Dakota’s Eldorado Pride

Description:

Dakota’s Eldorado Pride is handsome 2018 registered Tennessee Walking Horse with an incredibly smooth gait over any terrain and a calm, sensible mind that make him an excellent companion around the ranch, along the trail, or on a three days ride into the mountains. We’ve owned Dakota since he was a yearling and have taken him on hundreds of trail miles and dozens of pack trips. He can gait smoothly along the trail, switch gears to match slower non-gaited horses, walk first or last in large groups, or willingly leave the group altogether if you ask him to ride out on his own. Dakota does not buck, bite, shy, spook, or kick out at dogs, livestock, or other horses and mules along the trail.

Dakota has a solid training foundation, starting with lunging, flexing, and yielding to gentle pressure on all four corners. He stands still to be mounted, sidepasses, and backs nicely. He stands quietly at the hitch rail, is patient for the farrier for trimming and shoeing, and smoothly loads and unloads from all types of trailers, including backing out. Dakota is unfazed by dogs, ATVs, side-by-sides, bicycles, vehicle traffic, farm equipment, cows, tarps, ropes under his feet and his tail, paniers, grouse and deer jumping out of the brush, or even grizzly bears (he’s’ seen several!).

Dakota holds his weight well and has proven himself very sure-footed during his extensive experience packing along steep terrain and trails in the most rugged backcountry of Montana and Idaho. He has led mule and horse pack strings as well as easily packed Decker saddles loaded with gear. Dakota doesn’t hesitate to cross creeks, deep rivers, or swinging bridges in the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat Wilderness. He has hunted with hounds, is not gun shy, and stands patiently highlined all night long. Dakota has experience wearing hobbles to graze when packing in the mountains but is also easy to catch even if you simply turn him loose around camp. We do not hesitate to swing up on him and ride bareback with only a halter, even if our other horses go out of sight in the other direction.

Dakota takes care of his rider, and he’s’ who we put our young nieces and nephews on. My wife appreciates that he goes out of his way to respect her space, and we’ve seen him splay all four feet along the trail to avoid stepping on a dog. He will catch you anywhere and enjoys having his ears scratched.

We have had the honor of raising and training several colts by Dakota’s sire, Apaches Magic Dancer, whom we have watched stroll perfectly down the street in the town parade and hand-breed mares with an exceptional respect for his handler. We’ve’ found all Magic’s offspring to be incredibly calm, intelligent, reliable, and eager to please; Dakota is by far the best of these, and it’s been a pleasure to work with him.

Our goal is to raise experienced, trustworthy companions and trail mounts, and Dakota is ready for his forever home. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like to learn more about him.

We require the buyer to place a $2000 deposit via PayPal or wire transfer immediately upon the close of the auction and the remaining balance to be wire transferred before the close of the following business day. Thank you!