Is there a way to get my horse (which I bought from Markarth) to Fort Dawnguard so I don't have to run all the way to it on foot? I don't mean up until the entrance to Dayspring Canyon, park the horse then run inside... but take the horse directly to the fortress gates itself so I don't -have- to walk all that way to or from there. Even tried fast travelling there while mounted. Horse didn't come with me.

Nope. Fort Dawnguard is not part of the Skyrim game world. Horses cannot pass that barrier. We had the same problem in Oblivion, where horses couldn't enter walled cities, ect.

The journey beats the destination.

Anyway, no. How about taking a carriage to riften and walking there?

I feel your pain, man. I had a character finish the main DG quest and do the radiant quests until he got the Rune ax, and I never FT at all. That route gets really old, and a horse sure would help.

Has anyone with a horse mod (like Convenient Horses) that allows you to call your horse to you tried going through the Dayspring Canyon cave and calling their horse on the other side? I just got Convenient Horses and am on my way through the Rift to Fort Dawnguard. Once I stop getting sidetracked and reach Dayspring Canyon, I'm going to give it a try. If you play on console, you have to walk.