Welcome to Pivo Meets, a series where we get real and chatty with the faces of Pivo. This month, we had a tête-à-tête with Lana Zavada, a dressage and show jumping rider whose story blends compassion, resilience, and a deep understanding of what true horsemanship means. From her early days of loving horses as a child, to training and competing with rescues, to riding for owners, to creating her own company - her journey has been anything but conventional. What truly defines her, though, is her belief that every horse deserves to be heard.
Through her venture, Philyrides, she’s channeling that belief into a bigger mission: giving compassionate riders a chance to show themselves on a bigger stage and thus set an example for others.
Her vision is partnership over obedience and helping horses express themselves through patience, trust, and understanding. Her approach is holistic and thoughtful, blending dressage, jumping, liberty work, and care that goes far beyond the saddle. And with the help of Pivo, she’s been able to document, review, and refine her training — turning everyday sessions into powerful tools for growth and connection.
We caught up with her to talk about her journey, her philosophy, and how Pivo helps her bring out the best in every horse she works with.
Can you tell us about your journey into the equestrian world, how did it all begin?
I always say the love for the horses started in my mom’s belly. It’s just built into me, horses are very essential for my existence.
The equestrian journey officially began when I joined a professional riding school with Olympic orientation (we still have those on that side of the world). I was the youngest there, and could not even be officially listed in it. And I had 3 more years to go to get in but I had quite a progress - rode juniors’ tests when I was 11 and got placed among 17 year olds. After that the school made an exemption and I officially got in. Worth mentioning, at that competition I was with a very non-fancy school horse, and I’d not say I was ever fortunate with the beautiful movers. But I guess this was actually what helped me learn how to teach a horse to show its best.
I am also known for loving the “wrong” horses, those that had no potential in sport, and I used to have pretty difficult times because of that, as I refused to change horses to go up the levels. But I definitely learnt a lot thanks to that. I even learnt English just to be able to watch Carl Hester’s clinics and read more materials on the questions I had.
I always much enjoyed all the time around the horse apart from riding. I don’t know why or how I fell for horses, I don’t even think there was a moment I did. I kind of always loved them, I think before even seeing them. When I didn’t know how to read yet I had a big old colourful book about horses and I used to go through the pages and just admire these creatures. Already then I knew it was my thing. It wasn’t gradual, it kind of always was inside me.
What disciplines are you most passionate about, and why?
I really like show jumping, especially when it’s done at a high level and you can see people actually know how to ride a horse, not just get over the jump. It’s just beautiful to watch. I think it comes from my dressage background, I just can’t stand skipping the basics. I can’t stand it being portrayed as “boring” while it actually is your key to victory - a hundred of small little things that you can fine tune. Of course you can always use an autopilot and basically get from A to B, as well as you can use an Auto mode on your camera, but have you ever tried what pictures you get when you master the Manual?
I love the feeling of flying and the connection you build with a horse when you learn to overcome difficult obstacles together. And I like the fun ones too, the bounces and cavaletti, they help build a strong and healthy horse. And they build their confidence too. I guess I love doing everything where the horse mentally grows, it just brings me joy, no matter the discipline.
I love when I can integrate my dressage into jumping. My young jumpers do piaffe in hand and lots of fun groundwork too, I enjoy seeing them learn how to use their body and actually loving to do so. I love that spark when they acquire a new mind-body connection. So I’d say both these disciplines I like. My dream is to compete at the Olympics in both show jumping and dressage, and would be cool if that’s with the same horse also.
And of course I do liberty and free riding and tricks. I think it’s a great way to learn to understand the horse when you have nothing connected to it except for your own brain and maybe a good treat:) You can teach so much. Literally anything. I love it when they’re getting it and become comfortable enough to start offering new things. I love it when they express themselves, this is the biggest award for me.
Tell us a little about your venture Philyrides.
Oh, that one started unexpectedly. When I finally was able to call myself the owner of each of my three rescue horses, I thought I’d take a step back and have a quieter life away from the rush and let them have the retirement I once promised them as a little girl. This was my main focus and I didn’t want to think of any other horses or doing it professionally again just yet. We’ve been through a lot, including war, and I just wanted to slow down now.
But one day I discovered that Milly Dove, the rider I used to look up to, was facing a familiar situation - the horse she trained and loved so much was about to go for sale and she tried to find an owner to keep him for another season. And although there was no life threat for the horse like in my cases, still the love she had for Olaf (Jaguar VOD) and her dedication and the way she rode in such a compassionate manner, all of this felt so close and dear to me, it changed my plans completely. I helped her secure the horse and facilitate a syndicate for him. I undertook to do everything I can to help her on her way up and to show the world how dressage can be done. She currently has three horses with Philyrides.
As things progressed and I got into professional mode again, I got a few requests for jumpers. Now we have a “jumping department” with two horses in it, I am very grateful to their owners. And there are a few more owners as a part of a new coming syndicate, and I am currently looking for the right horse. It’s been taking a while, as I am pretty picky when it comes to taking financial decisions on behalf of other people, I really want to make a good choice.
We have a really good team and it’s a pleasure to work with such people: owners, riders, my business partners in horse sales (I am a horse agent in my free time). And working at Philyrides I feel like I do what I was always supposed to. It is a good feeling. It’s pretty challenging still as the company is very young and is my first own company, but I appreciate the ability to do what I feel I was made for.
What kind of change do you hope Philyrides can bring to the global equestrian scene?
Our mission is to help young riders who train horses in a compassionate manner to get a chance to reach international stage. And this way to inspire many others to choose the path of kindness in our highly competitive sport.
I’m very happy to keep discovering that increasingly more riders and horse owners are well educated and try to do right by their horses both in terms of upkeep and training. And I like to think that this accelerates even more when there are more holistic riders out there to look up to. Thinking about all the horses whose lives will be changed for better gives me goosebumps.
What was your first impression when you tried Pivo in your riding sessions?
I thought: “Wow, can this really be?”. I remember seeing your ad a long time ago when you just started and I thought what a clever device it was. Could give me endless opportunities to film, be it just my training to look back at it, or the content, as you can’t possibly have someone with you all the time. And it turned out to really be as easy as that. I clicked “Start” and got my perfect footage, from the angles I chose myself. I like that I have full freedom to choose the composition and the device just makes my vision come alive, it is like having a second me on the ground.
I already almost forgot about the old wide angle videos and trying to somehow fit the whole arena in, with the horse being a small dot somewhere in the end of it, and never catching the front corners. Now the horse is always in focus, zoomed in and I have all my corners. And now that I am used to it, it just seems like a regular thing, just a norm or a standard to have it at my disposal. But if I look back at the time I didn’t have that luxury - it used to be such a struggle. So it does make my life easier every day.
What Pivo features do you use most when training or creating content?
I use the standard recording mode, I like to choose a pretty high follow speed so I can ride near the device and it still will catch me. The zoom-in feature always keeps us in the frame even when we are in a big arena with a lot of obstacles that get in a way.
I use the tripod and the phone mount, this way I can choose precise position, this is just so handy, so much variety.
I normally use horse tracking, especially when I’m riding or lunging. This way I can see the whole horse and how the whole picture looks to help me analyse both my riding and the horse’s response. I also share these videos with my trainers. As a bonus I have a footage to share with my horse owners and they are very happy to receive lots of updates on their horse and feel a part of the training even if they are abroad.
Sometimes I also use human tracking mode, especially when I’m doing the talking, like educational videos or product reviews. Thanks to Pivo I was able to film so many of them, now I just need to find the time to edit and post them, they’ve been sitting in my camera roll for months.
Pivo has changed the way I film. Filming used to be the most challenging part of creating content: first you need to have someone with you, then you only get one take (or one day or this one hour). And then it takes all the stars to align to get that second take. But with Pivo I can do it whenever I see fit and for as long or as little as I need and then just combine it all together. The challenge is now to edit, as I have so much content. Not a bad problem to have, huh? And you actually get your WHOLE lesson filmed. All of it. It is so useful. You might not realise it until you see it.
What’s been one of your most memorable moments so far in your career?
I guess I enjoy not the moment itself but the process. I of course work towards the goals, and the feeling is great when you achieve something, but I am more about making the day to day exciting. I want to make each moment worth living for, I want the horses, too, to enjoy their life and their trainings. And after all, tomorrow is never granted, so you better make sure you make the most of your present and you give your best in the present.
I also love doing Philyrides, but it’s not about a particular moment in it, it is a day to day feeling that I get to do something useful and as a bonus something I really like. And it makes all the challenges worth it.
If I really have to think of one moment, I could have said that it was competing and getting placed among high level imported horses with a rescue horse who I trained myself. Or that it was making something out of the horses that nobody believed in and told me to not waste my time on them, and then those same people judging me to the 1st place years later. I could name all of that but it’s not. They were all good moments, they might have even given me butterflies. But the only one moment that comes to my mind to answer this question is when I knew I get to retire these horses with me, I dreamed all my life about this. And to know they’ll be safe for all their life, was and is, the best feeling ever. In my sports career. Probably a strange thing to hear.
You emphasize ethical horsemanship and “happy athletes.” How do you ensure that these principles are consistently followed within your team?
I only work with people who follow this themselves: riders who train horses sympathetically, owners who understand the importance of it and who want to make an impact. It perhaps would have been easier to “ensure” certain things if I were to have my own yard with all the riders in it, but at the same time I want to only have people on the team who I can trust the way I trust myself. I do not want anyone who needs surveillance in order to stay sane.
I do only work with owners who are genuinely interested in the horses’ wellbeing. Compromising in this area is not acceptable, so I strive to have on the team exclusively like-minded people. I am very selective but this ensures consistency.
In your experience, what’s the biggest misconception about success in dressage or elite riding?
That it is an individual sport, I’d say. Yes, when you are in the arena - you are alone with your horse and the success in that moment depends solely on you two but everything that allowed for you to do this involved so many people on the way to get here. And the bigger the arena the more important the team becomes.
I used to be a very people-shy child, I loved just being with horses away from everyone and I thought this was a perfect sport for me. Until I had to learn how much manpower it actually takes to do this sport. And it’s only through horses I understood how important was having a team. It takes a skill to create a good one, but when you have it, nothing beats it.
It’s not just an animal sport where you can focus solely on horse training and upkeep. It’s much like veterinarian’s job - I’ve heard from so many that they’ve chosen the profession to be able to help animals but when they started to work they realised that most of it comes down to being able to talk to the owners. And it’s a skill many animal-oriented people find difficult to learn. But you have to master it if you want to be professional in this sport.
It might seem complicated at first but it’s a matter of who you choose to work with. The right people will make you feel empowered and valued, and they will also challenge you to grow. This setup predisposes you to progress (more than you could ever do alone). And then you suddenly start to enjoy people’s presence, I’ve discovered so many colours to it. That maximises when you work with people who make you feel special, and who you feel are special. For what’s the point in otherwise?
How has Pivo changed the way you record and review your rides? What advice would you give to other riders or creators considering using Pivo?
Pivo made it very available, I’d say. Very easy. Back in the day I don’t think you could ever just look back at EACH of your rides. But this is so helpful, it makes such a difference. It’s great to have a trainer, that’s for sure, but it is extremely valuable if you get to see yourself too.
They say progress comes one small step at a time, and Pivo helps to break down these steps into even smaller ones. It lets you catch the little things right after each ride. You don’t have to wait for them to grow, or for your trainer to notice, or for a friend to film you next week. You see it now, and you already have it at the back of your mind for the next training.
And you don’t have to suddenly have those big goals for the training: “today I’ll have to improve this or that”. You just collect small bits of feedback every session and correct them right away. That makes it much easier to remember what needs work, rather than trying to cram everything into your brain (and your muscles) all at once.
Every ride becomes a chance to review, refine, and improve - more frequently and more deeply. The process feels easier yet becomes more effective at the same time. It’s a win-win for both me and my horse.
I guess if you’re the one who strives to improve oneself and you are ready to take a moment after each ride to reflect - Pivo is for you, and you’ll find the progress becoming much quicker, as you’ll get your answers almost immediately.
Watch now - https://www.instagram.com/p/DHtVT1uozfU/
Save 10% when you shop Pivo with Lana. Use discount code ‘LANA’
Connect with Lana Zavada - https://www.philyrides.com/
Read More: How to set up your Pivo – By Amelia Newcomb Dressage