Meet the Herd
At RiverView Farm, each horse carries a story…
a lived history, a way of seeing the world, and a presence that meets people exactly where they are. The Meet the Horse series offers small‑group opportunities to spend quiet time with one member of the Nokota Grace herd, hearing their story and experiencing the unique way they hold space for humans.
These sessions are simple and unhurried. Participants gather near the horse, observe, listen, and allow the moment to unfold naturally. There is no expectation of touching or interacting physically; this first meeting is about presence, respect, and receiving whatever the horse chooses to offer.
Each horse brings something different — steadiness, majesty, curiosity, gentleness — and each session is intentionally limited in size to honor the comfort of the horse and the intimacy of the experience.
Maverick’s story begins with a dream — a longing to belong to the ancient Nokota lineage and the quiet courage to grow into that identity. He carries a presence that is steady, perceptive, and deeply attuned to the people around him.
In this small‑group experience, participants are invited to simply be with Maverick: to watch how he listens, how he settles, and how he responds to the energy in the space. You’ll hear the story of his dream, his journey, and the role he now holds within Nokota Grace.
This is a gentle introduction, centered on observation, breath, and connection. Limited spaces available to honor Maverick’s comfort and the intimacy of the experience.
Presenting Maverick — The Horse Who Dreamed of Being a Nokota
Presenting Donder, the Friesian
Donder is the Friesian of the Nokota Grace herd — elegant, powerful, and profoundly gentle. His presence carries a natural majesty: the lifted neck, the flowing mane, the quiet intelligence in his eyes. Yet he meets people with softness, steadiness, and a calming depth that settles the whole space around him.
Participants are invited to stand near him, observe the way he carries himself, and hear the story that shaped him. Donder’s grounded nobility offers a reassuring, almost timeless presence that many people feel immediately.
There is no expectation to touch or interact physically; this first meeting is about witnessing Donder as he is and allowing his gentle majesty to speak in its own way.
Limited spaces available to ensure Donder can engage with comfort and authenticity.
I moved to Maine, woke up one morning, and thought: if I don't start riding again now, when? RiverView Farm was right down the road.
I leased, took lessons, and was fairly certain I already knew what I needed to know about horses. I was wrong about that. When it came time to buy, Lisa advised me to look locally. Instead I fell in love with a photograph on Facebook — a palomino in Illinois, a retired broodmare named Zippos Carmel Bar.
She arrived in January 2014. I was the children's librarian in Lisbon then, and I watched from the library window all morning until the transport turned up Main Street, then beat it to the farm to see her come down the ramp.
The first two years were hard. She was reactive to everything — shadows, a hay bale moved to a new spot, the black hose of death waiting everywhere to strike. There were two unplanned dismounts and one dislocated shoulder, and most of it was my inattention, not hers.
What changed us was a clicker and a bag of hay stretcher. We worked through hats, tambourines, bubbles. Now she walks up to whatever's new, sniffs it, and we move on. She stood and watched a front-end loader fill a dump truck while I groomed her.
She is the best gift I have ever given myself.
Presenting Kari
Would you like to meet the horses in person?
If you would like to come to the farm to meet one of the horses, please send us a message and we will get back to you!