Chester Springs Woman Helping to Preserve Unique Breed of Horses Native to North Dakota

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Image via The Preserve's Facebook page.

Motivated by her love for horses, Christine McGowan is helping to preserve a unique heritage breed at her 14-acre farm in Chester Springs, writes Lisa Dukart for Main Line Today.

Nokota horses used to roam free in the vast plains of North Dakota’s Little Missouri Badlands and were revered for their power, intelligence, and adaptability.

Over time, however, their numbers have dwindled as they were wiped out or sold, usually for slaughter. Now, there is just a small herd left for demonstration purposes at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Thousands of miles away, though, several Nokota horses enjoy the freedom to roam McGowan’s farm. At any time, the property dubbed the Preserve is home to anywhere from 10 to 14 horses.

In addition to Nokotas, the nonprofit also homes a pet duck, four dogs, three goats, and two cats.

“We’re tiny and mighty,” said McGowan.

In her day-to-day activities, McGowan ensures to maintain the Nokotas’ way of life. She encourages natural horsemanship and understanding of their language.

“Rather than trying to force-feed the horse with our information, you try to draw out a successful behavior,” she said.

Read more about the farm in Main Line Today here.

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