The keeper of the fire: Silvia Ochsenreiter-Egli reveals her training secrets

She stands for her own riding style like no other: fiery, joyful and radiant. And that is exactly what her horses embody on the track: joy, fire and radiance.

Silvia talks about how she lights fires and puts a smile on people's faces.

Authors: Veroinka Conen: CEO Sportsfreund Studios and Silvia Ochsenreiter-Egli

Dear Silvia,

You represent your own riding style like nobody else: fiery, joyful and radiant. Do you feel the same way when you ride?

I feel at one with myself and the horse, especially when I'm riding. In harmony with nature and free from negative feelings or thoughts. I don't think actively. I feel, I listen, I am completely in the moment.

Does this correspond to your personality?

I have often heard these attributes in connection with my personality. My self-perception is more modest, but I am very pleased about this compliment.

Does it happen that way or do you consciously plan the smile?

True joy comes from within and definitely cannot be planned. In my eyes, that would be like cheating the horse. The horse sees through fake feelings immediately.

What is your secret?

Phew, difficult question... Part of it is probably due to the fact that I give the horse a lot of freedom to develop its personality. Most horses feel really comfortable with me after a short time. I am at peace with myself and can therefore give them a lot of peace and security.

I don't force myself on them, I try to approach them on a level of mutual respect and trust .

How do you deal with your horses in everyday life? Does that have anything to do with your success?

As I'm not the kind of rider who likes to pick up one horse after the other already saddled in order to have ridden 10 or more horses by the end of the day, I focus on joint leisure time in terms of physical and psychological rapprochement when dealing with my horses.
I observe them, I like to brush them and I know exactly how much “attention” each individual animal needs and when it is sometimes too much. At the same time, I respect their personal space and dignity. This has nothing to do with “tangling”. However, Heljar is a bit spoiled after all these years. He has a lot of freedom, but also senses when things get “serious”, e.g. at tournaments.

What does it mean that a horse is having fun, and how do you tell?

Fun in the sense of human fun is a difficult word. I would equate it with a proud expression and enjoyment of movement. Bright eyes, a lively facial expression, powerful, energetic movements, a hearty snort, a soft connection to the horse's mouth where the horse leans loosely against the bit, a fine response to invisible aids without pinning its ears or flapping its tail, the feeling of being one with the horse, etc.

What role does technical training play for you?

For me, it's the be-all and end-all. Without a solid foundation, performance cannot be effortlessly retrieved or reproduced. Solid, fair and horse-friendly training is essential for keeping the horse healthy under saddle.

How do you motivate your horses?

Diversified training with lots of positive energy and trying to keep the tasks easy for the horse to understand. Don't ask too much at once, but always in accordance with the horse's character, temperament and disposition.
There is a great quote from Albert Einstein: “If you measure a fish by its ability to climb trees, it will always think it is stupid”.
Let the sentence sink in for a few minutes, it's worth it!

Do disciplinary technique and freedom of the horse contradict each other?

Absolutely not, because the horse can only show its full potential if it develops both respect and trust in the rider. This requires both discipline and technique. A horse is a herd animal, it loves a clear hierarchy. Once this position has been clarified, it will be able to move freely and happily. Discipline doesn't have to be a bad thing as long as you remain fair and just. As much as necessary, as little as possible, is the magic word here.

What do you think about the concept of obedience?

Selbstverständlich erwarte ich von einem gut ausgebildeten Pferd, dass es gelernt hat zuzuhören und auf korrekte und faire „Fragen“ des Reiters entsprechend zu antworten. Ich bin streng aber gerecht. Das wird von meinen Pferden sehr wertgeschätzt und hierbei ist das richtige Timing von grösster Bedeutung. Je kürzer die Korrektur (im richtigen Moment) und je schneller das Lob, desto the clearer it is for our horses to understand.

Every rider has certainly experienced a horse snorting happily after a good correction, partly because his balance has improved and his body has become more flexible. I am strict until the horse offers to be ridden freely, loosely and in good self-carriage. I challenge, but try not to overtax. I encourage my horses to move forward diligently, to experience their pride and joy in movement. That sounds a bit esoteric, but it's not. It is based on honest training without tricks and shortcuts.

I have already had lessons with you and during the course I got that happy and free feeling from myself and my horse. Dagfari and I were intoxicated and felt outstanding.

You seem to use the same tricks on your students as you do on your horses. What is your approach to teaching?

Over the last 30 years (oh God, have I really been doing this for that long?) I have taught a wide variety of riders and horses and have learned a lot from my students/horses and the way they absorb new things. I have also “tested” different teaching methods and am now at the point where my experience is very beneficial to me.

Just as I understand how to read horses, I also try to reach people. This is usually much more complex because people often come to me with very clear expectations, some of which are unrealistic or cannot be fulfilled in the short term. A horse never has expectations or prejudices. It lives in the moment. I try to bring my students to this point. They should be free of distracting thoughts and concentrate fully on the here and now with their horse. A trainer to whom I owe a lot once said: “We ride the horse we have today, not the one from yesterday or tomorrow.”

What does that mean for your students?

In other words, I try to guide my students to feel more and ride less with the textbook open in their heads. Of course, a theoretical understanding of how, where and why is extremely important. However, this should not lead to a blockage while riding. Otherwise you will end up not knowing which way is up or down because of all the complicated explanations. A true master can explain the most complicated things in very simple terms, leaving enough time for feeling and enjoyment.

What is the first thing you teach a beginner?

Basically, in addition to the correct handling of the horse, I first teach a balanced and rein-independent seat. Good lunging lessons are essential here. This can go on for months and doesn't have to be boring for horse and rider. My students always make their first attempts at riding with reins bitless with a knotted halter, sidepull or the reins strapped to the noseband. The horse's mouth is “sacred” and learning to give aids correctly via the seat takes a lot of time.

Beginner lessons should always be individual lessons. I don't think much of riding in larger groups. Unfortunately, this is often not possible for many companies and students for cost reasons. The best school horses and the most experienced riding instructors should be used for beginner lessons. Unfortunately, here too there is sometimes a wide gap between the ideal and the reality.

Do you differentiate between teaching children and adults?

For beginners, I think it depends on whether they start riding as children or as adults. Children are much freer in spirit, more flexible, without preconceptions. Adult beginners usually want to understand too much with their minds, tend to be insecure and less willing to experiment than children.

Wie ist Deine Sicht auf sogenannte „untalentierte“ Pferde und Schülerinnen? Ein Reitkurs ist ja kein Kadertraining

The more unsolvable the task seems, the more motivated I am. But if the person or animal is not open to further development, I naturally reach my limits.

You don't always have pure talent on both sides in squad training either. I don't measure a good/talented rider by their success at competitions. I ask myself: does he have a good heart, is he empathetic with the horse, can he show patience and humility? Does he enjoy small successes, is he willing to invest time in his mental and physical fitness? If so, then he will develop his own riding style. A good rider has sound basic theoretical knowledge without being dogmatic.

If you're looking for fast success, at any level, you've come to the wrong place

Do you have a guiding principle when teaching?

My motto is: the horse always remains a horse and is not a means to an end. We should approach it with esteem and respect and allow it to behave naturally. A horse's trust is hard to gain and easy to lose!

What do you want to pass on to your students?

Ride for your own pleasure and that of the horse. Don't abuse the horse to cover up your own weaknesses. Be patient and learn to feel your horse's needs.

Kritiker:innen sagen gerne, Dein Reitstil sei „öko“. Was wollen sie damit sagen?

You'd have to ask the people concerned first. The statement is probably not meant as a compliment in this context, but rather in connection with terms such as “boring, unspectacular, too alternative, too unambitious” or whatever.

How do you feel about this?

I associate the term “eco” with things like “sustainable, resource-saving, low-wear, without additives - or technical aids and tricks”.

Ecological sustainability describes the long-term and considerate use of (finite) natural resources, in this case the horse as a partner. You couldn't pay me a bigger compliment, could you? You can read more about her and Heljar here.

What do you wish for the equestrian sport?

I would like to see more riders who make their horses shine, whether in their free time or at competitions.

What is your personal dream?

When my last hour has come, I want to be struck by lightning in the race pass.
All joking aside... I hope that I can continue to train my horses and students with the same joy and motivation for many years to come, so that a few more radiant riders and horses' hearts will shine on this earth.