bays have always been special to me—and in the U.S., where black is dominant, they’re less common—so she made an immediate impression.

The day was unforgettable: mares and foals wandering the fellside, sweeping views above Haweswater, and a lively ride behind David Thompson’s ATV. It was one of Cumbria’s unusually hot summers, and I left sunburned and enchanted by this bright little filly.

Hill Bred Gems Sale

Later that year, the Hill Bred Gems auction was announced. I had promised myself I wouldn’t bid—until I saw the bay filly in the catalogue. She looked exactly like the foal I had met on the fell, and indeed, it was her.

The Hill Bred Gems sale allows buyers to see ponies in their native environment with real-time updates, photos, and videos. David kept Havana through winter so she could be imported with Drybarrows Illicit, keeping both fillies on familiar ground until travel.

Reunited in 2023

When I returned to Cumbria the following summer, Havana—now a yearling—was the first to approach us. Sweet, forward, and beautifully grown, she showed maturity in both temperament and type. Her movement is promising, and her classic Drybarrows hardiness is unmistakable.

Her temperament, disposition, and traditional bloodlines align strongly with the long-term goals of Feathered Foothill’s breeding program.

Pedigree

Sire: Drybarrows Dynamic (Halstone Fell Ponies)
— by Carrock I’m Yer Man
— Movement video: https://www.facebook.com/reel/506378854307423
— Young Dynamic clip: https://fb.watch/rs6bsUnZFv/

Dam: Drybarrows Complete (Drybarrows Stud)

About the Drybarrows Stud

Drybarrows—founded by the late Chris Thompson and now run by David and Gail Thompson—is a traditional Cumbrian hill-bred Fell pony stud overlooking Haweswater. The ponies graze naturally onto the open common, developing the sure-footedness, intelligence, and generosity of temperament characteristic of true fell stock.

As David often says:
“On a good day, it’s the finest office in the world. On a bad day, the worst.”

Training & Development Timeline

A concise record of Havana’s handling, training, and milestones.

2024 – Arrival & Foundations

  • Imported by Feathered Foothill from Cumbria with import companion Drybarrows Illicit

  • Arrived lightly handled; all foundational work began at Feathered Foothill

  • Trained primarily with positive reinforcement blended with soft, low-pressure handling

  • Learned leading, yielding, grooming, tying, and whole-body handling

  • Introduced to bridge walkovers, pole work, and simple obstacles

  • Showed natural aptitude for lateral movement and early liberty tendencies

  • Calm and curious during first trailer loading

  • First-ever farrier handling completed quietly

2025 – Early Training & First Outings

  • June 2025: Entered formal training with Forward Straight and Calm Horse Training

    • Trainer noted her natural lateral ability, willingness, and good overall awareness

    • Work emphasized clarity, softness, and patient groundwork

    • Expanded obstacle exposure and environmental confidence

  • October 2025 – First Obstacle Clinic (In-Hand & Ridden)
    Haunted Trail Course • R&R Equestrian Center (Woodland, WA)

    • Confident and forward with themed obstacles

    • Completed obstacles both in-hand and under saddle

    • Demonstrated curiosity and composure in a busy environment

  • November 2025 – First Show (Virtual)
    FPSNA Virtual Show • 3–5 Year Old Mare Class • In-Hand
    Judge’s Feedback:

    • “Very scopey pony with a lovely back leg.”

    • “Nice front and width between front legs.”

    • “Very good for Fell type.”

  • November 2025: Applied for the FPSNA Performance Premium Awards (PPA)

2026 – Upcoming Development (planned)

  • Introduction to the bit and early soft-contact basics

  • Continued lateral work and responsiveness in-hand

  • More advanced obstacle training (bridges, backing lines, narrow paths, sensory elements)

  • Public exposure: clinics, schooling days, community events

  • First trail rides with trainer

  • Optional in-hand or Green Horse Mountain Trail participation

  • Refinement of walk–trot–canter transitions as training advances

  • Broodmare suitability to be assessed later in the year, based on her maturity and the opportunity to match her with a quality sire

Drybarrows Havana

A detailed chart showing pedigree, offspring, and information of Drybarrows Havana, a female pig. The chart includes various ancestors and their details, such as names and identification codes.
Carrock I'm Yer Man
A brown horse running up a grassy hill with a blurred landscape in the background.
A brown horse with a black mane standing outdoors with a scenic landscape in the background.
A brown horse running on a grassy field with green trees in the background.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill running across a grassy field with a blurred background of trees and some objects.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill with long mane and tail standing on a grassy field with patches of dirt.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill standing on a patch of grass in a field with small water puddles and rocks, illuminated by warm golden sunlight.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill with a black mane standing on a grassy hillside with trees in the background.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill running on a grassy field with trees in the background.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill with a dark mane standing on a grassy field with trees in the background.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill standing in a grassy pasture with a fence and trees in the background under a cloudy sky.
Two Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill running on a grassy field surrounded by trees, with one horse in front and another behind, and a reflection of a tree in a nearby window or mirror.
Two Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill running on a dirt field near a metal gate and trees in the background.
Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill standing on a grassy field, with a wooden fence and trees in the background. The sky is partly cloudy with a rainbow visible in the distance.
Four Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill running in a fenced field with trees and a rainbow in the background.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill with a flowing mane feeding on hay outdoors on a sunny day.
Three Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill standing on a grassy field near a river with a forested background and a cloudy sky.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill with a black mane standing outdoors on a sunny day with trees and sky in the background.
Two Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill standing on a grassy field, with one horse in front and the other partially behind. The background shows trees, fences, and a building, under a clear blue sky.
Two Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill with dark manes and tails standing on muddy ground near a truck loaded with hay bales in a wooded area
Two Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill trotting in a field near a wooden barn and surrounded by trees and mountains.
Two Fell ponies from Feathered Foothill standing on a grassy field with trees and a river in the background.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill running on green grass, in a fenced yard with a house, a parked white vehicle, and trees in the background under a clear sky.
A Fell pony from Feathered Foothill running on green grass in a fenced outdoor area with trees and blue sky in the background.
A woman in a black coat and pink leggings stands in a grassy field, smiling and touching the face of Drybarrows Havana. Several Fell ponies are nearby, grazing in the field under a cloudy sky with rolling green hills in the background. Cumbria.
A group of Fell ponies grazing in a lush green field with trees, mountains, and cloudy sky in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
A Fell filly with a dark mane and tail standing in a grassy field with other horses nearby under a cloudy sky. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
Two Fell ponies standing in a grassy field with trees and rolling hills in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
A man standing in a grassy field with several horses, under a cloudy sky, with another person in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill. David Thompson, breeder.
A woman in outdoor clothing and pink leggings interacts with a Fell pony on a grassy field, surrounded by other black horses, with green hills and trees in the background under a cloudy sky. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothil
A woman standing next to a bay Fell pony in a green field with trees and hills in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
A woman with long blonde hair kneeling and touching a bay Fell pony face in a green field with mountains in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
A Fell pony foal standing outdoors with a blue sky and greenery in the background, next to a larger dark brown horse. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
Two Fell ponies, one dark brown and one light brown, standing on grass in a field with a stone wall and blue sky in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
A young foal standing on green grass in a rural area with trees, a white house, and blue sky in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
A Fell pony mare and a bay foal standing together in a grassy field with stone walls and blue sky in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
Fell ponies grazing and walking along a dirt road in a hilly rural landscape with blue sky and wispy clouds. Drybarrows of Cumbria.
A Fell filly standing close to an adult horse on a grassy field with houses, trees, and a stone wall in the background. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.
A young Fell pony standing on green grass in a rural landscape with hills, trees, and farm buildings in the background under a clear blue sky. Drybarrows Havana in Cumbria, imported to Feathered Foothill.

Above: Drybarrows Havana on a Drybarrows stud visit in 2023 (the bright bay filly at the start of the video).