By Dinette Neuteboom of HorseGrooms
Marina Lemay had a big year in 2024, going to the Paris Olympics with Helix and USA’s Adrienne Lyle. At the moment, she is taking care of the amazing Indian Rock who, together with USA’s Christian Simonson, a student of Lyle, blew the competition away in the first Friday Night Stars Freestyle at the 2026 Adequan Global Dressage Festival.
Taking care of the Olympian Indian Rock and working with Simonson as USA Dressage’s Golden Child must bring a lot of pressure. Expectations are high for the talented young rider and the horse that competed at the Paris Olympics with Dutch rider, Emmelie Scholtens. “Honestly no,” says Lemay. “We have such a great relaxed and fun atmosphere in the barn that I sometimes even forget there is pressure. I understand it, of course, but it’s not something that affects my work or that I think of every day.”
Marina Lemay pats Indian Rock in the prize-giving ceremony in Wellington. Photo courtesy of Taylor Pence Media
Going to Europe
Lemay didn’t start taking care of Indian Rock until last year. “Adrienne has great horses at the moment but not ones that are ready for the big shows yet. So she asked me if I wanted to groom for Christian since the goal with him and Rocky is to go to Europe and do the big shows. I know Christian very well, and, obviously, I am not gonna turn down grooming Indian Rock,” said Lemay, smiling.
Kind Natured and Smart
The beautiful and impressive Indian Rock is special. “Not only for his looks, but also for his intelligence,” says Lemay. “I’ve worked with many stallions, but never one like Indian Rock. He is genuinely so kind natured and so smart. I feel he is like a human. He is very focused and very perceptive. He is really, really special. And together with Christian he makes a great team.”
Hand Grazing For Hours and Hours
Indian Rock’s routine at home is “straightforward”, as Lemay calls it. “He doesn’t really like the heat so after he gets fed in the morning, he goes straight out to his paddock where he stays for about two or three hours. He gets ridden mid day and in the afternoon he goes on the hot walker, those European type walkers, to stretch his legs. Oftentimes, Christian comes out in the evening to take him out of his stall again. He hand grazes him for hours and hours sometimes,” Lemay smiles, emphasizing the bond between the two.
A Lot of Hats
With clients and Adrienne’s and Christian’s competition horses all at one place, not one day is the same for Lemay. “I wear a lot of hats,”she says. “There are days that we have horses schooling in the stadium at Global or we go to the day shows at Jim Brandon. Those days, there is a lot of hauling in and out to do. My position might be head groom, but I do everything, like the other grooms. And I like that. In this barn, we are all the same.
The team around “Rocky”, from left to right: Marina Lemay (groom), Dee Linder (Heidi’s partner), Adrienne Lyle (coach), Christina Morgan (Christian’s mother), Heidi Humphries (owner), Phyllis Massey (Zen Elite’s barn manager), Christian Simonson (rider).
Photo courtesy of Lily Forado
The Olympic Games in Paris
Looking back at the Olympic Games in Paris, Lemay calls it an incredible journey. “It was fantastic. Obviously it wasn’t the team team result we were hoping for, but it was great to learn all the little details that come with it, like the travel, the flight, the paper work, can you bring your own grain and supplements etcetera etcetera. And it was very exciting to be in that environment around all those great veterinarians, riders, grooms, and other members of the support teams.”
Working Conditions of Grooms
While Lemay may have found herself in a great situation with Lyle and Simonson, she realizes that not all grooms are that lucky. “I do think most grooms at the higher levels of the sport are treated well and fairly. At lower levels, not all grooms are that fortunate yet. We are lucky that Heidi Humphreys of Zen Elite, who owns most of our horses, has been trying really hard for the grooms. One of the things she does is sponsoring the FEI lounge at the Global Dressage Festival where riders and grooms can get refreshments and relax. That really helps make our days easier. I do have the feeling that more and more people are trying really hard to better the lives and working conditions of grooms and that’s a very good development.”
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