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Horsezone News

Five Minutes With... Sylvia Zerbini

Published on Friday, May 10, 2013 in Five Minutes With Horsezone

 

 

 

 

In less than three weeks Sylvia Zerbini will be here to conduct her amazing clinics!

Read more about the clinics here.

Paulette Evans from Ribbleton Warmbloods caught up with Syliva this week for a quick interview... 

What do you do?

I am a trainer and entertainer, travelling through out the USA presenting my art with my horses.

Where do you live?

I now reside in Ocala, Florida, USA. Known as the Horse Capital of the World.

How did you get started in liberty training?

Growing up on my family’s circus, I was in charge of the turnouts for all the horses, this taught me to observe their language between each other, ‘The Silent Language’. Learning traditional circus liberty at an early age, never following the rules, I developed my own training methods from observing horses in their natural environment. The language of the horse teaching me the way.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to change the way they interact/work with horses?

Listen to your horse, always work slower and always acknowledge each thing your horse gives to you. Perfection will come in time.

Who are your mentors/idols/inspirational people?

Very simply, all horses are my mentors, idols and my total inspiration.

What drives and motivates you to get up every morning and do what you do?

I feel that I have a mission to inspire people when I work with my horses, I want teach all the language of the horse as they know each other.

What is you favourite breed or breeds and gender of horse to work with and why?

I do not have a favourite breed. To me all horses are equals as all humans and I treat them all according to their each individual personality. For my work on stage I prefer to work with Arabians, to me they are the most playful of breeds with each other, allowing me to work up to 12 horses on a large stage. Stallions for stage are very expressive, making a beautiful show. I have used mares in the past and love them all but do not feel that they have as much fun in body language.

Have you ever met a person or horse that wouldn’t benefit from your approach?

I have never met a person that does not benefit from my approach. People might at first be reserved and hold on to their ways of what they have previously seen but then after introducing the methods that I have taught them they always write to me on how my approach in teaching has changed their whole vision on Liberty.

How do you transition your work on the ground with the horses to benefit you when riding?

After all of my groundwork, I can jump upon my horse for the first time and I have a calm thinking horse. This allows him to understand better.

What are you working on right now?

I am now working on the Spanish March and lay down with no aids, just by the communication, a touch on the shoulder for the march and a praise for a lay down, on the understanding of each of the descending phases. I am also working on multiple horses teaching me the understanding of each brain and each character of the horse.

What achievement are you most proud of?

The achievement that I am most proud of has to be that in 2008 when I was hired by the equestrian show Cavalia. I and several other well known trainers were given horses to train within a six month period, with the purpose of them being presented on stage. Within this time the only horses that were introduced to the stage were mine.

Keeping my methods, beliefs and training techniques, under pressure from the other trainers to change my ways, telling me that it would not work and ultimately proving that my techniques were the most efficient. Being able to surpass all of these trainers with their methods was my proudest moment.

Outside horses, my most memorable moment has to be for being known throughout the world for my aerial work. In 2007, I was invited by Prince Rainier of Monaco to perform my single trapeze, winning numerous awards.

Still to this day having people telling how much I inspired them to go to a better place just by seeing my experience and feeling they received by watching my work.


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