Written by Marenzia Grové
Professional photography by Harold Hill Photography and Marenzia Grové
Kayla started riding when she was just four years old, on a little pony called Miss Piggy. The naughtiest pony on planet earth, I tell you! Although Miss Piggy was so terrible in always possible, she loved Kayla and Kayla loved her.
At the age of eight Kayla sadly outgrew little Miss Piggy and we decided to enrol Kayla in horse riding lessons with a trainer in Mpumalanga. She took Kayla under her wing and, within that same year, she competed at her first show jumping training show in Witbank. I still remember that little, tiny child on that 500kg horse doing her thing in that massive arena like it was a walk in the park.
Finding confidence
Week in and week out I sat next to the training arena watching my little girl who once was lost in emotions and heartache because of bullying at school and the fact that her father had to work away from home – we often only saw him from a few times per month to a few times a year – turn into the most confident sprite light child.
When Kayla was 11, she entered her first South African National Equestrian Schools Association (SANESA) show. She achieved first and second places in all three qualifiers, earning her place in Regionals with flying colours.
A life-changing move
At that same time my husband got a job offer in Cape Town that we just couldn’t refuse. It could mean finally being a family again. We could celebrate birthdays together like we used to and Kayla would be able to see her father coming home every day – something for which we were longing for quite a long time.
But it would also mean leaving behind everything we built up for ourselves.
We’d have to say goodbye to the farm life in exchange for a big busy city life. Saying goodbye to the friends we made over the years, the trainer and horses Kayla adored and loved with all her heart, all the animals we had and the business we started up from scratch. None of this would fit into a small suitcase.
We cried so many tears – some sad and some happy.
Starting over
We arrived in Cape Town not knowing anyone here in this big place.
The first few months were spent building up the family and home we once were. But Kayla was heartbroken. She missed her life on the farm with all the animals, and most of all, she missed her best friend, Dre. The two children had been inseparable since they were little toddlers, playing together every day for twelve years, never growing bored with each other.
Once again Kayla was drowned in emotions and heartache. She was living inside her room, day in and day out.
I started looking around for a riding school close to home and Kayla started riding lessons again – hoping horses would once again help her find herself.
Losing the spark
A year passed, but our sweet confident Kayla never truly “showed” up.
Instead, she spent more time behind her closed bedroom door. Then came the words I never thought I’d hear come out of her mouth: “Mom, I don’t want to ride anymore, I’m not happy at that school.”
As her mother, hearing her say those words was devastating.
Kayla loved to ride. She’d always said she wanted to become a trainer herself one day. She dreamed of having her own business teaching kids and horses to be the best riders and horses they can be. At her previous riding school, she’d loved helping her trainer work with the new horses, preparing them to be safe enough for the younger riders – and she was pretty good at it.
Kayla’s confidence dropped down to the level where she was terrified to jump even a 40cm hurdle. She wasn’t happy anymore. Every week, she’d be fine until lesson day arrived, when she’d suddenly develop an aching stomach.
Something had to change.
I decided to take Kayla out of that riding school. I sprinted to Google, searching every day, looking for a new riding school – somewhere that felt like home. Somewhere like the riding school we’d left behind in Mpumalanga, where I knew Kayla had been happy.
Finding Hope
What felt like hundreds of calls later, I finally found Pietro Olivier, owner of Paarl Equestrian Centre.
From our first conversation, I knew this was the school Kayla needed.
The only problem: the school is situated an hour and a half away from home. I back-peddled a bit – but only for a moment. As a mother, I was willing to drive that distance if it meant my daughter would heal again.
During that first hour-and-a-half drive to our first appointment with Pietro, I pleaded with Kayla to please give this school a fair try before making her final decision of never riding again.
A glimmer of a smile
When we arrived at the school, driving down this long, beautiful pathway to the school, my eye caught Kayla staring into the distance at the kids riding and training on this massive green field.
I watched her expression change. From uninterested to eager to see more. For a moment, I swear I saw a smile, but I wasn’t sure if it was real or just my desperate mind longing to see my child happy again.
A month of training with Pietro went by, and I could see a spark peeking through Kayla’s blue eyes.
She was happy again. Not at the same level as a few years back, but she’d found her love of riding again and had made friends for the very first time since we moved to Cape Town. Most of her confidence returned – but still hadn’t found a horse suited for her. She needed a soulmate.
Despite riding every single horse at Paarl Equestrian Centre, not one of them matched with her.
Meeting Robyn
On Friday the 26th of September 2025, we arrived at the school for a riding lesson, not knowing this time would be different.
The trainer said to Kayla: “I’ve brought a horse out of retirement for you to try out today. The other children don’t want to ride Robyn because he’s too strong-willed and powerful, so he spends most of his time out in the field grazing.”
Not knowing what to expect, Kayla climbed into the saddle with Robyn.
Ten minutes into the lesson, she hit the ground of the training arena for the first time since she started riding there.
Yep! Robyn made it perfectly clear that anyone riding him needed a perfect balance, a strong will for riding, and a mind fast enough to keep up with his big hooves. Robyn only knew one gear – and that was the fast gear!
The moment Kayla hit the ground, Robyn was patiently standing beside her, waiting for her to make a choice: walk away or get back in the saddle.
As the trainer slowly approached to see if they were okay, Kayla stood up, dusted herself off and said: “This is my horse.”
A Perfect Partnership
From that moment, Kayla and Robyn began a journey that turned heads. The once-retired horse found his perfect rider. The unhappy girl who almost walked away from riding found her perfect match!
Kayla even reached new heights with Robyn, jumping up to one metre, like it was nothing new to them.
Just two months later, they competed in their first jumping show. They’ve since completed three SANESA qualifiers with amazing results and have been chosen to ride for the Winelands Team at Regionals in George from 5-10 August 2026 with an eye on achieving Provincial colours.
If they qualify, they go through to Nationals.
More Than Just a Horse
Horse and rider have blown minds away with their amazing partnership and bond.
I’ve absolutely no doubt that they’ll make it to the top one day. I can never thank Robyn enough for healing Kayla in the way that he did. He’s truly a horse with a kind and loving heart.
Looking back at that first hour-and-a-half drive, I can honestly say it was worth every single second. And it still is.
Pietro Olivier, Robyn’s Trainer, shares...
Robyn is a kind-hearted gentleman, but knows how to push his rider to the next level – if you accept the challenge. And Kayla is the type of rider that doesn’t back down from a challenge. She’s always eager to learn and to push herself.
I’ve known Robyn so well for many years, and I know he’s not easy to ride. But I believed in Kayla’s skills as a rider – and she proved me right. She rose to the occasion.
Robyn isn’t just a showjumper, he’s also a Working Hunter horse – something that tests the complete partnership between horse and rider as they negotiate natural obstacles such as water, ditches and brush. One of the most versatile disciplines in equestrian sport, it demands confidence, balance, adaptability and trust.
I took a chance on this pair and it was a perfect match – a retired competition horse who found his purpose again.
Kayla brought life and spark back to a 19-year-old horse. Suddenly, he was like a youngster again, giving his all for this young girl who rides with so much passion for the sport – and so much love for him.
Kayla Grové shares...
I hope that the story of Robyn and me is one that’ll bring love and hope to many people – because it definitely brought it to me.
Since the first day riding Robyn, I just knew that he was the one that I was waiting for. It took us to meet, but I think we met right when we were supposed to.
We’ve done so much since being together. From jumping our first one-metre course and doing our first show, to me falling off him (it happened a few times!). I absolutely love Robyn with my whole heart and dread the day he has to officially retire.
But even then, we’ll still be making the best of the time we have together – and looking back at the memories we made.
