Eyal Zlatin Ready for an Adventure in 2024 - Travel and Teach Across the World

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German based Israeli Grand Prix rider Eyal Zlatin is ready for an adventure and will start the new year by throwing his life around but keep dressage as the fuel for his actions.

The 36-year old has decided to make a trip around the world and see life in all its aspects after having worked a rider for twenty years.

Schooled Across Europe

Eyal left Israel at age 17 to dedicate his life to his passion: horses.

He first went to the U.K. where he worked for then British team trainer Ferdi Eilberg. After three years he relocated to Germany, where he started riding for Klaus Balkenhol who was the U.S. team trainer at the time. He stayed in Rosendahl for three years before starting at Gestut Sprehe riding the dressage stallions.

Eyal then rode some horses for Arlette and Edwin Kohl at Gestut Peterhof. The couple enabled him to make international show debut at small tour level on their Silvano at the CDI Hagen in April 2013. At that time he was getting coached by Patrik Kittel, Dorothee Schneider and Ulrike Lautemann.

International Break Through

Zlatin and Silvano at the 2013 CDI Hagen

Zlatin's big break in his career came during the four years he worked for Ralph Uwe Westhoff at Gestüt Riedmühle, taking over from Marc-Patrick Fritz. He received training from Wolfram Wittig and Oliver Oelrich.

After a four year break from CDI competition, Zlatin returned with the stallion Florenciano at small tour level at the 2017 CDI Darmstadt. His international Grand Prix debut was aboard Bonzanjo at the Aachen Dressage Days in April 2018. That year he went to CDI's in Mannheim, CDIO Aachen, Leudelange, and Stuttgart. In 2019 he showed in Leudelange and Cappeln and saw his efforts rewarded by being nominated to represent Israel on their team at the 2019 European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam.

Eyal showed Bonzanjo through February 2020 and a month later was invited to represent Israel in the FEI Nations Cup at the CDIO Wellington, in Florida, on a loaner horse. It was his last international so far.

Move to Independence

In 2021 Eyal decided to leave Gestüt Riedmühle and set up an independent business out of the Reusch family yard "Hof am Steinkopf. He began training with Gonnelien Rothenberger.

When asked what his view on dressage are, Eyal replied, "dressage for me is dancing with horses, trying to get the horses to understand what we want from them and to do their best with almost invisible aids. Every little detail matters such as the right equipment or the physical and mental constitution of rider and horse. I like to focus on the basics and stick to the classic scale of training. Along the way I try patiently to find individual solutions for each and every horse and rider."

Eyal firmly believes that the basics are essential for Grand Prix.

"During the past 20 years in Europe I trained many horses from a young age to the highest level of dressage," he said. "I experienced that even difficult dressage exercises are easy to accomplish as soon as the basics and the management around the horse are in harmony."

Following His Dream by Travelling Around the World

As a new year's resolution for 2024, Eyal has decided to throw his life around and finally make that trip around the globe he's been dreaming of for so long.

"Traveling was always my dream and I always thought it will never happen as working with horses not allows it," he admitted. "I decided to take some time off and make my plans come true. "

Eyal's journey has begyn by going west, crossing the Atlantic Ocean. He is currently in Costa Rica.

"As of January 2024 I start my travels first in Central and South America and afterwards to Asia for unlimited period of time," he said. "I'm now in Costa Rica and then will go to Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Mexico followed by Asia."

On his journey he hopes to stay close to horses and not lose his connection with the sport.

"As training and helping other riders are a big passion of mine, I thought to combine traveling with offering some dressage clinics and some training in the countries I’m visiting," he explained. "I would love to spread the knowledge I have gained in Europe over the past two decades and help others with their horses. They can reach out to me over social media, on which i'll be sharing photos and reels of my journey."

Follow Eyal's travels on his Instagram and Facebook account.