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Catherine Madera 
Ease Stress by Planning Ahead for the Unexpected by Catherine Madera I had planned to write about organizing my tack room (hoping it would motivate me) for our Barn and Farm issue. However, an unplanned tragedy this week prompts me in another direction: planning for when the worst happens …
It may be February, but I’m feeling spring in the air and the usual draw toward the trail. It’s not a question of whether to ride (duh) but whether to ride alone or seek a partner. This is not a simple decision. It is more like the adult dating scene. …
Identity and the Equestrian by Catherine Madera Who am I? This is a basic question human beings struggle with at their core. Though it is perhaps acted out most obviously in adolescence, uncertainty about identity can follow a person into old age. As a spiritual person, I believe this …
by Catherine Madera I got back into horses 15 years ago by purchasing a 6 month old Arabian colt. At the time my children were 2 and 7 and I hadn’t ridden in over 10 years. You could say it was a rather ambitious re-entry into the world of …
On Being Present in Every Season by Catherine Madera The summer of 2015 went down in history as the hottest on record. Even as the weather was heavenly (personally, I never tire of sun), it was a season of extreme challenges as well. When fall came early, in late …
The Care and Training of One Extraordinarily Special Needs Horse by Catherine Madera and Morgan Wagner I first saw them in Albany, OR, at the Northwest Horse Fair and Expo: a young woman calmly cantering around a working equitation course on her totally eye-less Appaloosa. It was simply unbelievable …
Determining a State of Wellness by Catherine Madera When I first got my 5-year-old BLM mustang, Mateo, he had a curious habit. Nearly every day, usually at dusk, I would watch him walk to the corner of his small pasture and gallop back the way he had come. The …
Sharing Horses and Fostering Wellness by Catherine Madera Wellness is a surprisingly complex term. Whether discussing people, horses or a community, it can be hard to define what true wellness means and what it includes. The dictionary defines it simply: the state or condition of being in good physical and …
Avoid Fantasy to Turn Your Dreams into Reality by Catherine Madera What’s the difference between dreams and fantasies? I think the short answer is that a dream doesn’t ignore reality; the dreamer sees challenges clearly and finds realistic ways to overcome them. Horses have a wonderful way of igniting …
Plan for a Fun, Educational Experience this Fall in Chilliwack by Catherine Madera In the English language homonyms are words that sound alike but have different meanings. A good example is the words main and mane. The dictionary defines mane as: distinctly long or thick hair, such as found on …