This June we are highlighting the Lavish Lusitano on YourDressage!
Did you know that riders who choose a member of this handsome breed as their dressage mounts are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program? The International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association and the US Lusitano Association Inc. are participating organizations!
By Melissa Mayo
In the fall of 2022, while attending a horse show with my son and two daughters, a riding accident resulted in a catastrophic crush injury to my right ankle. Multiple surgeries and countless hours of rehab weren’t successful in restoring the life I once had, and my identity – rooted in movement and horsemanship – was slipping away. The pain became constant, and my mobility suffered.
As a licensed occupational therapist, I knew I had a decision to make, and it was one rooted in function and purpose. I chose elective amputation in order to reclaim my independence, return to the life I love, and set a new standard for my children: resilience in the face of adversity.
Life changed across the board after my accident. I’ve had to adapt and learn new normals for all things. Throughout it all, my family has been amazing; my husband is my rock, and my kids are my biggest cheerleaders.
There were a lot of dark times over the course of this journey, and one of my biggest fears was never being able to ride again. I can remember one night, when it was all feeling like it was too much, and my husband just held me and told me he would get me back on a horse, no matter what that looked like. I can’t begin to describe to you how blessed I am.
My oldest daughter has taken over running the farm for the most part, which has been a huge help. Somewhere along the way, when she HAD to step up, our roles shifted a little and she has chosen to continue most of the chores, despite me being able to physically do everything I need to on my own again.
About two years ago, a friend asked how I came up with the name Twist of Fate for my farm. I smiled, thinking of Triple Twist – also known as Trey – my Thoroughbred stallion, who hailed from the legendary Twist jumping lines. That’s where the name started. But as I told them, the real meaning runs much deeper.
Most of our horses haven’t come from searches or sales ads, they simply found us. They arrived just when they were meant to, as if fate had already written them into our story. I’ve only ever deliberately looked for two horses. The rest… just appeared. And every one of them has changed our lives for the better.
Theday after this conversation, one of my vets told me, “We need to find you a para dressage horse.” A few hours later, someone messaged me with a lead. The day after that, I connected with his owner. Within days of making that connection, he was mine.
We were both healing; me in body and spirit, and him from injury. We began our rehab journey together, side by side. It’s funny how the universe works, whether you believe it’s fate, divine intervention, or something in between.
Protego Santana, “Tego” to his friends. Tego is a rising eight-year-old Lusitano gelding from Brazil, who joined our family in July of 2024, thanks to the generosity and heart of his previous owner. His name means “Protector of Spirit” or “Holy Protector,” and Tego has truly lived up to it.
In May 2024, Tego was diagnosed with a series of injuries: a lateral/ledial suspensory branch desmitis with sesamoid bone osteitis in his right front, distal MCIII stress remodeling in both fronts, and carpal subchondral bone inflammation in the left front. In short, his future was uncertain. After months of stall rest though, he began slowly walking under tack, and returned to turnout in the fall of 2024.
Over the last two years, I’ve done things I never imagined possible. I’ve skied down black diamond slopes, walked, ran, and ridden again, and rope-swinged into lakes. Last year was a whirlwind of a lot of accomplishments: doing my first FEI test at both the regional and national levels (including scoring a 72% in our first Para test!), receiving my Para Dressage Classification, being awarded my Training and First Level USDF Rider Performance Awards, and forming a better relationship with Tego. I’ve accomplished these feats while raising a family, keeping up with my career, and running Twist of Fate Stables, our family-operated breeding and boarding facility in West Virginia.
Tego and I enjoy having fun doing all the things together. We have gone to the beach in November each year since I got him for the American Heart Association beach ride. We trail ride, and we’ve even tried a couple of jumps (he prefers to stay on the ground)! My middle child rides him, and he has kind of picked her as his favorite. She’s eleven, and they are super cute together.
As we look forward, I’d LOVE to represent our country as a para dressage rider, but my life and schedule may not be conducive to that happening. More realistically, I’d like to make it to the US Equestrian Festival of Champions, and just go as far as we can on this journey. I’d also like to return to eventing later this year with one of my homebreds. Ultimately though, I just want to have fun and enjoy my horses.
Goodness.
We made our comeptitive debut on July 20th, 2025, and the future feels wide open. We don’t know exactly where this path will take us, but we know one thing for sure – we’re enjoying the journey together.
Tego gave me my riding life back, and made my dreams become a reality. He’s shown me that I can still do this, and that learning is fun. He’s got an overgrown Golden Retriever personality, which makes me smile no matter my mood, and he never lets me take myself too seriously. I’m blessed with some truly amazing horses, and they just make me grateful that I can continue to ride.
While Tego is my first Lusitano, I had ridden one, years ago, for a friend for a couple of months, quickly discovering that they are so incredibly kind, very intelligent, and wickedly athletic. I’m definitely a fan.
To anyone who may be starting out on their own para journey, have fun! We are so incredibly lucky to be part of this sport and share our lives with such amazing animals. The para community has been incredibly kind and welcoming, so don’t be afraid to reach out to those who have been in it for a while. There is so much to learn, and the USA has an incredible team!
