My Best Training Tool by Catherine Madera Last month a halter worn by equine superstar Zenyatta sold at auction for over $6,000. Dubbed “The Queen of Racing,” Zenyatta soared to popularity after breaking numerous records on the track. She failed to win the 2010 Breeder’s Cup Classic (placing second), … Read More
Don’t Forget to Enjoy Your Horse By Catherine Madera I have a dream…to do flying lead changes (on purpose). I’m no Martin Luther King Jr., but dreams are for horses, too. My first attempts to teach flying changes occurred in a neighbor’s field when I was about 15. I … Read More
Equine Events for Everyone by Catherine Madera I started my year of equine event attendance early, and with a bang, by attending the National Finals Rodeo in December. The shopping and action are similar, in some ways, to an Expo experience—pumped up on steroids! I saw things in Vegas … Read More
Celebrating a Grand Passion by: Catherine Madera Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and, once it has done so, he will have to admit that … Read More
Senior Horses Enrich Lives By Catherine Madera We are not a culture that values age. Instead, we idolize the youthful, the athletic, and the beautiful. This trickles down to horse ownership: forget the old grey mare, we want the young, black stallion. My most interesting horse growing up was … Read More
Every Season is Special by Catherine Madera As I write this the first rains of fall are soaking my pastures—what happened to summer? Seriously, it pretty much avoided the northwest altogether. A dreaded three-letter word is hovering on my lips: Mud. I was feeling pretty grumpy about it one … Read More
“Health is Wealth” by Catherine Madera This saying is both figurative and literal. Health gives people and horses a full, “wealthy” quality of life while lack-there-of steals joy as well as dollars from our pocket books. The latter scenario became a painful reality when my daughter’s horse, Cowboy, sustained … Read More
by Catherine Madera “Your horse is a little bit spoiled.” I didn’t want to believe the clinician, but his observation was confirmed when he jumped on my horse and immediately got him to perform without complaints (I hate that!). I went home later inspired and ready to make some … Read More
A Teachable Spirit Invites Success By Catherine Madera As the new editor of the magazine, this month’s theme of educational opportunities is especially appropriate—I’m on a big learning curve! It’s an awesome opportunity to get more involved in the Northwest horse industry and I look forward to meeting and learning … Read More
