Robyn's Horse Play

04/20/2026

Really special mare looking for an equally special person:

Chestnut Arabian Mare, Delightful Expressive mare looking for the right rider in California. DreamHorse.com is the premier horse classifieds site with horses for sale, lease, adoption, and auction, breeding stallions, and more.

12/09/2024

Found a lovely trail down to the creek.

10/19/2024

Yes, these are my horses next to my home.

09/29/2024

Might be my last sunset at Thunder Cove...

09/20/2024

Found a wee bit of sun on the coast today.

08/14/2024

Raku 2012 Appendix type bay mare in Calistoga

available for adoption

Raku is an engaging, friendly and curious horse looking for the right partner. She loves attention, and gets along well with people and other horses. She has nice gaits and is a responsive and forward moving horse.

Raku is athletic and quick, and shows an aptitude for performance disciplines. She enjoys getting out on trails. With her sensitivity and athleticism, she will succeed with an equally sensitive, tactful rider.

Raku is starting her training under saddle, and will need a confident, competent rider to bring her along. She can be reactive, and needs help building trust in the rider. She has been ridden at all 3 gaits both in the arena and on the trail. She is brave in her environment, and has excellent ground manners. She is easy to catch, lead, tie, longe, groom, etc., and gets along well with other horses.

Raku enjoys trails, and has the stamina and interest to do long distance and technical terrain. She shows an aptitude for work over fences, and could be a nice eventing prospect, or a good horse for a rider that enjoys Search and Rescue, or other long distance riding.

She has been trained using classical horsemanship techniques, natural horsemanship, and both positive and negative reinforcement. Raku is currently in training with Erin King of All The King's Horses in Calistoga.

www.allthekingshorsesranch.com

She is healthy and up to date on dental work and vaccines. She is wearing four shoes.

Raku and her baby suffered neglect, and have been carefully rehabilitated with Robyn McCallister at Horse ReCourse. Her adoption fee will help us support more horses like her.

Details at www.horserecourse.org

contact us for more photos and videos

here a few recent video clips:

https://youtu.be/ZEZMGJiMf9M?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/fXftxdhB_FY?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/AQ4mznoUXt0?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/YMo3_dbMITE?feature=shared

01/19/2024

Fantastic read:

https://www.facebook.com/100044780254642/posts/901421421360525/?mibextid=CDWPTG

The smartest thing I've heard in a very, very long time was said by Martin Black the other day... He said, "It takes pressure for the release to mean something, and release for the pressure to mean something."

That is brilliant... full stop.

That is a saying that will stand the test of time like...
"...do less sooner instead of more later"
Or
"...reward the smallest change or slightest try" Or
"....see how LITTLE it takes..."
Or
"...be as gentle as possible but as firm as necessary"

The most important thing when training, is making sure the horse's mind WORKS right... and that can be messed up so easily by the human by being:

Too harsh
Too lenient
Too fast
Too slow
Too demanding
Too unclear
(... and I'm sure there's more😉)

Sometimes I spend a considerable amount of time getting the horse to think correctly, and when I say think correctly, I mean their ability to feel pressure (and not get scared or mad) and the release of that pressure... both mentally and physically. The mental pressure part comes in when trying to figure something out, trying to figure out the answer to a puzzle or a question or a situation... And when that answer is found, the horse REALIZING the answer has been found LOL, (the pressure goes away)😉. I think Physical pressure is pretty "easy" to understand; it's the signal, followed by phases of reinforcement.

There's an ebb and flow to learning, and some people are good at teaching their horses to traverse this, and become good learners that can process new information well, aaaaand some people are not. And many times it's those horse's that get locked up mentally; they're either dulled out and disinterested, or over reactive with their throttle stuck on high.... or both!

Take care of your horse's mind first and the rest will follow with ease.

✌️
Kalley

12/08/2023

Clearly stated, and wonderful picture of a mentor of mine, Manolo Mendez.

What is collection truly?
Collection is not a head set, it is not “tucking the chin” and it is not the restraining of the head and squeezing of the body.

To simplify, collection is the availability of the horse’s body. It is the ability of the hind limbs to bear weight equally and of the shoulders to be free, supple, and directable.

You cannot simply get this by bringing the horse’s chin in, you cannot get this by simply squeezing the horse via the legs into a restraining hand, and you cannot get this with tie downs, side reins, Martingales, or other restrictive gear. Muscles cannot be supple by method of any restrictive positioning - muscles must be stretched, posture must be changed, the horse must be released, relaxed, and given time to understand and develop.

The only way to develop collection is through systematic athletic development over time. It is not done in a weekend clinic or even in several months. It is done by an educated seat and hand, and adherence to classical principles - guiding the horse toward equal weight bearing hind limbs and straightness through the body. This is the essence of classical dressage - the development of the horse as an athlete and partner, and to enhance his natural ability and create longevity and wellbeing.

Photo is of Manolo Mendez

11/16/2023

Well said!
https://www.facebook.com/100091286135377/posts/271176315935238/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

Horses need horsemen. It's that simple. I get asked the same questions over and over again and nobody gets it. What level rider is this horse suitable for? I'll tell you, the best one she can get, the best horseman that's willing to buy her. The horse will only ever be as good as the rider. It doesn't matter if it's trained to jump hoops of fire, you're gonna bring it down to your level in no time. Your kid doesn't need a $15,000 horse if they haven't already had $15,000 worth of lessons. You can't buy a violin that will gift you the skill of playing. It's the same for horses. There is no magic horse, only a love for the animal, and a commitment to learning.

Most of you are so unfair and demanding of the horse you miss the forest for the trees. "I want a horse that rides out alone!!" well guess what, you better be ready to spend a year developing that relationship, that bond, that trust, she's not a bike, you can't buy trust.

"I want a horse that can sit and be the same after time off" well friend, this is a commitment to a relationship, not a classic car you take out of the garage twice a year. You can't buy what your looking for.

"I want a horse my kids can ride" you better be ready to teach your kids how to be horseman, because if the horse has to do it, you'll likely see the inside of an ambulance, or a morgue.

You can't buy trust, you cannot buy what comes with building a relationship with an animal over years of dedication.

Brittnee Woodward-Whitehead wrote this