dressage and event horses, as well as a number of young- sters with promising careers ahead of them. Through the years, I’ve noticed a lot of dressage trainers basically tack up in the barn, ride to the 60 x 20 arena, work their horses and then ride directly back to the barn, six days a week. While this is the essence of a dressage career, I’ve seen Silva’s training evolve over the years: a lot of her three-, four- and five-year-olds now do trot sets around the cross- country course, jump small show jumps, do cavalletti and hack down the roads with garbage trucks and other scary things rumbling by. All of her young dressage horses also trot through our water jump. I think Silva is able to produce horses with a much bet-
ter mental state, thanks to this background. Before, when- ever she went to a new venue, all the excitement took its toll on the young horses. Now, when they get to a com- petition, they’ve seen a lot more of the ‘real world’ thanks to her cross training, and it shows in the way they calmly handle new situations. Don’t get me wrong: I definitely benefit in this deal,
as Silva is constantly sitting on my top event horses, schooling them on the flat for me. She also puts the flying changes on all my horses to make sure they’re correctly started. Her understanding of the art of dressage is far be- yond my capabilities and I must admit that over the years I’ve gotten a bit lazy!
Thanks to Silva’s knowledge and abilities, I believe all
the event horses and riders that come to our farm have a slightly better feel for dressage because we’re surrounded by true dressage riders in their shiny boots, sitting up straight and doing everything correctly. It’s a good influ- ence on us scruffy eventers who are striving to produce horses to a high level.
THE WRAP-UP It’s great to specialize and become really good at what you do. But focusing intently on your own sport can prevent you from learning valuable lessons from experts in other fields. There are lots of great ways to expose yourself to equestrian disciplines other than your own: attend a clinic as an auditor, visit a competition as a spectator or go di- rectly to an expert. In short, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is, quite sim- ply, the best way to learn something new.
Four-star event rider Boyd Martin represented the United States at the 2010 World Equestrian Games and the 2012 Olympics. He and his wife Silva, a G.P. dressage rider, own and operate Windurra USA in Cochranville, PA. Learn more about them at
www.boydandsilvamartin.com.
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98 March/April 2016
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