Erin King is a seasoned horsewoman, educator, and equine-facilitated learning professional with more than 40 years of lived experience with horses and over 25 years working professionally in the equine industry. She is a certified practitioner and professor through the Polyvagal Equine Institute, where she studied under Dr. Rebecca Bailey, deepening her understanding of nervous system regulation, trauma-informed practices, and the profound ways horses and humans co-regulate and communicate.
Known for her intuitive, grounded approach, Erin has a keen eye for subtle behavioral shifts and the small nuances horses use to communicate. She believes in “keeping the horse in the horse,” prioritizing emotional safety, ethical care, and thoughtful training above shortcuts or force. Erin often says she “works from the heart,” dedicating her life to improving horses’ lives while making a living doing what she loves.
For more than a decade, Erin was mentored by the late John Saint Ryan, whose influence shaped her philosophy of listening beyond technique and truly understanding the horse in front of her. She also draws inspiration from the teachings of Tom Dorrance, along with clinicians such as Chris Ellsworth, Pippa Callanan, and several others sharing her philosophies. Her methods blend science, feel, ethics, and extensive real-world experience.
Erin specializes in colt starting, developing young horses, and retraining projects. She jokes that she is often “a horse psychologist helping horses with their human troubles.” Her approach is rooted in patience and connection, believing in slowing down to create lasting confidence and trust. She is known for saying, “I see your try,” recognizing that every effort from the horse matters.
As owner and operator of All The King’s Horses Ranch, Erin oversees a full-service boarding, training, and horsemanship facility where horses live in a true working ranch environment alongside goats, ducks, guinea fowl, barn cats, dogs, and other animals. Living onsite allows her to observe herd dynamics and individual horses daily, learning directly from them rather than relying solely on theory.
While she previously served as a Certified Trainer and Instructor with the United States Dressage Foundation, her evolving views on horse welfare and ethical training led her away from the competitive world and further toward horse-first horsemanship.
Erin is a member of the Napa County Sheriff Mounted Posse where she volunteers her time to assist in many events on horseback serving our local communities. She also is the Barn Manager at Sunrise Horse Rescue in Calistoga where she advocates daily to help her equine friends as well as overseeing the well being of the permanent sanctuary equine residents.
Outside the barn, Erin enjoys hiking, backpacking, mountain adventures, baseball games, true crime documentaries, and spending time with her teenage son and dogs. At the center of everything she does is a deep respect for connection — between horses, humans, and the land they share.
