Lessons

      Horses help us become better people. 

The principles of my approach to training both horse and rider are based upon my lifetime of horsemanship experience.  I have been fortunate to work with professional horsemen and women specializing in many disciplines.    I combine effective exercises incorporating classical, ‘natural’, and practical, conventional horsemanship. 

 LESSONS can be arranged on your horse at your barn, or on a trail ride.  I do not currently have school horses available for lessons, but if you would like to find a horse to lease or buy, I would be happy to assist you with that. I am based on the Mendocino coast, and I have access to stables with arenas in Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and Marin counties where I may offer a day of lessons to several riders, if I have enough interest to warrant a trip.  I offer lessons to riders of all ages and disciplines.  My goal is to help riders develop a healthy relationship with their horse, and to understand horsemanship principles so that they may accomplish their personal and equestrian goals.

  Lessons are catered to each individual, and can focus on anything you or I find important. I like to focus on how the rider can adjust their position and aids to allow their horse to perform without resistance, so that you and your horse feel in harmony with each other, both under saddle and on the ground.  Good horsemanship is about developing good communication skills, feel, and timing.  As we begin recognizing our own emotional response, we become more prepared and less reactive, and our horses will reflect this as we learn.

    Once we start learning about and applying horsemanship principles, we find that it is actually us, the humans, that have more to learn than our horses.  

Until one has the skill and opportunity to ride a true schoolmaster, it is hard to imagine how wonderful riding can feel.  Horsemanship is not about force, no matter the size of the animal.  It is about developing our feel and timing, enhancing the horses through our work, allowing them to become stronger and more beautiful.

 It seems to me that most people are unaware of how good it can feel to ride a light, balanced, responsive horse.    Once riders realize how good their horse can feel, they wonder how they ever rode any differently.  As true communication is established between horse and rider, both horse and rider will feel happier, more confident, responsive, relaxed, supple and powerful.  The benefits will apply to any discipline, from dressage to trail riding.

See my Facebook page for links to articles that describe principles I try to adhere to:

https://www.facebook.com/Robyns-Horse-Play-121731427899764/