Welcome to Marin Horse Council

Dedicated To Preserving and Supporting Equestrians
in Marin County

Stand Up For Horses!

Firefighters in yellow gear and a red fire truck on a recently burned grassy field with hills and trees in the background.
Two horses, one brown and one white with black markings, standing on a grassy hill under a blue sky with some clouds.

About Marin Horse Council

The Marin Horse Council (MHC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit public benefit corporation that promotes equestrian activities, equine and barn emergency preparedness and public land access in Marin County. We are a coalition of horse oriented individuals, groups, businesses, and professionals who collaborate with other equestrian organizations to educate, inform and strengthen the horse community.

2025 memberships will expire on March 31, 2026. Click here to join or renew your membership for 2025. If you joined in October 2025 or later, you are automatically a voting member through 2026. 

Photo credits - thanks to Suzanne Grady & Brian Wilk of the Marin Photo Club.

Photo credits - thanks to Suzanne Grady & Brian Wilk of the Marin Photo Club

Support Marin Emergency Preparedness

Please join us in supporting the future of emergency preparedness in Marin County.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Be Prepared!

Mission

The Marin Horse Council is dedicated to preserving the historic culture, supporting the presence and ensuring the future of equestrians, horses and horse facilities throughout Marin County. The council strives to promote and protect the general welfare of equestrians and equines through our educational seminars, newsletters and community involvement which includes the representation of all Marin horse people before municipal, county, and state agencies in matters of political interest important to equestrians, especially animal welfare, open space and land usage issues. Always eager to share the joy of horses, we also engage in community outreach with the goal of introducing the Marin horse community to others.

Achievements

Over the past year, your membership and donations have enabled the Marin Horse Council (MHC) to:

  • Promote safer sharing of multi-use roads through our Slow and Say Hello Outposts;

  • Continue to serve as the Fiscal Sponsor of the Linda Rubio Scholarship Program which provides free cost-of-riding lessons to the financially disadvantaged community;

  • Advocate actively with all Marin land agencies to consider equestrian access, safety and well-being on roads and trails, and encourage appropriate regulations, enforcement, signage, and education;

  • Promote Equine Disaster Preparedness and Response education through collaboration with HALTER Project and Marin Humane;

  • Donate $10,000 to Marin Humane Society from a MHC protected Equine Evacuation Fund to support their Equine Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Program;

  • Publish a bi-monthly Enews to help the equestrian community stay up-to-date on public, trail, barn and show news, health alerts and public and private land issues pertaining to horses and horse boarding;

  • Host an Awards Luncheon and fundraiser to honor two outstanding Marin equestrians, and to provide the Marin horse community an opportunity to gather and connect;

  • Provide MHC members a chance to ride new trails, make new friends and reconnect with old friends, through our Small Group Club Ride-Outs;

  • Support to other equine organizations in Marin County.

And, much, much more!

A group of people at an outdoor event with a tent and a table labeled 'Marin County' and 'Slow & Say Hello.' A brown horse with a white blaze on its face is reaching over the table while a woman in a black jacket and black hat prepares to give it a treat. There are trees and hills in the background.

Did you know that MHC is the only equestrian advocacy organization in Marin County? And, the equestrian voice is even more important than ever in protecting trail access, barn safety and compliance with clean water regulations, plus supporting the next generation of riders.

Board Of Directors

Woman with curly blonde hair smiling next to a dark horse with a white nose cover and bridle, in a green outdoor setting.

Cheryl D. Bossio, President

Maisie is a Morgan cross mare that Cheryl rescued three years ago from Minnesota and trailered across the country to her home in California. What a change in climate for her!

Maisie’s home is at Dixon Ranch in Woodacre where she’s hopefully learning a few tricks of the trade from her 3 arena view! Cheryl's favorite place to ride is with friends in Bear Valley, Point Reyes.

Carolyn R. Gold, Vice President

Riding her horse, Wind Dancer, Registered Paso Fino and Spotted Saddle Horse.  Carolyn enjoys trail riding, showing, field trialing and  gymkannahs. She boards in West Marin.

Woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat riding a brown and white horse at an outdoor event with a chain link fence and spectators in the background.

Linda Novy, Treasurer

Linda Novy and her horse Falco, a 24 year old Andalusian gelding who she adopted 20 years ago, board at the historic Marin Stables in Fairfax, just 5 minutes from Linda's house. There, she enjoys lessons with Becky Larcher, trail riding and trailering out.

Linda Novy

Amory Willis, Secretary

Amory Willis is past president of Marin Horse Council.  She continues to make a positive difference for the horse community.

A smiling man wearing a helmet and riding gear sitting on a brown horse in a grassy area with green trees in the background.

Jessica Lashbrook

Jessica owns Marin Tack and Feed and was introduced to the love of horses at a young age. She competed in the field of 3 day eventing, and during that time enjoyed rescuing thoroughbreds off the track. She now enjoys finding rescues and rebuilding their trust in themselves and their human partners. Her favorite type of riding is adventuring outdoors with her equine partners where ever the journey takes them. She currently has three rescues, Billy, Sid and Hooch who reside at a leased space at Spirit Rock where she enjoys trail riding adventures.

Marin Horse Council Board Jessice Lashbrook

Joe Ehrmann

Joe takes lessons at Hunter Lane Equestrian Center in Santa Rosa. His teacher, Margaret Winterkorn, owns the Center and teaches her students in equi-therapy. He is working on beginning Dressage in a covered arena and in an open arena with the letters on the sides, front and the entrance. Practicing riding in circles, figure eights, reverse the course, Joe is  learning to be aware of the different speeds of the walk and trot and how to work effectively with them. Joe is also responsible for the ride outs that Marin Horse Council does and enjoys them very much.

A person riding a brown horse while practicing lassoing outdoors with hills and a clear blue sky in the background.

Ken Coren

Ken got the horse bug just out of high school working on cattle ranches in Wyoming and Kansas, mostly on horseback.  He has been boarding his horses at Dickson Ranch for many years, learning the finer points of show jumping and equitation, sometimes going for the speed events on Mick the Palimino. He currently enjoys riding the wooded trails with his Gypsy Vanner “Pono”.

A man wearing a plaid shirt and helmet riding a tan and white horse in a sunny outdoor setting with trees and parked cars in the background.

Kristin Deming

Marin born & bred and recently relocated to Sonoma County. Over the past 45 years I have owned, trained, competed, rescued and rehabilitated horses throughout Marin & Sonoma County.  I love that horses provide us with a lifetime of learning and connection to ourselves and the world around us.  I am currently member of Sonoma & Napa C.A.R.T and trained in Large Animal Technical Rescue. I currently board my 22 yr old Swedish Warmblood mare RAYNE, at beautiful Woodbridge Farm in Penngrove.

A woman with blonde hair and sunglasses smiling and hugging a large brown horse with a white heart-shaped marking on its face in an outdoor setting with trees, bushes, and a barn in the background.

Kristin Tieche

After growing up riding the foothills of Mt, Diablo in the East Bay, Kristin Teiche returned to riding in her 40's with the purchase of her pony Kokomo, an Appaloosa and Welsh Cobb cross that she shared with her daughter, Kally. Later, when Kokomo needed to slow down and eventually retire, she purchased Mojo, a mustang from eastern Oregon. Kristin and Mojo, along with her dog Willa Bean, have enjoyed extensive trail riding with friends,  horse camping in various locales up and down California and just hanging out at her family property in Humboldt county. Kristin boards Mojo at Dickson Ranch in Woodacre.

A woman riding a black horse on a grassy plain under a blue sky with some clouds.

Marina Eisenzimmer

Marina is a veteran equestrian riding in most of Marin's public lands. Her beloved Morgan horse, Onyx, lived at Dickson Ranch for over 20 years and they loved riding at Five Brooks and Bear Valley. Marina has a similar long history with Marin Horse Council - a former Board member, she focused on the newsletter.  She's ready to help MHC again building membership and events!

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair standing in a sunlit room with large windows, wearing a black and white striped shirt with the word 'Yacht' and an anchor logo, and red pants. She is leaning on a wooden table with her left hand, and glasses hang from her shirt. The room has a table with a red sweater, bags, and a rug with floral patterns.

Shawn Sacks

Shawn lives in Novato but rides out of Dickson ranch on a beautiful 30 year old paint, Cheyenne. They enjoy trailering to Sky Oaks and Point Reyes. Shawn does a lot with Novato horseman’s and enjoys all things outdoors with animals and people.

Two people riding horses on a trail overlooking mountains and the ocean in the distance, with a white fence on the left side and a partly cloudy sky.

Gini Griffin, Emerita, Web and Marketing Consultant to MHC

Gini and Kismet, a registered Rocky Mountain mare, travel the trails of Marin and Sonoma. Gini  boards at Longview Stables in Novato just at the edge of Indian Tree Preserve where she is also a mounted volunteer patrol for the Marin County Open Space. Gini and Kismet average over 700 miles on the trails yearly which inspired her to create Marin Sonoma Trail Riders on Facebook to “hook up” trail riders throughout the North Bay. Through her Rocky Mountain group, Gini manages to get in a couple horse camping trips in each year as well.

A woman wearing a black wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, a patterned blue and white shirt, and gloves, riding a black horse with a white star on its face in a wooded area. The horse has decorative blue jewelry on its head.

Meeting Schedule

View of lush green rolling hills and a clear blue sky from the perspective of a horse, with the horse's head and ears in the foreground.

Our regular meetings are typically held the 2nd Weds of each month, 7:00 – 8:00 PM, on Zoom unless noticed for an in person meeting.

2026 Board meeting Dates:

February 11
March 11
April 8
May13
June10
July 8
August 12
September 9
October 14
November 11
December 9 

Contact:  pr@marinhorsecouncil.org