PRO Salutes Lindsey!

Myself with Lindsey and Karen O'Connor

Last night my groom Lindsey Taylor was awarded the award for Best Groom in the USA at a cocktail party at the American Eventing Association's annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee. There was a huge turnout for the awards night, at which Karen O'Connor presented Lindsey with a silver cup and a check for $5,000.00. PRO also donated $500 to charity for the occasion. Lindsey made a sensational speech thanking PRO for the award.

A huge thanks Lindsey for all that you do!

-Boyd

Training Solutions from Top Event Riders

Boyd took part in this popular seminar at the USEA Convention in Nashville, TN this year. Click here to read the audience's questions and answers from the panel of top riders.

H.H. Lancaster arrives from Canada

A big congratulations must go to Ron & Densey Juvonen and Justina & Art Dodge on their purchase of a very, very impressive 5-year-old gelding: H.H. Lancaster is a Canadian-bred, 17hh Thoroughbred/Hanoverian/French cross gelding that Silva and I found on a tour of horses a couple of weeks ago in Ontario.
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Silva and I spent a few days cruising around Canada searching for horses. Waylon
Roberts had Lancaster in training at Dreamcrest Equestrian thanks to Sue Ockendon. Lancaster looks to be a super mover and a scopey jumper that has plenty of ability. The plan is to get to know him and start eventing him midway through the season in Aiken next year.



His name was thought up between the two couples of owners: Ron and Densey own Henley House Stables and Art and Justina are from Lancaster....thus H.H. Lancaster. Again, a big thanks to the new supporting sets of owners!

On our way home from looking at around 50 horses
we managed to do a little sightseeing at Niagara Falls.

-Boyd

Boyd Featured in Sports Illustrated Olympic Coverage

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:

Boyd Martin's favorite saying, no matter the circumstances, is, "It could always be worse."

But for the U.S. equestrian team member and 2012 Olympic hopeful, that saying was barely applicable when he nearly lost all of his horses and staff when his barn caught fire at the end of May.

"[The saying] just says so much about his attitude," says the head manager of his horses and stables of just over a year, Lindsey Taylor. She pauses to reflect, "He kind of stopped saying that for awhile after the fire. I think it took a lot out of him, everything that we lost."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/olympics/12/06/Boyd-Martin-Olympic-hopeful/index.html#ixzz1fxegtS6N


Rider Boyd Martin rallies after fire nearly burns Olympic dreams - SI.com - Olympics

Memorial for Horses Lost in Fire

A big thanks must go to the owners of the six horses that were lost in the Memorial Day fire at True Prospect Farm.

Each owner has purchased a pear tree in memory of their horse, and the trees have been planted along the driveway at our farm in Cochranville, PA. The trees were organized by Charla's owner, Densey Juvonen.



Smartpak Equine were also nice enough to make plaques with each horse's name on it, which are mounted on stones. I think that this is a great way to memorialize the wonderful horses that were lost in the fire. As time goes on the tragedy becomes more distant, however the horses will never be forgotten.

Silva Improving 'The Party Boy'

There are many 'perks' to be married to Silva, one of them being that she is an amazing dressage trainer. She spends most of her days training and teaching pure dressage horses, but I often manage to get a helping hand .

"Party Boy", otherwise know as Curtis, is owned by Fernanda Kellogg and Nick Meyers of Millbrook, New York. He is a stunning looking American Thoroughbred that oozes with talent and class. He is athletic, bold and gorgeous and looks to be one of my up and coming horses for the future.

This year I managed to take him from Training to Preliminary in eventing. He is a super jumper, but the one phase in the events that he has struggled with has been the dressage: I found him a little stiff, and a little stuck in his body, and I have not had much luck improving his scores over the past six months. This has been heartbreaking as I always have the feeling that this horse could be the real deal. So I have had to call in the dressage trainer to take over the ride....

Silva has been working with him the last month and has improved him hugely. He is moving better, looks more relaxed and "through" and looks like he is now enjoying the work. I plan to leave him with Silva for the next month or two, and really get him up to par in his dressage before I start eventing him again. Check out the above youtube.com video of him working with Silva at home last week.

Let this be a lesson to any up and coming eventing lad looking for a future relationship.....

Boyd

Treat Yourself for the Holidays - Videos on Sale!!!

It's the beginning of the holiday shopping season and we're all stressed out about sending out Christmas cards and deciding what presents to get for our family and friends.  Why not be a little self indulgent and treat yourself to some instructional videos?!  Now is the time to snuggle up with a cup of hot chocolate and improve your riding skills!

Come backstage at the Red Hills International Horse Trials to gain understanding into upper level methods for preparing for your competition. Regardless of your level, these tools & strategies can be applied to your pre-game warmup so you can improve your dressage score and conquer the cross country!!  So go ahead and treat yourself this season........and the price is right!!

Both Series 2 Videos are on sale for $9.95 throughout the month of December.

1. Preparing for the Dressage Phase



2. Preparing For A Successful Cross Country Ride!