Vitor Silva & Sons of the Wind: Where Dressage Dreams Soar

from Elite Equestrian magazine March/April 2023 spring issue.

The Art of the Half Pass

with L.A. Sokolowski, equinista

Equestrian entrepreneurship demands discipline, crea�vity and the ﬂexibility to move within the evolu�ons of the horse world, and since 1997 few have mastered the art of bringing dressage to the people be�er than Portuguese horseman and interna�onally known riding master, Vitor Silva. A�er comple�ng his own training, and recognizing the need for a European Classical Dressage school in the United States, in 1997 Vitor launched Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts, since expanding into top shelf dressage facili�es and equi-resorts in Merrimac, MA, and Loxahatchee, FL. “The best teachers are the horses,” he says, which is why Sons of the Wind partners with Ac�ve Riding Trips to oﬀer dressage-intensive training getaways, with bucket listworthy experiences riding horses trained to PSG and above, and assuring incomparable experien�al souvenirs. We think this lifelong horseman’s dedica�on to classical dressage makes bringing an apple to class for these teachers a great idea for combining school and vaca�on!

HERS: What do you remember about your ﬁrst horse or pony?

HIS: I got a foal from a friend of my father’s when I was a boy. He had four socks and a big blaze. I remember that every day I got to spend with that little horse felt like Christmas. That is where it all began!

HERS: How old were you when you got your ﬁrst paying job and what was it?

HIS: My family owned a farm so I have been working on a farm as long as I can remember, but my ﬁrst paying job outside of my family’s farm was when I arrived in the United States at 19 years old.

HERS: What was your ﬁrst big break in the horse world?

HIS: I don’t know if I had a “big break” but I felt truly embraced by the industry when I started being invited to be a clinician at major events such as Equitana, Equine Affaire, Midwest Horse Fair, Minnesota Horse Fair and other North American venues.

HERS: Best piece of advice you got early in your career?

HIS: Do not promise more than you can deliver. Be honest. It is important not to exaggerate your skills or make extravagant promises to get clients in the door. While we work night and day to provide a good experience for people at Sons of the Wind, we do not want to over-extend our schoolmasters, instructors or trainers by setting up impossible expectations.

HERS: If you had to work outside of horses what might you be doing?

HIS: I would own and run a service company of some sort, because I love to be hands-on and solving problems.

Learn more about the riding school, training programs, and sale horses at SonsOfTheWind.com, and book your own dreamy dressage getaway with ActiveRidingTrips.com.

HERS: What’s your favorite motto?

HIS: ‘Learn to control yourself before you try to control the horse.’ This way you can solve issues you might be having with skill and knowledge, instead of forcefulness.

HERS: What has changed or evolved about dressage since you started?

HIS: There has been a huge evolution in dressage since I started! Horses are becoming higher quality, with better gaits, and riding is becoming lighter, with better technical skills to match the horses. There has also been so much advancement in regards to horse care and veterinary medicine, so we are better able to maintain and care for our equine partners.

HERS: Where do you see travel, and equi-resorts like Sons Of The Wind, in the next 10 years?

HIS: I see more growth and demand not only in the United States but all over the world. We already have a waiting list and it seems to get longer each year. People are seeking programs where they can experience riding horses trained to the higher levels, where they can feel and experience movements they otherwise wouldn’t be able to. So many come to us and tell us this is their dream! We are fortunate to be able to help bring those dreams to fruition.