Silva Featured on Dressage-News.com

Silva Martin riding Aesthete to second place in 6-year-old preliminary test in U.S. Young Horse Championships. © 2011 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

WAYNE, Illinois, Aug. 27–After a “horrible, horrible” summer, Silva Martin rode Aesthete to second place in the six-year-old preliminary test at the U.S. Young Horse Championships Friday, hoping to repeat the horse’s success from the past two years.

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Silva's Update from Lamplight

Stately was awesome for me yesterday in the first test of the championships! He really is an amazing horse, not just in his physical ability but he is also mentally outstanding. He really knows what's going on! As we entered the big ring with lots of spectators and a lot to look at, he really kicked into another gear. He really did not make one mistake!

Stately's walk is not huge, but it is good. I hurried it a little to try to make him take a bigger step - I watched the video after our test and I know I can ride it better on Sunday.

Yesterday's test counted as 40% of the championship and the test on Sunday counts 60%. I do really want to win but if Stately tries as hard for me on Sunday as he did yesterday then I am more than happy with whatever placing we get!

I know there are lots of people thinking of us and cheering for us this weekend. Thank you, thank you!!

Silva

Boyd and Neville's First Week in England

Boyd and Mark Todd

My first three days here in England have been great . Neville appears to have traveled well and is full of life. Julian Stiller's Headley Stud is the perfect place to train leading up to the big event at Burghley next week: a beautiful indoor, gallops, horse walkers, and of course the great Mark Todd, make it an entreating day for my first taste of England.

Boyd, Paul Tapner (Aus),
Chris Burton (Aus, borrowing my jacket because it was cold) and Jocko Paget (NZL)

Jules was nice enough to invite a few of my old mates from Australia around for a BBQ on Wednesday night. It was great to see Tappers, Burto and Jocko again. Last year we all got to ride at the WEG against each other. We all grew up eventing in Australia years and years ago and eventing has taken us all to a different country to live, two of us have changed nationalities, but we are all pretty much the same group of blokes.

With Will Coleman at a dressage show

I have be working hard at Nev's dressage every day and he looks to be going pretty well. Yesterday Jules, Coleman and I went to a dressage day to run through the four star test a few times. We got there and it was great to see Will Faudree, Sinead Halpin and Jess Phoenix doing the same thing. Unfortunately for me, I realized that my dressage is not quite on par with everyone else's at the moment. It was a good learning experience, to see that I have to work on a lot of the little things in the test.
I am spending a lot of time bonding with Nev. Lindsey, my groom, arrives next week, so I have been hard at work hand walking, stall cleaning, grooming, grazing and attending to all of the other needs of Bardos.
-Boyd

Silva's Report from Lamplight

We arrived sound and safe at the beautiful Lamplight Equestrian Center in Illinois for the National Young & Developing Horse Championships. I rode Stately this morning and he feels very good! He shipped well and is ready to go.

We had our jog this afternoon and our first class is on Friday. Duvent and Carrera also shipped well; they are both competing in the open show this weekend.
It is very hot and humid here today but the rest of the week is supposed to be beautiful.

Silva

A Big Thanks to Arenus

Without a doubt one of the contributing factors to Neville's comeback is thanks to some of the products I have been using from Arenus. Arenus is a company that I have been working with for a while now and they have a huge range of products that have undoubtedly returned Nev back to his best.

The main products that I have been using are:

Steadfast, which is the ultimate feed supplement that benefits joints, muscle, soft tissue (tendons and ligaments) and bone density. With the hard training that is involved with getting a horse fit for a four-star, Steadfast provides fantastic protection against daily trauma.

Aleira: With Neville's smoke inhalation, Aleira played a huge part in making sure there was no permanent respiratory damage. This product is great for any horse in an equine sport where the respiration of the horse is critical. It fights bacteria, and promotes clear airways in any animal with respiratory trouble.

Equilite have some awesome products thanks to Arenus. Starting from their liniments that I rub on the horses legs after work, to there poultice that gets spread over every horse's lower legs after a gallop or cross-country run.

I would like to thank Arenus for everything they have done for Silva and my horses.

Boyd

Nev Ships Well to the Mother Country

Nev and Tucker, Jess Phoenix (Canuck eventing super mum) and I had a long, strung out night on Sunday as we made our venture across the pond. After a few mechanical problems with the plane at Newark, our FedEx flight finally took off about 4 am Monday morning.




The flight took about 6 hours, and the pilots were great guys, allowing us into the cockpit to check out the scenery as we flew over London.



I am lucky enough to be staying with Julian Stiller at her magnificent farm at Headley Stud. I arrived with Nev about 7pm in the evening, where I was welcomed by a very nice group of Poms. Nev looked fresh as a daisy as he jumped off the truck.

I am staying with Will Coleman and Jules in her house at the barn. Coleman knocked up a beautiful dish of rice and chicken for our first US team bonding session dinner. The plan is to go for a run with Will in the morning, then start gently working away at the dressage with my man Nev.

Boyd

Clinic at Stony Brook Farm in New Hampshire

I had a great weekend teaching a clinic at Stony Brook Farm in New Hampshire this past weekend. It was not only a great clinic, but a breathtaking facility in horse heaven at Denise Lahey and Pierre Colin's beautiful property.


The riders were a great group of adult amateurs, young riders and a few pro's that all made improvement. Saturday we worked on show jumping, with half the session on gymnastics, and half jumping a course. Sunday was an entertaining day of X-country schooling.

I thoroughly enjoyed teaching at this wonderful setting, and also getting to know Steady Eddie's new part owners better, Denise and Pierre.

-Boyd

Photos Courtesy Denise Lahey

57 Gibble Road!

I was finally able to coordinate schedules with Boyd and Silva for a visit to their new farm at 57 Gibble Rd.  The property entrance sits well off the main road and is tucked back amongst other horse farms and corn fields, which offers great privacy.  The farm was formerly owned by Kirstie & Doug Grabosky,  another Chester County couple who are actively involved in horse sport as well.

The place was absolutely brimming with activity when I arrived on Wednesday afternoon.  Silva has her dressage horses set up in the main barn, with her girls Devon, Kymmie and Ashleigh working hard by her side.  Silva was also busy teaching lessons in their beautiful new ring, where Boyd joined her for flat work on a few of the younger horses, including Brewster and Quinn Himself.  We also hacked down the driveway & across the street to their neighbor's, Dr. Suzanne Kloud, who is an accomplished upper level rider as well.  Suzanne has designed a beautiful field stone barn & home, along with a great stadium ring where Boyd and crew school over fences.  There are also big plans to construct a new XC course on her adjoining piece of land, so it seems that she and Boyd have struck up a terrific partnership.  I'm ready to get out there to help build some fences!

Boyd has done quite the job of importing an enormous amount of portable barns in order to create his eventing facility between the main barn and the dressage ring.  The upper barns were clipping along at a fast pace, with Caitlin and Lindsay prepping horses, while Neville received his acupuncture treatment.  Every time I see that horse looking so healthy and vibrant, I have to pinch myself because of his amazing tenacity and heart.   I can't wait to cheer on Boyd and his wild eyed partner during their trip to Burghley, as we all know that the entire equestrian world is rallying behind them!

I hope you enjoy the slide show, which will give you a little glimpse into their new home and facility!



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