Copa is an off-the-track thoroughbred that raced under the name It’s All Copacetic. But when he first arrived at Twine Barn Sanctuary in Parkland, things weren’t all copacetic. Twine Barn Sanctuary founder and president Crystal Coan knew she had her work cut out for her.
“Copa would jump or bolt off at a gallop over every little thing, even moving shadows on the ground from trees he was standing under,” recalls Coan. “Sometimes even his own shadow!” Coan had Copa assessed to see if he had any underlying pain or injuries that would make him behave this way. There were none.
“When he was given the green light to work, it became clear that he’d learned his naughty behavior meant people would dismount and he wouldn’t have to work anymore,” explains Coan. So she decided to work with Copa to curb his dangerous behavior.
Coan and Copa went on a number of thrilling rides she refers to as “flying dragon rolls,” one of which threw her hip out for weeks. Still, she refused to give up on Copa.
“I never once thought about giving up on him,” affirms Coan. “He was super sweet and always wanted to be hanging over your shoulder, so I knew with a lot of patience, desensitization work, and regular exercise, he had the potential to become someone’s heart horse.”
And that’s exactly what happened. When Mikaella Alzein met Copa at Twine Barn Sanctuary, it was love at first sight. Mikaella was only 9 years old at the time and hadn’t started riding yet. The idea of riding Copa gave her the motivation to get started and stick with it.
“When I first saw Copa, I immediately knew he was my favorite horse,” recalls Mikaella. After a few weeks of training, Coan allowed Mikaella to ride Copa for the first time on a lead rope and only at a walk. “I was so happy,” enthuses Mikaella. “I knew I wanted to work with this horse. I could see us going far and having a future together.”
A couple of months later, on her first ride off the lead rope, Mikaella realized how much work it would take to achieve the future she envisioned with Copa. Copa bucked the entire length of the field they were riding through, and Mikaella fell off the 17-hand horse. Copa’s bucking, which was unpredictable, happened during many of their rides and never deterred Mikaella.
“Mikaella would smile, dust herself off, tell him she loved him, and get right back on,” says Coan. “Sure gave us and her parents some scares, but she wouldn’t give up on him.”
“If you want to be a good rider, you’re gonna also have to face your fears,” explains Mikaella. “I faced my fears while he was bucking.”
To help with Copa’s bucking, Mikaella’s parents brought in horse trainers Igo Sifuentes and Irene Arshad. Even though they knew their daughter was determined, they still had their doubts about Copa and made sure Mikaella always wore a helmet and safety vest when riding him.
“At the beginning I thought there was no hope for him,” recalls Jaelke Alzein, Mikaella’s mother. “He would start good and then go wild like a rodeo. I thought the horse was crazy.” But Coan and Sifuentes assured her that Copa just needed a lot of love and consistency.
Mikaella stepped up and began spending hours with Copa in the barn to build love and trust between them. “Every day she took her books and read to him, and sang to him,” recalls Alzein. “She still does that to this day.”
During the summer, instead of going on vacation, Mikaella spent her days at the barn cleaning stalls, feeding the horses, and, of course, bonding with Copa.
As their bond deepened, Mikaella was even able to fall asleep beside Copa. “The first time I slept in his stall, I woke up with him playing with my hair,” she says. “It was a super calming, special feeling.”
“She’s the kind of kid that he needed and he’s the heart horse she’d always dreamt about,” enthuses Coan. “It was a match made in heaven.”
In early 2023, Mikaella started jumping, and within seven months she became the Grand Champion in Parkland in her division. Her dream was to be able to take Copa to a show and compete with him.
In October 2023, Mikaella started jumping with Copa. “I was so excited when that happened,” she enthuses. “It felt like I was flying.”
In late 2023, after a year and a half of working and bonding with Copa, Mikaella took him to his first show in Parkland. It didn’t go well. “He was freaking out,” recalls Jaelke Alzein. “He wanted to jump out of the arena.”
But with love, patience, and positive reinforcement, Copa and Mikaella are now successfully competing in shows together. “He behaves so well. He looks like a champion, and he behaves like one,” says Alzein. “He’s very calm.”
Five months ago, Mikaella became Copa’s official owner. Since then, they have competed in five shows together, and Coan couldn’t be happier for the pair. “Mikaella was determined to learn and grow with him so they could compete together one day, and I thank the universe her parents have supported them the whole way,” says Coan.
The Alzeins’ latest form of support comes in the form of a 3-acre property in Parkland. “This horse changed our lives completely,” says Jaelke Alzein. “We’re finally going to be able to bring Copa home with us. He’s part of the family and we want him with us.”
Mikaella, who is now realizing the original vision she had for her and Copa, has her own set of aspirations for the former racehorse.
“I want him to have the life he thought he would never have,” explains Mikaella. “I’m sure if you told him a couple of years ago that he was going to go to a nice barn, start training as an athlete, and be a champion, he wouldn’t have believed it. I want him to have a name, and be able to jump 3 meters, and go to the Wellington Equestrian Festival.”