Mario Correa – Love and Kindness

PPF: Mario Correa, thank you very much for sharing your time with Perfiles del Paso Fino.
MC: Thanks to you, my love.

PPF: For those who don’t know you, can you tell me a little about your beginnings in this industry. Do you come from a family of horsemen? When did you come to this country? How did everything begin?
MC: We came to this country at the end of 1984-85. I come from an entire family of horsemen; we are all countrymen. We arrived to the US with a future of horsemanship in mind for our new lives here.
PPF: What part of Colombia did you come from?
MC: I am from Medellin and my family is from Jericó, Antioquia. My parents and grandparents were raised in Jericó.
PPF: All horsemen as well.
MC: All of them; my father was a great trainer. He worked a lot with Don Fabio and all the grandiose horsemen. My brothers and I are all part of the horseman industry.

PPF: At which point did you realize you wanted to be a part of the horseman industry?
MC: It was all part of the situation. My father had us start working to help him at a very young age. It was a different mentality back then. The time came when our father needed help, so that is when we focused on working with him. We spent a lot of time together, four brothers going everywhere together. My father had many clients, so we worked together from morning till night.

PPF: When you moved to this country, did you come on your own or with your family?
MC: I came with my family. We arrived in Chicago to work with horses there, but I didn’t want to deal with horses. I wanted to take a rest from horses when I got to Chicago, but then I had an accident which involved my fingers. So, then the first thing I thought of was to work with horses. After a while, the cold pushed me out of Chicago and so I went to Miami. In Miami, I knew a lot of people from Medellin and there were some bosses from the old days. I got in touch with them, and they opened their doors to me. I went to the Show Ranch; I managed the Show Ranch for about 2 or 3 years. I did very well there and met many people from the area, such as Manolo Garcia, Dorian Gonzalez, Criadero La Floresta, Carlos Julio Arango, and all those people from that time. That’s how it all got started. Then, one day, I met my future wife and we decided to move to North Carolina. We have been in North Carolina now for over 30-some years. We have a beautiful property and a good breeding farm full of happiness.
PPF: Paso Fino Elegante.
MC: Paso Fino Elegante.
PPF: How did that farm come to be?
MC: My wife, Kathy, already had that farm. She had her horses in Miami and had her name already registered in PFHA. When we met, we started to work together and then decided to go up to North Carolina together.
PPF: That’s so nice.
MC: We have 80 acres in North Carolina. It’s all so beautiful and we have done it all with our own hands. Between my wife, our daughter, and me, we have done it all. And we ride there a lot. We have many clients in North Carolina, although it was a rough start. It was, how do you say?
PPF: A different culture?
MC: Yes, a different culture and a totally different industry than in Miami. It is completely Americanized there. So, it was a rough start, but we made it, we got good horses to ride and started to win. People from Miami sent me many horses from Miami to start showing in competition and I was quite successful. I started to obtain a good reputation and at one point, I had 25-30 horses in training. Then the day came when I said no more, we decided to become independent because it was better business for me to focus on my horses. But I was leaving them behind because I was working on all the outside horses. So then, business started rising through sales. We were doing very well, and we took advantage of that moment. The rest is history. Now our family is full of grandkids, there are 8 of them.
PPF: Oh, that is a huge joy.
MC: Yes, of course.
PPF: Not all family have that experience of passing on the interest, love, and passion for horses onto their children and grandchildren.
MC: Right, for us it is every day.
PPF: I see that your girls all ride and…
MC: They all ride every day. Daily, they help exercise the horses, they help us to provide water, and clean buckets. They are seven years old, and they are obsessed with horses, they don’t even play with Barbies. They got a huge Barbie castle, and they took out all the Barbies and made horse stalls inside the castle!
PPF: That sounds like my daughter!
MC: Right. If you walk around my house, you find horses everywhere. On the floor, they have paddocks. When we get back from a show, they set up a show ring, they have a sounding board to pass their toy horses over… they are just obsessed. Obsessed, yes.
PPF: Excellent. That’s so much fun!
MC: And they ask a lot of questions, like what is a Fino supposed to look like. And then they sit to watch and can say, that horse isn’t Fino. At only 7 years old they can tell you if a horse is in the Fino gait or not.
PPF: That’s wonderful.
MC: Or if one makes a mistake while riding, the other calls out to her, ‘don’t let the horse walk’ or ‘don’t let him trot’. They are very smart when it comes to horses, and they will be very good riders. They already have very good results in the show ring.
PPF: That’s so good to hear. Do you think any of them would like to work with horses?
MC: I wouldn’t like for them to do that. I want them to enjoy this lifestyle.

PPF: What would you say is the most difficult aspect of your work?
MC: The most difficult part for me is being a farrier.
PPF: Do you work on your own horses?
MC: Yes, I do my own horses. I am the farrier for my own horses. It is very difficult and rough. That is a fascinating topic because the horsemen of your generation are what we call in English ‘well-rounded’, meaning you cover all the areas of work.
MC: All of them. Look, I do all my grooming, I ride my horse, I brush him off, finish doing all that he needs, I bathe him, wait for him to dry, then put him back into his stall. Sometimes I have the girls when they get out of school, so they help me put horses away and all that. I mow the lawn, I repair the fencing, it is my entire life, I live it completely. We share it among the three of us. It’s my daughter, Kristy, my wife, Kathy, and I. All three of us work there. We have 17 stalls to care for. We clean them out together at 5am. Our daughter, Kathy, goes to the clinic and works all day there, sometimes until 7, 8, or 9 at night. At a clinic, you never know at what time your day finishes. So, we all have full time jobs. This is my life and I feel very happy to be out in the country. I love being outside.
PPF: That’s so nice.
MC: I can’t bring myself to stay inside the house doing nothing. And being farrier… being farrier is very hard.
PPF: Is it that difficult?
MC: There are some animals that make it difficult. They make it harder, yes.

PPF: Where did you learn how to do all that you do?
MC: Well, all that involves the horses and everything that has to do with the farm comes from my family. Shoeing I learned while being here, because there was a time when I had so many horses and finding a good farrier in North Carolina back then was difficult. So, I learned a lot from Rufo Figueroa. Rufo was my farrier and so I paid a lot of attention to him, and he’d explain everything to me. At one point, he couldn’t come back and so I asked him to help me buy the tools and that’s how I started being my own farrier. I am talking about some 25 years ago.

PPF: That’s a long time. Okay, so you told me that when you came from Colombia, you went to Chicago and wanted nothing to do with horses. Yet now this is your day-to-day life. What motivates you to do your job each day?
MC: My tranquility. To be on top of a horse for me is a type of therapy. I feel happy and I feel at peace. When I ride a horse, I forget about every problem and all the things that are happening. It isn’t a lot, because we live a very close-knit life within our family, so it’s not too bad. There isn’t any stress. There are no headaches. There isn’t anything wrong. Sitting on top of a horse is great therapy for me. And sharing it with family is the nicest part of all.
PPF: That’s so nice because it contributes to your health too, right?
MC: It’s what?
PPF: It’s good health.
MC: Healthy. That is why I am telling you. I have to be outdoors and be doing something on the farm instead of staying inside the house. That motivates us very much. It’s very motivating, plus, as we’re working outside, we forget about the world. When I’m inside the house I ask myself what I am doing inside and go out to shoe a horse. I go out to give a horse new shoes, or I start riding one that needs to be worked in the round pen, or the girls want to ride. So, I am constantly working on something.
PPF: That’s great.

PPF: What has been your biggest satisfaction in your work?
MC: What I have today.
PPF: What? Your grandchildren?
MC: My grandchildren. My grandchildren and my horses. They have all given me great satisfactions and I’ve had good horses. Thank God, we have been able to breed to good horses and to get good results and obtain good ribbons with them. Every time we show them, we get to take home some ribbons. I have a very good horse currently, named Gamin. He is a son of Tormento in a daughter of Clasico. He has obtained second place at a Spectrum show, he has placed 3^rd and 4^th several times at the National show. He has always competed alongside very good horses and that gives me great happiness.
PPF: Of course, it does.
MC: That is a great source of happiness for me.
PPF: Even more so when you take care of every aspect of your horses.
MC: Yes, he has been mine from beginning to end. He was bred on my farm, cared for on my farm, trained on my farm, shoed on my farm. He is a horse completely made by me, so that gives an enormous sensation of satisfaction.
PPF: How nice.

PPF: More or less 20 years ago, you made a mark on the industry with a Palomino Fino. Tell me a little about him.
MC: I bought that Palomino horse in Miami. He was recommended to me by Guillermo Iglesias, from a client of his. They sent him to me for training. After some time, I had the chance and I bought him. I started breeding him to all the mares I had. They weren’t top notch quality, but they started improving my breeding program with that horse. I started obtaining mares with better bloodlines, like La Diana del Duque. She was a good mare and so I bred her to that horse and got Orion Elegante. Orion Elegante was 4-time National Champion. Every time I showed him, he would win, and he left me many wonderful offspring. They were all sold and allowed me to pay off almost everything. So, for me that horse is a cause for great emotion. He was a Palomino son of Piloto, through inbreeding. He was a great quality horse and he passed down great quality. He bred wonderfully and filled me with great horses. He brought me a lot of business because he was very liked in the industry. I trained him since the beginning. Like I said earlier, many horses from Florida were sent here for me to train. I was well-known among everyone in the horse industry. I have always had great friendships with everyone and know everyone well. I have been able to spend a marvelous time with all of them.

PPF: Which would you say is your favorite modality?
MC: My favorite? I really enjoy Trot-gallop and Trocha horses.
PPF: Really?
MC: They fascinate me. I rode a lot of great quality Trote horses in Colombia and then I came to focus on Paso Fino here. And I do very well with them, I work well with them.
PPF: Do you mean more Classic Fino than Pleasure and Performance?
MC: No, when I say Fino, I’m referring to all its classes. I pay attention close attention to each form. I make sense of Pleasure and make sense of Performance. They are both Fino, but with a different modality. But they are all very interesting and I enjoy them all because I…
PPF: You know how to enjoy each one.
MC: I enjoy the horse in general. As I said to you earlier, riding horses is very therapeutic for me.

PPF: Speaking of which, if you were to start all over again, would you choose an entire life as a horseman once again?
MC: Yes. I am where I belong, and that just flows in my veins. So, yes, I would like to work with horses anyway.

PPF: Which has been the most significant sign of affection that you have received from a horse?
MC: I had great experiences with some good mares I got in the beginning. They were mares that had been completely discarded as competitors. Some trainers didn’t want them because they wouldn’t obtain good results. I took on several of those mares and have been able to turn them around. When I have taken them to competition, I have been considered alongside strong mares in their classes. One of these mares was Carmentea de Besilu. She was a very good mare. I don’t recall other names at the time, but I do know they are mares that bring back very fond memories. Also, I had several offspring of Carmin’s and they were all very good as well. They have all helped me greatly.

PPF: Have you ever felt that a stallion or a mare work specifically for you? I am referring to the animal’s disposition as a connection.
MC: It must take place. A horse and its rider must feel identified with each other. There are some horses that don’t match with us, but there are others that can understand each other with their trainer perfectly. They should be trained and worked on together and we should find the way to make a… a team. How do you say that?
PPF: A team.
MC: Right, a team between the horse and its rider. The horse tells you what he is looking for, without the need to go push it or rush it. The horse will start giving in to us and we must adapt to each horse. We should understand each other. And, as they said in the old days, the horses end up with ‘thoughtful reins.’ That means it is a very good saddle horse.

PPF: What do you think is the most important aspect of your work?
MC: Being able to train a horse and becoming identified with it. Going back to before, we must achieve a connection. There should never be a fight or anything conflictive, but a good sense of handling and a good understanding between the rider and the horse.

PPF: Who do you consider to be your greatest teachers in the equine industry?
MC: In the equine industry, it’s been my father and my brothers. They have all been horsemen. Possibly also the great trainers from my father’s generation, who I spent a lot of time with. The Master Luis Alfredo Gallego, Elias Martinez, and all those great riders from my father’s time. I used to watch them working and learn from them and spend time with them. From a very young age I also learned how to work alone. At 17-18 years of age, I was already working directly with my own bosses.
PPF: Of course, and you also learn from the horse, isn’t that right?
MC: The horse is the greatest master. The horse teaches us everything.

PPF: Which do you think is the most important lesson you have learned from horses?
MC: From horses? How to handle them, love them, and receive the satisfaction they give us. For example, Gamin, the son of Tormento, is a horse that has filled me with great satisfaction. Wherever he has shown, he has been exemplary with his unique fine gait. He is a horse that everyone likes and that also gives me great satisfaction.
PPF: Of course.
MC: Being able to handle and understand him. Today, he is the horse I love the most.
PPF: Right.
MC: He is my favorite.

PPF: And while we’re on that subject, what do you consider having been your greatest accomplishment?
MC: Being a good head of household. And having the quality of grandchildren I have, plus being able to share my work with them.

PPF: What is the most valuable piece of advice you think you can give new trainers?
MC: Patience. Patience leads to great results… in order to improve. The other thing is to not push the horses. Horses are formed slowly. That is one of the biggest mistakes nowadays because we are not giving the horse enough time to develop and to completely mature. Horses are already tired now when they reach their mature age. Thus, their competitive trajectory and the level of demand we can place on them do not last very long. This stems from rushing to do the job. So, we have to start out slowly and give the horse time to advance. Trainers are now pushing and rushing horses at too young of an age. We see that very often and we are losing many horses because of that. When a horse is good, you have to give him time to reach his point. Even if it takes them one or two years, they will reach that point, with proper training and patience. But pushing, collecting, and polishing a horse so early will not last very long.

PPF: With so many championships under your belt and so much experience inside and outside of the show ring, if you could only share one single anecdote, something that has really pulled at your heart strings, which would it be?
MC: One of my biggest achievements was with that mare, Carmentea de Besilu. That was the first mare I rode in North Carolina, and she belonged to the Bakers. That mare was initially trained by Alberto Sierra, and he passed her on to Aleidita [Alei Ortiz]. Aleidita had trouble getting the mare in proper order and so she gave the mare back to the Bakers. They called me and asked me to go check the mare and see what she needed. I went to see and ride her. I automatically knew what her problem was, and they sent her to my farm. We were a month and a half away from the Asheville competition and I took her to that show. That was a huge show, with some 300-400 competitors. When I arrived there with that mare, I remember, everyone asked me why I had her wearing only a bit. And I would answer, ‘that is because the mare only likes to wear a bit’. That mare didn’t like to feel the muzzle piece. When she felt it, she would shake her head very hard because she felt uncomfortable. She didn’t like feeling anything heavy on her muzzle. That day we competed with all the best mares, and she obtained a second place, after only a month and a half of training. That is one of the greatest experiences that I have felt. At that time, I was trying to survive in Asheville, and nobody believed in me. Everyone was American there and I was new in town. She was one of the good ones and I started to show more and gain recognition. People started to send me more horses after that. It was a great feeling of satisfaction. Later, I experienced something similar with Orion. He gave Kristy and me great satisfaction also. Whenever I showed him, he would win. But my true happiness was to see Kristy riding at such a young age among all the adults in the amateur owner class. She would always beat them. That horse would always get a first or second place. During his whole life, he only lost one time, when he placed second. After that, he was always titled Champion, whether with my daughter or with me. Kristy was a young girl, and she rode him well, despite always having to deal with difficult horses. She never had good horses. She always competed so-so horses, but I was able to train this one very well and she would always place, but not high enough. Then, the Palomino came, and we started to win and got better mares to breed and that is where Orion came about. He was a son of the Palomino, Oro de Piloto, and the mare, La Diana del Duque. That’s how we got Orion. We raised him, put the saddle on him, and took him to show. The first time, he placed reserve champion after having won his colts’ class. And from then on, he was always champion. He died three years ago. Oro de Piloto died last year around this time, before going to Nationals. He had a bad colic and we had to put him down. But we had great satisfactions with them.

PPF: What is your first step when training a horse? I mean, when you start a new horse, what is the first thing you do?
MC: I think when starting a new horse, the first thing to do is give the horse some affection. Starting with the head, grooming. Grooming calms them a lot and teaches them to be serene. Caressing them with a bag that makes some noise is also good, so they let go of that fear they have. Leading them and teaching them to stop so that when it is time to put the saddle on them, they won’t even budge anymore. Once you put the saddle on, you can start to lunge them softly so that they learn to carry the saddle. Then, apply a little weight and place your foot inside the stirrup. Little by little, the horse will start to understand and learn to accept you without fighting or anything like that. When there is fighting, it is very difficult to train a horse.
PPF: So, you’re saying you need to follow the steps to gain trust from the horse.
MC: Right, to gain the trust and create a unity among the rider and the horse. The horse should not feel afraid of us. That is very important. You shouldn’t use a bit yet or do anything too strong yet. You can start to loosen their head a little to flex from the ground. Those are some preliminary steps that you should take with horses.
PPF: So that they don’t feel fear or anger.
MC: They start to feel affection towards you instead of feeling fear.

PPF: What is the most important aspect of your work?
MC: To be happy. I need to feel happy because when we are not happy, we don’t work well.

PPF: Who is the most influential person in your career?
MC: The most important person is Kristy because she has helped us a great deal. She moves at a fast pace, so she influences us and motivates us to move forward.

PPF: What do you like most about the horse?
MC: Being able to enjoy it. Enjoying it so much.

PPF: Which word represents your life as a horseman the most?
MC: Love, for the horses. That’s the word. We have to have love so that it represents us well.

PPF: What do you want people to know or remember about you the most?
MC: My honesty and my kindness.

PPF: Mario, thank you so much…
MC: Thanks to you, my love.
PPF: … for allowing us to get to know you better.
MC: It was great. Thanks to you, my love.