Experience & Background

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With more than 40 years of professional animal training experience extending beyond horses and dogs, as well as graduate-level education in psychology, Robin brings a balanced, behavior-focused, and educational approach to horsemanship and learning.

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Reins Free Horsemanship is designed for horse owners of all ages who want to deepen their understanding of horses while developing the knowledge, confidence, and communication skills needed to work with and train their own horses. While liberty and creative learning are part of the program, the principles of reward-based training can also support a wide range of equine disciplines and practical horsemanship goals.

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Robin’s personal interests include Combined Driving, trail and obstacle work, liberty, and communication-based groundwork, using reward-based methods to enhance motivation, emotional regulation, responsiveness, and the overall learning process.

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Robin is also the founder of K9 Academics, a Northern Colorado dog training program focused on practical behavior, communication, and reward-based learning, as well as Aliyah Farm, a Lippitt Morgan preservation breeding program centered around thoughtful horsemanship and long-term partnership.

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Over the years, work with both horses and dogs has focused on understanding how animals learn, communicate, process stress, and actively participate within the training process.

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Philosophy & Approach

 

Reins Free Horsemanship focuses on reward-based and marker-based training methods that encourage horses to think, problem-solve, and become active participants in learning. These concepts can complement a variety of equine disciplines and training approaches while helping owners develop a more balanced understanding of communication and behavior.

 

Training emphasizes:

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• communication,

• emotional regulation,

• clarity,

• timing,

• and thoughtful progression.

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Rather than relying primarily on pressure or force, the goal is to create horses that remain mentally engaged, emotionally available, and willing to participate in the learning process.

 

Why Educational Sessions

 

Reins Free Horsemanship is structured as an educational program designed to teach owners how horses learn and how to apply reward-based communication in practical everyday situations.

 

Sessions focus on helping horse and human learn together through guided instruction, observation, discussion, and hands-on practice.

 

The goal is long-term understanding and partnership rather than temporary behavioral suppression or dependency on a trainer.

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Areas of Focus

 

• groundwork,

• liberty,

• shaping,

• emotional regulation,

• ridden communication support,

• target training,

• obstacle confidence,

• behavior understanding,

• creative learning,

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Closing Thought

 

Every horse has a voice within the learning process. Reins Free Horsemanship exists to help people learn how to listen, communicate clearly, and build partnerships rooted in understanding, trust, and willing participation.