Standing in a field, Larissa didn’t give the impression of a future Olympic horse. Bred and owned by Franz and Elke Hollenbach, the chestnut Trakehner mare had a long, periscope-like neck, a back curved by scoliosis and a club foot that seemed to repel shoes. With a body shaped like a greyhound, Larissa had long, lanky limbs that she used to her advantage. With head held high—often at a different altitude than her human counterparts—the whites of her eyes flickered as she analyzed the world around her.
But the mare was not to be underestimated. What you couldn’t see on the outside was that, at her core, Larissa was made of iron—with solid bones and an invincible will. And in the right hands, she was remarkable. With rare presence, strength and fortitude, she became known as Team Canada’s “Iron Lady,” dominating the highest ranks of eventing for almost a decade with Canadian Olympian Bruce Mandeville.
Larissa was acutely aware of the power she possessed. Everyone who was familiar with the mare, including FEI officials, parted like the Red Sea when she entered the 10-minute box at international events (the time in the vet box between Phases C and D in the long format). Yet for the people Larissa knew and trusted, her incandescent personality was an asset. Mandeville learned that if he could connect with her and channel her energy wisely, she was unstoppable, even on the most challenging courses in the world. Together, the pair tackled, to name a few, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Badminton Horse Trials, the 2002 Jerez de la
