I've been very lax in catching up to everyone else as far as story quests and exploration goes, and now that they've released the new Fjord horses, I figured I'd log on and see how far I could get. I had not yet done any of the quests to open the Valley, and quested until I couldn't anymore in a day. The quest chain begins with Elizabeth in Valedale, who asks you to check the pass and see if any of the snow has melted. She has asked you to do this before, but this time - TA DA! - the snow has melted and there is a pass open to the Valley of the Hidden Dinosaur. I'm sure many of you have already completed these quests, as you have probably been much more active in the game than I. Do take note, though, if you haven't done the quests yet, you will not be able to purchase a Fjord horse for awhile - several days, if not longer - due to the NPCs and reputation not being available until you complete certain quests. The first 'new' NPC you encounter is ...
Veronika Starstorm's musings and helpful pointers on the world of Star Stable Online