Proud Member & Supporter of the Following Organizations:
EACH LOGO IS A LINK TO THAT SOCIETY'S WEBPAGE
FPSNA is North America's only truly active non-profit organization seeking to promote and support the Fell Pony! From 2007-2010, Melissa served as the Promotions Director of FPSNA, returning in 2014 with the additional role of FPSNA Vice Chairman. In mid-2015, she began to serve in the capacity of Chairman for the association, to the present day.
About The Farm
Our story began nearly twenty years ago, with one pregnant mare, and has grown to a herd nearly two dozen strong with 70 purebred foals born to our program. We are a family farm, focused on the proper stewardship of this breed.
My partner John Blakley & I, along with my father (now retired), share a singular vision in which the ponies and the growth of this endangered breed inspire us to keep learning and improving.
Background & Qualifications
My name is Melissa Kreuzer, and I am the owner of Dream Hayven Farm. Years before discovering the Fell Pony in 2003, I earned my degree in Agri-Business, with a major in Equine Management. I spent several years working professionally in the equine industry, and had a 15 year career in the world of finance, prior to beginning my own farm. I now breed, raise and train Fell Ponies exclusively. The ponies are my passion!
I believe educated stewardship of the Fell Pony is the way forward for this breed, which includes sharing this rare English treasure with as many people as possible!
As often as I can, I visit the birthplace of the breed in Cumbria, England. This allows me to learn from and network with owners, trainers and breeders of these special ponies. In that regard, my sincere appreciation and respect go out to the handful of English breeders who have devoted their lives to preserving and continuing the breed as it has existed for generations.
Pictured at left is Melissa in 2017 in Cumbria, England.
Our acreage, located in the beautiful Upper Cumberland region on the Pennyroyal Plateau, is especially suited to raising Fell Ponies. Our ecosystem is unique the world over, known as a woodland pasture ecosystem, and is identical to the ecosystem found in Cumbria, England, the homeland of our breed! Our water comes from the Bennett Hill Spring, a mineral rich limestone aquifer known since the 1800's for its healing properties, and a bottling source for Perrier.
We have hills, valleys, forests & streams in the fields that our herd roams freely all year. This environment closely mirrors the Fell environment of northern England, and ensures that the heritage traits so inherent in this breed will continue to survive in our Dream Hayven & Cumberland prefixes.
