In this on‑site interview at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, rider Boyd Erik Martin discusses the challenges of managing his horse’s high‑energy temperament after a tense trot‑up, his preparation for a calm yet focused dressage test amid a noisy, electric crowd, and the psychological impact of the team’s last‑minute change—Kim’s withdrawal and Karen’s addition—on the U.S. lineup. He evaluates the massive cross‑country course, noting its size, technical demands, and how it suits his horse’s aggressive style, and outlines his strategic plan as the first American rider (rider 11) to go out: riding a direct line, aiming for a fast time, and setting a strong team score without having to make on‑the‑fly option decisions. Throughout, Martin balances confidence with caution, emphasizing relaxation work, crowd management, and the unique pressures of a three‑day, four‑star event.
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Well, here we are at the World Equestrian Games, and we are joined by our good friend Boyd, Martin Boyd, how did the job go for you today?
It was good. It was good. My horse got extremely wound up and excited. I think he thought he was back at the races and decided to canter the jogger, which the judges made me have a second go at it because he was going sideways and going a bit wild. So I had to do a second jog and they passed him on that rinse. Second go for it.
Right. Do you think that's a good thing with kind of having the horse rule?
I'm a little bit terrified, to be honest. He's been working so well and I've been feeding him lots of energy feed and thinking, wow, this is a quiet horse. And then yesterday we got an arena familiarization down in the ring, and then today at the trot up, and all of a sudden it's got to remind myself that he hasn't completely changed into a very, very quiet, good dressage horse. It was good, actually, because in a weird kind of way, I was getting a little bit confident and complacent, and I've seen the cross country side of him, which is a pretty fiery, hyped up side of him. And I'm half terrified about this dressage tomorrow. Bit worried that there's quite a lot of atmosphere and a lot of electricity in there. So I've got to really do a good job working him today and tomorrow morning and work on his relaxation. Not too much that he looks boring, but that he keeps cool and he walks in the walk and he stands still in the halts and stuff like that.
So what's kind of your schedule for riding him over the next couple of days?
Working on trying to get him nice and relaxed and trying to take him to places where there's a little bit of electricity and a little bit of atmosphere and noise and people around, but then not letting him to get to a point where he goes like that. It's hard. I mean, obviously here there's lots and lots of people and stuff like that, and it's hard to the arenas. You can only go in certain arenas at certain times.
Right. And what has it been like from a rider standpoint? Kind of the electricity in the crowd? I mean, what is it? What does it feel like to you?
I mean, it's. I mean, it's Kentucky, it's Lexington, so I've sort of been here before. So I think it's a little bit easier on us Americans just because it's A little bit familiar, you know, where everything is and that sort of thing. But definitely there's, you know, world class jumpers and dressage and reiners and there's a lot of people that wouldn't normally come to watch here, watching. So there's a lot more of a build to it, but, you know, the same thing. It's still just another horse trial, you know, it's dressage test, cross country country in show jumping. So as a rider, I think I'm trying not to make it into this huge thing. Obviously the title's changing of being the World Equestrian Games, but it's still a four star, three day event, which I've done a few times now.
Yeah, definitely. So to kind of switch gears a little bit, we had disappointing news this morning with Kim. How do you think that kind of the team competition dynamic changes with adding Karen to the team?
Well, they've replaced Kim with Karen, who's capable of a very, very strong dressage score. She's capable of a clear, fast CR country and the horse is a bloody good show jumper. So, I mean, they're throwing in a rider and a horse that's capable of an individual medal, you know. So, you know, I think it's obviously sad and disappointing with Kim bowing out, but they've replaced it with Karen who has the opportunity to get an individual medal. So I think it's, you know, it's a setback, but it's by no means over.
Definitely, definitely. What do you think about this cross country course you've walked around it? I mean, what are your thoughts?
It's big, eh? Like it's the biggest course I've probably ridden in size. Like the, you know, you come up to fence three and it's that big, fence four's that big. And I think it'll suit my horse a little bit because he's a little bit aggressive cross country. And I think it'll suit a bold horse that wants to attack the fences because it'll just back them off a little bit. So it's real tough though. Make no mistake, I'm in deep water here. So is the other 60 riders. So I think it's. After that course walk yesterday, everyone went very, very quiet for an hour or two.
Yeah, definitely. I mean, how do you. All the combinations that I've seen so far have options. I mean, so how is that going to be related to how you wheel the course, how the time looks like it's going to ride? How do you think that's going to play out with the possibility of taking options.
Well, I'm the first rider out for the American team. I'm rider 11th in the competition. So my goal or my plan will be to go direct everywhere and try and get the time and try and put a strong team score up if I can, which I'm confident of doing. There'll be 10 people before me, which isn't a lot of people to work out how it's riding or how the time's going. So I'm in a good place in a weird kind of way because you don't have to make decisions whether you can do an option and still make the time or which fence is riding bad. You know, you go out there and do it. And that suits me and suits my psyche and suits my horse.
Right. Good, Boyd. Well, best of luck throughout the weekend, and we look forward to hearing from you.
