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Blogs - Catherine Haddad Staller

February 18, 2013

You Know You Are In Florida When…

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

Now that I’ve moved to Florida after living in Germany for 20 years, everyone wants to know what I find different here. Fair question! It’s taken me a few months to articulate this, but put your tongue in your cheek. Here we go!

You know you are in Florida when…

The orange juice tastes better than the water.

You stop checking for bicycles at street crossings.

You start checking for polo ponies at street crossings.

February 13, 2013

Feeding the Top Athlete, Part I: Fiber With Flair

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

In a blog last fall I touched briefly on the fact that we need to provide better management for the horses we expect to compete in top sport. I would like to delve into some things I have learned about nutrition in recent years.

Comments

Amartin
13 weeks 3 days ago

have you tried soyhulls?

Thanks for your info on the Beet pulp fibre... have you done any research on Soy Hulls? very similar to beet pulp - low sugar less than 5%, quick to soak (5-10mins), has protein but little fat and over 20% fibre as well. I have seen it mixed with Beet pulp as well for a 1/2 mix. I am interested to know if you know any more about it, not being from the East Coast, I am not familiar with the product you suggest but have access to soy hull products cheap and easily.
SBrentnall
12 weeks 6 days ago

Renew Gold and Biostar are great, too

I love Speedi-Beet, but for my horse who gains weight just looking at food, I've found Renew Gold does what he needs. I started him on it last May and now I've converted most of my barnmates. :) For supplements, I switched to Biostar after talking to Shannon Peters. Her philosophy of using only all-natural foods rather than chemically based supplements made sense to me, and I can honestly say my horse has never gone better or looked healthier. He's more focused, less prone to random spazz attacks and has good endurance. I don't know why it took me so long to figure this out. I'm a vegetarian who eats mostly organic whole foods, but it took a long time for me to realize I should feed my horse the same way!
February 1, 2013

Open Training Day

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

A few weeks ago I spontaneously held an open training day at my stable in Loxahatchee, Fla. Lendon Gray brought along a group of eager young riders, I opened the seminar to the public, and all in all about 40 people showed up on short notice.

Comments

safetyles
15 weeks 1 day ago

DTO code

Well, this finally got me to sign up for DTO but unfortunately the code didn't work for me. I was not able to sign up for just a month with out a credit card and when I did use my cc, then the website said that the code was not valid. Sighhh. If anyone from DTO reads this, can you help?
lovetotravel
15 weeks 1 day ago

DTO can Help with promo code

So sorry you are having trouble. The promo ended at midnight Last night but... please send an email to customerservice@dressagetrainingonline.com no later than Saturday at midnight. Let us know you were on this blog and we will help you an honor the free month.
lovetotravel
15 weeks 1 day ago

Correction from DTO the Catherine Haddad promotion ends Feb 28th

please contact customerservice@dressagetrainingonline.com and we can help you get set up.
December 31, 2012

New Year’s Day 2013: Out of the Darkness Into the Light

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

If you have ever trained proper reinback as a tool to gain impulsion, you will understand when I say that setbacks in life can be a springboard for progress if you treat them right.

I don’t know how Hotmail found me.

This time last year I was taking down the Christmas tree and trying to keep all the ornaments out of harm’s way. I had a new corgi puppy, Foxy, who kept me entertained at every turn, and life should have been good.

Comments

ellakuyps
19 weeks 4 days ago

Reading this has put a smile

Reading this has put a smile on my face! I am happy for you! I have thought often of you over the past months, not quite being able to imagine the hurt and emotion you have been through. Journeys can be so difficult but what we learn from them and how we grow from them shape us into better people. People better equipped to do what we do, to help other people along the way, to appreciate, and be better prepared to face the next difficult journey... I was hoping to be in Florida with you for some time this winter, but was not to be. A 'journey' ended for me. (Nothing like yours but still tough) But a beautiful new journey has begun! Counting on next winter with my new "man"! I think you'll like him! Hoping to see you before then! Carry on and I hope you are loving being "home"! Barb Kuyper
chisamba
18 weeks 5 days ago

Reinback to gain impulsion

I love this analogy, and will remember to use it often. I had a horrible set back about this time last year, one that is weighing on me as the anniversary of the event approaches. I lost all of my horses and my horses in training in a barn fire. While it was difficult to get started again physically, finding a barn, finding horses for clients, taking on projects for myself, emotionally it has been even more difficult. Like you, i feel like i have been going through the motions. I am so happy for you that you found hotmail, and so happy for you that you are keeping him. I wish you all of the best of luck and skill with him! sincerely Marion
December 2, 2012

A Time to Give Thanks To Healers, Friends, Family and Horses

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

I left sunny Florida to spend Thanksgiving weekend with my husband in New Jersey. Greg was on call for his veterinary practice, Running S Equine, so we agreed to spend our holiday visiting friends between equine emergencies. Several poignant reminders of why I should be grateful in this life were presented to me as I traveled through the weekend.

Thanksgiving Day

October 31, 2012

The Order Of The Broom

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

In a country where one learns riding through sweeping, it could be said that those who truly learn riding, have mastered the broom.

Comments

michelle
28 weeks 3 days ago

You made me laugh and cry.

You made me laugh and cry.
October 30, 2012

Full Moon Over Vechta: Day Of Cat

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

I arrived in Germany on a full moon in October of 1993, and I am leaving Germany on a full moon in October of 2012. Full circles seem to be a theme in my life, Rita, but this has been one long circle! After a stop at the Global Dressage Forum in Hooge Mierde, the Netherlands, I am flying with my horses to Miami on Oct. 31.

Leaving Vechta is sad and hard. I grew up here (not sure “grew up” is the right term, but I did learn a lot) and became the person I wanted to be. I made good friends, learned a lot about people, and I will miss this place.

October 8, 2012

American Dressage: Four Ways Forward, Part III

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

Many people have wondered about my motivation in writing this particular blog about the future of American dressage as I envision it. Some people have labeled it as self-promotion, although most have viewed it as political suicide to speak out against the old, established way of doing things. Some people think I’m interested in coaching or managing the team. However, none of these assumptions is correct from my own perspective.

Comments

nygrneye
31 weeks 4 days ago

thank you thank you!

Catherine - there is so much work to do to bring Dressage into the living rooms of America.. there are BASIC things the Regional shows can do as well as the bigger shows... i was recently at the NEDA Fall Festival and made a crack saying "if Madonna would take up Dressage, the bleachers might be full"... i was shocked that the entire town of Saugerties has not ONE single sign pointing towards the HITS showgrounds..i actually ended up 15 miles north in Catskill w/ my horse and trailer...due to the lack of a single sign... our show started on a Wednesday...why weren't the local schools having field trips for the future starts of the sport...how can we expect to get our country interested if we do not open our doors to the public...most of this is FREE...i could go on and on.. thank you for a wonderful article(s)...i hope something happens....soon...
trackleftatc@yahoo.com
31 weeks 3 days ago

I have an idea ---- how about

I have an idea ---- how about Catherine Haddad Staller for PRESIDENT of the United States????? After reading these 3 pieces on the future of dressage, I think Catherine has missed her calling.....
rosa987
30 weeks 5 days ago

This is really a nice post

This is really a nice post and this blog is awesome. esimsar.com
October 4, 2012

American Dressage: Four Ways Forward, Part II

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

Of the Four Ways Forward for Dressage in the USA— Training, Management, Logistics and Marketing—we have already talked about the training and coaching I hope to see for our team in the future. The U.S. team coach needs to work closely together with a team manager to help prepare future combinations for prolonged international competition.

2. Management and Preparation

September 28, 2012

American Dressage: Four Ways Forward, Part I

By: Catherine Haddad Staller

Dear Rita,

I’ve given much thought to the state of our sport in the USA since the London Olympics in August. Many people have offered their opinions about why the U.S. teams didn’t medal in London. I don’t believe that winning makes you right and losing makes you wrong. Sport is not that black and white. But I do believe in learning from past mistakes and in stealing every last bit of helpful information that you can from the people who out-perform you in competition.