EquiFit Announces Their Sponsorship of Boyd!!

A genuine commitment to horses and riders drives EquiFit to seek new and better ways to help them perform, recover, be comfortable and succeed at all levels. Our unique blend of ingenuity and horse world expertise allows us to continuously adapt premium innovations in healthcare and fitness to the needs of equestrians.

The result: distinctive products for high performance both in and out of the ring.

"I first learned about EquiFit at the American Eventing Championships this year when I was asked to demo their product ShouldersBack. I was seriously impressed with the position it put me in. Besides getting me in the optimal position for riding, it’s been helping for developing muscle memory so I am constantly standing taller. I now wear ShouldersBack for all three phases. For dressage, it keeps me better aligned, for cross county it keeps me in the back seat on the big drops and for stadium, it keeps me in better balance with my horse overall. It provides great support and it’s comfortable to wear.

Besides ShouldersBack, EquiFit makes many very innovative products for horses and riders. Their T-Foam is true memory foam and is in all the boots and bandage liners. It gives each horse a custom fit and is the best thing I’ve found for protecting and supporting my horse’s legs. The T-Sport wraps roll on beautifully and they don’t slip or twist during work like polos. They also provide great support and they prevent any irritating sand or dirt from getting in and rubbing my horse’s legs. Silva keeps stealing my T-Sport wraps and bandage liners and I’ve only got one pair! They are really fantastic for day-to-day workouts.

I want the best for my horses. It takes a tremendous amount of hard-work and dedication to get them to them to the top. It is evident that EquiFit takes their job to heart by producing top quality products that are comfortable and effective."

Visit Their Website 

Shires Blankets, Just in Time for Winter!

Shires Equestrian Products is privileged to be able to support Boyd Martin. The firm, which holds a Royal Warrant from Queen Elizabeth II for providing the Royal Stables with equestrian equipment for horse and rider, is based in Herefordshire, England. Shires is well-known in Europe, and while it has been selling in the U.S. for 20 years, it opened its first U.S. distribution center in 2008. Today it sells its products in the U.S. both online and through a network of dealers. 

Shires is unique in that it owns and operates its own factories, thereby ensuring that it has complete control over the manufacturing process as well as the raw materials used. Shiretex, its proprietary 600 to 2,000 denier waterproof ripstop fabric, is utilized in many of the high quality, sturdy—and very affordable—horse blankets the firm manufacturers each year.

Visit Shires online at www.ShiresEquestrian.com

Sponsor Spotlight: SmartPak Equine

We have had our high performance horses on supplements from SmartPak Equine for the past couple of months now and they are all looking their best and performing better than ever. Everyone at the company has been very helpful in figuring out exactly what are the best supplements for each of our horses.

The best part is the packaging is especially helpful when we take our horses on the road, or in Remi's case back in November, overseas. If you remember the photos Caitlin took from that trip, she had an Everest-size pile of gear to organize so having his supplements ready to go in their handy Smartpaks was one less thing for her to worry about. We'd like to thank SmartPak for their sponsorship and look forward to working with them in the coming year!

If anyone out there is interested in trying SmartPak you can contact them for a free 3-day sample by clicking here.

Boyd and Silva

Looking Back: 2010 Was a Remarkable Competition Year for Boyd

The year 2010 has been a stellar one for Boyd, with his first opportunity to represent the United States at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, where he was the highest-placing individual American rider. He also finished in the top ten at the Pau CCI**** in France, his first time competing in Europe. At the end of the year Boyd is ranked third overall on the US Eventing Association Rider of the Year rankings with 552 points and second overall USEA Adult Rider at the Advanced Level. On the International Equestrian Federation’s (FEI) HSBC Rider Rankings for Eventing, Boyd finished an astounding fifth overall.

His horses have also had a banner year. Boyd’s own Neville Bardos, who is currently in the syndication process, finished tenth overall on the USEA Horse of the Year standings and 7th overall at the Advanced level. Ron and Densey Juvonen’s outstanding Hanoverian gelding Remington XXV, who was Boyd’s partner for his European four-star debut at Pau this fall, is ranked 6th overall at the Advanced level and 8th overall for Horse of the Year.

Bruce Davidson Sr.’s young Thoroughbred mare Rock on Rose, who Boyd piloted around the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** in April, finished 7th overall on the Mare of the Year rankings.

In all Boyd rode completed five separated four-star rides in 2010, with three horses at Rolex Kentucky, Neville at the WEG and Remi at Pau. According to Boyd that means that he jumped approximately 215 four-star cross-country fences and spent about 58 minutes total on four-star cross-country courses. That is some serious mileage! It’s all the more impressive that every single cross-country round was without jumping faults.

The four-star horses were not the only champions in Boyd’s barn this year. Ron and Densey Juvonen’s mare Charla tied for 8th overall at the Preliminary level; Amy Lindgren’s Minotaure du Passoir, who won this year’s Bromont CCI* in Canada, finished 10th at Prelim. Boyd was also the Adult Preliminary Rider of the Year.

With more promising horses coming along all the time, here’s looking forward to another fantastic year in 2011!

-Amber Heintzberger

Special Deal For a Special Horse: Shatzi W Offered For Sale

I have an opportunity of a lifetime for a lucky person out there. The mare 'Shatzi W' is an 11-year old Advanced event horse that I bred in Australia, imported to the USA, trained and have loved very much for the past decade. Last year, we placed second at the Jersey Fresh CCI** and also competed at the Advanced level at a few events. I think she has only ever had two rails in her whole career. You can check her USEA results here.

I realized after falling off her last year at the Richland Park CIC*** that she does not have the makings of a 4-star horse. After having a slow start this year after recovering from injury I have come to terms with selling her. She is a very sweet, genuine, talented mare that has plenty of life left in her. One problem that I have is getting her through pre-purchase vet check for when I sell her. When you trot her up on a hard surface or on a tight circle there is a 1 degree lameness that is visible....however, the lameness is not visible and cannot be felt when she is ridden.

I have spent thousands of dollars with vets trying to work out this small lameness with no answers. At the end of the day, it's just the way she is. This however is a major problem when trying to sell her for her true value.

So here is the deal: I am interested in giving this wonderful horse a life of low level eventing (up to training, maybe prelim), breeding (she is by the Dutch super sire 'Salute'), trail riding, dressage or pony club to someone out there. It would have to be the right person as I love this horse very much. The person who ends up with her does so with the understanding that they are buying this horse for nowhere near her real worth because of her condition. I would like to fetch $15,000 to the right home only.

Please call me if you are interested.... 610-806-2381

Cheers,

Boyd

Waranga W Has his First Jump School

Well folks, I must admit I love this time of the year. While the higher level hot shots like Nev and Remi are on holiday, there is heaps of time to get the young horses going. This year we have a couple of exceptional three year olds starting up, one of which is Waranga ,who had his first jump school today.

I own Waranga in partnership with my first supporter, Amy Lindgren. For those of you that don't know, Amy also owns Minotaure Du Passoir,(whom she is riding in the background of this video). Min was last year's USEA Prelim Horse of the Year, and this year's Bromont CCI* winner.

Waranga is mostly Australian Thoroughbred, with a bit of French and Belgian Warmblood jumping blood mixed in. His mother is a very close relation to Blyth Tait's Olympic champion Ready Teddy. Waranga is a good mover, and also looks to have a promising jump.

He is still a bit immature in his body, so I think it is wise to work with him through the winter, and then turn him out and leave him in the field whilst we are in Aiken next year. I can't wait until this little guy gets old enough to compete.

Boyd

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hunting from Boyd and Silva

Boyd and Silva with Bruce Davidson's Chesterland farm in the background.

We had a wonderful and wet Thanksgiving Day with the Cheshire fox hunt. Every year there is a huge gathering of the community at the Kennels to see the hunt ride through thousands of acres of preserved land.

The riders in the hunt include people from all walks of life: race jockeys, land owners, flat and steeplechase trainers, doctors, lawyers, farmers, investment bankers, and we are very proud to say, a few eventing riders and one dressage rider!

Ryan Wood, Ron Juvonen and Boyd Martin

Ron and Densey Juvonen where nice enough to lend us a couple of their top horses for the hunt. Boyd was riding 'Leon', who is Justina Juvonen's Dutch show jumper, while Silva was on Ron's pride and joy, The Colonel. Even though Silva had the shiniest boots on, and the longest stirrups, she jumped all of the three-rail post and rail fences. She even jumped a couple of fences on the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup course and the Brooklawn Double (two post and rail fences separated by Newark Road that you have to gallop across).

It was a fabulous hunt that lasted a couple of hours galloping around the countryside near Unionville. We both truly enjoy getting involved with other horse sports in this great community that we live in. Its a great opportunity to meet interesting characters, and also get an insight how other legendary horse trainers and riders work with their horses...


Happy Thanksgiving,
Boyd and Silva