I was born in 1986 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I grew up in the city, but we also had a small farm in the country, called LA MALENA, where we would spend the weekends and school breaks. Since I was a little girl I had a passion for horses. I used to have different “stick horses” which were made out of branches and card board faces. At the age of 5 my sister and I got a horse, who we named Pampero. We used to go trail riding every Sunday with my dad. At that time I had no idea about dressage or equitation, I just enjoyed riding, galloping around and herding cows. My dad was very into horses as well, so it was a passion that we shared together. He also encouraged me to take some vaulting lessons, which I did for a few years, I was never good at it, but it was another opportunity for me to be around horses. When I was 11 my parents decided to sell our farm, due to the tough economic situation.
I was devastated that I couldn’t ride anymore. Fortunately we found a riding school in the city (Club Hipico Mediterraneo), where I started taking lessons twice a week. It was then when I was introduced to the concept of holding the reins with two hands, posting trot, canter leads, etc. I hadn’t found my love for equitation yet, I just enjoyed the smell of horses.
In 1998 I met Fernanda Lopez Santiso and Clara Lalor, who were running a Pony Club called “LOS PAMPAS” in the C.H.Med. I was instantly hooked. We did a little bit of dressage, jumping and Pony Games!!!! I was with Los Pampas for 3 years. In that time I did a lot of shows, which combined jumping and dressage. I was very fortunate that Fernanda was such a big advocate of dressage and correct basics, I feel that she played a big role in my career.
In 2000 we moved to CLUB HIPICO ARGENTINO, which is the most prestigious riding facility in Buenos Aires. That same year Lendon Gray invited a team from Argentina to compete at her show now called “Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival.” In 2000, it was still called the Northeast Junior Young Rider Dressage Championships. There was a selection process to pick the kids who would travel north to represent the country. I had the honor to be selected and most importantly I was very lucky to have around me such an amazing group of people who helped me get there. My family unfortunately couldn’t give me the financial support to travel, so a lot of very generous people stepped in to help me make my dreams come true.
Four girls and the chef the equipe, Mara Osacar traveled to Bedford, NY, USA in July 2000. We spent a few days at Lendon’s barn in NY trying horses and watching riders. It was a life-changing experience for me. The competition itself and representing the country at age 13 was an amazing experience. At the time Courtney King Dye was one of Lendon’s working students, and she did a demo ride on Idocus at the show. That was true poetry. Watching her ride made me realize my passion for dressage. It really opened my world. I came back home so inspired and encouraged. I wanted to learn more.
2000 was my last year with Fernanda and Los Pampas as my parents couldn’t afford my riding lessons anymore. I was very discouraged at the time, thinking that my riding career would have to stop just when I was starting to love dressage. That summer I got a job with the riding school, owned by Gerardo Minuzzi. He basically gave me the opportunity to keep riding. I would ride all the lesson horses that needed to get out of their stalls. He was a great jumping trainer so we focused a lot more in jumping at that time. Little by little I had more horses to ride, and I would mostly do the flat work on the jumpers. I started having different clients who would pay me a little to exercise their horses, which allowed me to pay the monthly club fee. Even though I was happy to be riding I didn’t get much instruction or help from the ground, which was a problem now that I was so anxious to learn.
Luckily Mara Osacar (7 time National Champion and Pan American competitor), stepped in and offered me help. I was so grateful for this. Not only was she generous to share her knowledge but also after a while she loaned me her horse to ride and show a little. So by the time I was 15, things started to look up again. I was riding lots of different horses, taking lessons, showing and I was able to save some money on top of it.
In 2004 I contacted Lendon Gray to see if I could come for 2 months in my school break and try out the working student position. Surprisingly she agreed! I worked hard to save the money that I needed to buy the plane ticket. That year I also finished the instructor certification by the Argentinean Federation.
After 2 months with Lendon in the freezing cold I realized that I wanted to become the best rider I could be. So after I finished high school in 2005 I packed my bags and moved to the States to be a full time working student for Lendon Gray.
As a working student at Lendon Gray’s Gleneden Dressage, I had the opportunity to ride and compete a variety of horses of all levels and breeds. I was also able to teach some riders, both kids and adults. I was in charge of a barn, and this allowed me to learn about stable care and management. Lendon was always very generous giving me opportunities to learn and grow as a rider and trainer. After 3 years as a working student, I became Lendon’s assistant trainer and I also had my own clients within her business.
In 2010, I traveled down to Florida with a few clients’ horses and I worked as Hampton Green Farm’s seasonal rider. Kim Boyer very generously allowed me to run my own business in her beautiful Farm in Wellington as well. After the season was over, I returned and ran my own business in Bedford Corners, NY, where I rented a lovely 10 stall barn.
Since 2010 I have been running my own training business, spending the summers in Bedford NY and returning to Wellington FL for the winter show circuit.
Life is good 🙂