Boyd Martin Keeps It Simple, In Both Horses And Tack

When it comes to managing his fleet of horses, from the upper-level contenders to the next generation youngsters, international eventer Boyd Martin says he tries to keep it simple. 

Even now, with the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event behind him and the Olympic Games on the horizon. Crowned the National Champion at Kentucky, Boyd said the Olympics were the farthest thing from his mind going into the April 5-star event. 

“You start thinking about the Olympics and you lose focus on what actually gets you there,” Boyd told the hosts of the Heels Down Happy Hour Podcast. “A great performance at Kentucky and a good sound horse afterwards.” 

Boyd says he rides every one of his horses, from the youngest and the greenest to his Advanced horses, in just a snaffle. 

“If they’re really strong, I’ll put a twisted snaffle in,” he said. “I see all these weird and wonderful devices and I think they sometimes cause more drama than what they’re worth. I’m pretty simplistic.” 

As for evaluating prospects, Boyd said he tends to buy horses of all ages and types. 

“I buy two or three year olds off their breeding and look,” he said. “If you’ve got the budget to buy a 6,7,8 year old, they’ve generally proven they can do the job and are less of a risk at that age. It’s finding them that’s the hard part.” 

Most of the horses in Boyd’s barn are German sport horses these days. And then there’s Thomas, the black Trakehner who has racked up a number of top-level appearances and accolades in recent years. 

“He’s not brilliantly talented but he’s an absolute trier,” Boyd described. “If I went to Europe to buy horses, I don’t think I’d buy him. But we’ve cracked on with our partnership. It goes to show how useless I am at picking a horse.” 

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