Team Wallace | Competition Horses
Leap of Faith (aka Mia)
Owner: Elisa Wallace

Information

1993 HOLXTB Mare 16.2hds

Sire Malthus (HOL)
Dam
 Marty (TB)

Full Pedigree

Accomplishments

Full Performance Record

Biography

Leap of Faith (aka Mia) is a strikingly gorgeous mare. I met her in 2001 when my father took over her training. He competed her up to the Preliminary level, and then she was on a two-year break. A very quirky mare and sometimes hard to understand, I was given the opportunity to purchase her last May through a deal my father made with his former boss. Thus, the journey together continued, but with me sitting in the saddle.

As soon as I got her, I worked on her manners and ground work which allowed us to bond together. Although this year has been long, and I have had my doubts about her at times -- she has made a 180 degree turn around. Mia has the ability to melt your heart with her funny faces. When she pins her ears in her mighty bluff -- she is really just saying “love me.”

I found that she had a very low confidence in just herself -- let alone trusting me. So, our first couple of competitions were rough. After every competition, I would go back to the drawing board and work on trusting exercises. Mia’s main issues were she was in a lot of pain from unbalanced shoeing (resulting in a sore back), and she is prone to stomach ulcers. Now a year later, she is a completely different horse; although she still is quirky, her back is not sore and she LOVES food which she wouldn’t always eat before(due to the ulcers).

I noticed the break through with her when we were competing at the Florida CCI*. At the water complex, she jumped in bold (not normal for her) then when she landed, her knees buckled and I thought we were going down. But somehow she tried her heart out and got us out of that sticky situation. That is when I knew she was a real event horse -- the only thing she had been missing was the heart because she has all of the talent in the world. If an event horse does not have heart then they will not make it as an event horse.

Ever since then she has been the gamiest horse on cross country and stadium -- trying her heart out. It has been the best feeling to taking a horse that no one but my Dad had faith in and literally taking a “leap of faith". She won the CIC** 2007 at Poplar Place Farm, and she was so happy cantering first in the victory gallop (she normally wants to run!). No one would believe that I ride her without a bridle and saddle as I do with Jack, and she loves it. It helps her relax in her canter, and she has to trust me as I do her.

Mia is now a Mommy! Finally through alot of frustrations and in complete "Mia style", she delivered a filly--Cor de Fe, August 30,2010. She had carried the foal an astonishing 13months!It was a suprize birth as well, she is checked NOT in foal the previous july, treated and flushed for a uterine infection. She does have a couple of cysts, which I think little Fey was mistaken as.  So as luck would have it, I went to move Mia to a different pasture, and at first I thought " why is that deer so close to Mia?!" Then I realized it was her baby she had just given birth only a couple of hours  prior. I know it sounds strange, most people say"come on she had to look pregnant, and bag up". Nope, she looked great and held great weight just being out on pasture--she never showed signs of a broodmare belly nor did she bag up! Luckily both Mia and foal were healthy and safe. Besides a great birth story, Mia has been a fabulous mother and produced beautiful offspring. Hopefully more offspring to come, but as we all know it is up to Mia!!