the show jumping phase and to finish seventh overall. In January 2011 Remington headed south to sunny
Wellington, Florida for three weeks of hard core show jumping boot camp with the U.S. eventing team’s show jumping coach, Katie Prudent. Boyd joins his equine partner for the final week to work with Prudent and learn her secrets for unlocking Remington’s inner show jumper. Their goal is to return to the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* in April and prove that they can excel again at all three phases of a four-star competition. “I’d like to see, with Katie’s knowledge and expert
training, that I’ll get a second chance at his four-star career. Hopefully we will not make this mistake again but achieve the unthinkable and win a four-star somewhere in the world in the next two years,” says Boyd. “Remi is a very good jumper but it’s a matter of figuring
exactly what ride he needs to the jump, what warm-up he needs, and enough accuracy to the fences. I don’t think I’m knowledgeable or experienced enough in the show jumping yet to completely understand the psychology of this horse, so I have to trust Katie, who’s jumped in her sleep for the past 40 years and understands how to make horses outside the box jump beautifully.”
The Making of a Four-Star Horse Boyd thinks that Remington’s diverse background has made him what he is today. He says, “The one thing that made my task easy in taking this horse to the four-star level is his trainability. Remington is the most willing and trainable horse that I’ve ever ridden; whatever task I put in front of him in his journey he has always accepted the challenge and been willing to try.” “His nature is willing and enthusiastic,” Boyd continues. “I also think his background, having a structured start to life in dressage training in Germany where he was taught discipline in his training before coming to America, was very beneficial. Plus a more forward-thinking and uninhibited life as a foxhunter as well as living in a field with a pack of horses, has all contributed to his great work ethic. He knows how to handle himself on the street. The Hanoverian blood flowing through Remington’s veins includes champion lines, and a champion is a champion,” says Boyd. “Remington, although intended to be a dressage horse, has ended up being one of the top four- star eventers in the world.” Caitlin Silliman works as groom and assistant rider to
Boyd and traveled to France with Remington a few days before Boyd flew over to ride in the event at Pau. “It was fun to go to France. Luckily Remi is such an easy traveler— he was really good on the plane,” she says. “He gets right on the trailer and ships out. I was able to turn him out in Chantilly, whereas most high level horses will go crazy after being on a plane for the past 24 hours. At the shows
All photos by Amber Heintzberger
he’s also really easy and loves to graze. He’s a windsucker just like Neville, that’s his one naughty habit, and if he’s bored he’s pushy with his head and will just about knock you over, but otherwise he’s pretty laid-back.” Caitlin has been there from the start of Remington’s
eventing career and remarks, “It’s cool because I was around when Boyd was first riding him, and everyone joked that it looked like Boyd was riding a pony. Ever since he did his first three-star at Fair Hill his whole body type has changed and now he looks like a big-time horse. I think he surprised everybody. I also think he has such a good relationship with Boyd. If Boyd asked him to go off a cliff he’d probably do it!” Caitlin spends many days hacking Remington back
home at True Prospect Farm and occasionally when Boyd is away does some flat work or fitness training with him. “He’s definitely our easiest four-star horse,” she says. “Boyd has to ride Neville six times a day before a 4-star, he has so much energy, whereas Remi needs his rest. He’s very easy going.”
Training Challenges Changes to the sport of three-day eventing in recent years have made the cross-country and endurance phase shorter, more technical and therefore friendlier to the Warmblood breeds. Remington is a superstar in
The pair during the cross country at Rolex Kentucky.
Warmbloods Today 43
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