Katrin Silva
The Helmet and I: A Complicated Story
I was born in 1970 and started riding horses when I was seven. In those days, at least in Germany, no one wore a helmet, except for...
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Katrin Silva
Nov 30, 20233 min
Yes, You Can Solve Contact Issues
Many horses who come to me for training have contact issues. Contact can be tricky. Horses learn to avoid honest contact by leaning on...
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Katrin Silva
Aug 23, 20234 min
It’s All About the Big Picture
In my early twenties, I spent several years as an assistant trainer at Quarter Horse show barns. I soon realized that training a...
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Katrin Silva
Aug 23, 20233 min
How to Start Every Ride on a Good Note
When does a training session start? When I swing my leg over the horse’s back? When I pick up the reins? When I ask for the first step of...
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Katrin Silva
Aug 23, 20232 min
"My Horse Does Not Do What I Ask!"
This is a common complaint from riders. When their horse does not do what they are asking, they assume he is being willfully disobedient,...
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Katrin Silva
Feb 22, 20232 min
Teaching, Learning, and Respect
Learning will only happen in certain conditions. The most important of these is mutual respect - between horse and rider, between teacher...
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Katrin Silva
Jan 18, 20233 min
Learning to Speak Horse
Anyone who reads my writing can tell that English is not my first language. It’s not my second language, either. It’s my third. I grew up...
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Katrin Silva
Dec 8, 20223 min
Re-educating the Race Horse
Ivy, my favorite OTTB to date. Over the years, I’ve worked with my share of former race horses - OTTBs, but also Quarter horses and...
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Katrin Silva
Dec 8, 20223 min
It's Not About the Heart Alone
There’s a lot of talk about heart, spirit, and emotional connection in today’s horse world - a marked contrast to the buzzwords of...
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Katrin Silva
Oct 6, 20223 min
Why the Western Saddle?
I call myself a dressage rider. So why am I using my Western saddle more than my dressage saddle? There's a practical reason: it fits...
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Katrin Silva
Aug 10, 20224 min
The Best Goal is Enjoying the Ride
"Sit tall in the saddle, Hold your head up high Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky And live like you ain't afraid to die...
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Katrin Silva
Jun 22, 20223 min
My Horse, My Mirror
Dogs and their owners start to look alike after they’ve spent enough time in each other’s company. Something similar is true for horses...
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Katrin Silva
May 16, 20224 min
Forest Fires and Beauty Standards
Forest fires are burning all around New Mexico right now. My horses and I are not in danger, at least not yet, but I know many people...
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Katrin Silva
Apr 11, 20223 min
Being and Doing
Riding horses is a two-way conversation. The technical knowledge of how to talk to your horse, about what you want him to do is one part...
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Katrin Silva
Mar 9, 20223 min
Hard Mouth, Soft Mouth
“My horse has a hard mouth!” I’ve heard well-meaning riders use this phrase to justify their need to pull or fiddle on the reins “to get...
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Katrin Silva
Jan 15, 20224 min
It’s Not All Downhill from Here: Why I Look Forward to Getting Older
Horses don't get wrinkles, which seems unfair. I prefer not to think about old age, but not wanting to think about it doesn’t stop the...
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Katrin Silva
Dec 10, 20214 min
Good Riders are Educated Riders
I think of good riding as having three main ingredients: a good seat, a lot of feel, and a coherent system of training based on solid...
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Katrin Silva
Sep 16, 20214 min
A Sensible Work Ethic
I’ve always been proud of being a hard worker. For many years, decades even, I thought working more was always better than working less....
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Katrin Silva
Aug 17, 20213 min
Words Matter
How we talk to and about our horses is important. This is especially true when things don’t go as planned, like when training sessions...
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Katrin Silva
Jun 29, 20214 min
Why Can’t Horse Shows be More Like Trail Races?
Back then, dressage scores mattered to me. A lot. Ten years ago, I had lost my way in the horse world. I was entering my forties. I was...
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