168 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
2 SIDELINES JUNE 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
and from the ring to the barn all their life,” Silva said. “I like them
to go out and see things, go up and down hills and maybe jump
a few logs in the woods and be a bit of a normal horse. I do use
cross-training a lot. It has a lot to do with being with Boyd and the
event horses doing a lot of galloping. I don’t do the same fitness
work, but my horses do hill work as part of their training.”
The hills have an easy slope that works very well after the horses
learn to handle the terrain. “They trot up and canter down, a very
collected canter,” Silva explained. “It makes them stronger and
teaches them to balance better. With the upper level horses I do
a lot of short canters down a slight hill, I think it really teaches
them to carry themselves behind. In a collected canter they have
to work hard to keep their front end up while going downhill. It’s
different from going up the hill in the trot. I find that this approach
helps the horses to get very strong behind.”
Silva isn’t into trail riding, per se, but she believes in using
different settings like trails and fields to train the horses. “We’re
lucky enough to be next to a conservancy with thousands of
acres, and I like to teach them lots of different things when
they are out,” Silva said. “They are not thinking about what
they’re doing the way they do when they work in the arena.
This is especially good for a sensitive horse. I keep training my
horses, but I try to do it in a fun way so they get a break from the
pressure of the arena.”
Silva and Boyd are ardent supporters of American-bred horses,
producing and developing young prospects to their best
potential. Since the Martins’ move to the United States, dressage
has been changing. “Hugely, to be honest – the horse quality is
better and I’m lucky that American breeders have supplied me
with many, many good horses to train and to compete – there’s
some fabulous breeding going on in this country,” said Silva.
Silva and Rosa Cha W competing at Dressage at Devon.
Photo by SusanJStickle.com
Silva on Cornel, borrowed from Boyd’s owners, the Juvonens,
with Cheshire Hounds during a Thanksgiving hunt.
Photo by Alec Thayer AB3Photography
“I’m excited also about Robert Dover helping the dressage. I
think he’s on a really good path and he’s trying to plan as many
European tours as possible. To be successful in Europe, you
have to go there and compete. The same is true of eventing. If
Americans keep showing up and performing well…”
Silva speaks from experience. She hopes to debut Rosa Cha W
at grand prix this year. The mare’s bloodlines and show record
indicate serious potential, “I was lucky enough to receive a
training grant with Rosa Cha and I’m very excited about that,
because I was there when she was born and I have done all the
work with her,” Silva said. “It’s amazing to be recognized and
have this support from the federation behind me. I have some
fantastic young horses coming up that are going to do the Markel
Young Horse series again, like I did last year. So I’m very excited
about all these prospects.”
About the writer: Sidelines’ Lauren R. Giannini is an award-
winning “wordsmith” specializing in stories and photos about the
equestrian world. Crazy about horses her entire life, she lives in
the horse and hunt country of Virginia. Lauren’s motto is “write,
ride - not necessarily in that order!”
