32 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Mica campaigned the 18-year-old Danish Warmblood Nexus
at Grand Prix for two years, earned numerous wins and two
Reserve Grand Prix Championships in Region 8 for his owner,
Sam Grunkorn.
Photo courtesy of Mica Mabragaña
working student, then as assistant trainer. In 2006, she started
teaching Sam, who had been a client of Lendon’s for nearly 20
years. Sam offered Granada to Mica for one show where they
won. Then, they competed at Saugerties in two CDIs (international
level) where Mica and Granada won five out of the six Young Rider
classes, which qualified Mica for the FEI Young Rider World Cup.
Now 27, Mica has come into her own as a rider and trainer. She
is blessed with the extreme sensitivity and feel for her horses that,
nearly five years ago, helped raise red flags while she was doing
Intermediaire and Prix St. Georges with Granada, schooling for
their move up to Grand Prix. At the time, riders were engrossed in
preparing to qualify for the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
“I didn’t think the horse was right, but no one could figure it out,”
recalled Mica. “I questioned myself and my riding, of course. In
2009, I brought him up to Grand Prix but still something wasn’t
right. I was really young and I didn’t want to take him to Florida.
Sam called Oded Shimoni (to ride Granada) and they qualified for
WEG in April. The vet couldn’t find anything, and the horse did
okay at WEG, but all along he was dealing with something. When
we got back to New York, I felt the horse wasn’t using himself right
and Dr. Ober figured out what it was.”
It took two years to bring Granada back. He walked under
saddle for a year in 2011 and in the beginning of 2012 started
working at the trot and canter. Mica recalls that the vet didn’t think
he would ever do Grand Prix again.
“He thought we’d have a nice Third level horse, but Koa is back
and he’s better than ever,” Mica said. “I showed him in Florida and
in Saugerties. He gives 110%.”
The lessons were not easy. Back in 2009, when Mica knew
something wasn’t right, they went to NEDA and Granada stopped
on her. “Being sent out of a test is a hard way to learn,” she said.
“That is when I learned to trust my instincts and ever since then
I’ve been so careful. In December 2012 it was so exciting when
Koa started showing me that he felt great and was back and better
than before. But I’m still very careful with him and I always ride him
in a field. The horse is happy. We can gallop and do fun things. I
think that has kept him fresh and happy.”
Mica has another Grand Prix horse, Bellissimo, an up-and-
coming Danish Warmblood who arrived in June, owned by Debbie
Mullaney. “We’re getting to know each other,” she said. “I have a
barn with 10 stalls – they’re all full and some of the owners have
two horses. I do all the riding. What I love is the everyday training
and trying to figure out the horses. I love to ride – that’s what I’m
passionate about. Showing is a bonus.”As for the best lessons
from her years with Lendon, Mica exclaimed, “There are millions!
Always be fair to the horses. Don’t take anything for granted. Work
and be grateful. It’s a privilege to be doing what we love and we
must be grateful for that. The outcome isn’t really important. It’s
about building a partnership with the horse. That’s why Granada
is so special. I have known him the longest. We’ve been through a
lot together. He really has been my horse of a lifetime.”
About the writer: Sidelines’ Lauren R. Giannini is an award-winning “wordsmith”
specializing in stories and photos about the equestrian world. Crazy about horses her
entire life, she lives in the horse and hunt country of Virginia. Lauren’s motto is “write,
ride - not necessarily in that order!”
Mica and Wasmut (aka Monkey), a 15-year-old Hanoverian
gelding owned by Debbie Mullaney, competed in the Global
Dressage Festival in January where they placed 3rd in the PSG
Open Class.
Photo courtesy of Marco Esteves
