Yes go to CH blog she posted a response.
I went out and rode m’horse. Gonna take some lessons on the hack to get me past some of my issues. 
Paula
I had a post that went poof so I’ll try to reiterate here. I have not read all of the posts but I read CH’s article.
FWIW (not much!) I was not offended by her post. I though she made some excellent points. I’m an AA and I’ve ridden in a clinic with her. She even rode my horse (she doesn’t do that much). SHe’s not against the “lowly AA” at all.
She is a BNT and has earned that. She’s ridden a lot of difficult horses (hence her scores) and never had any wealthy owner put nice already-trained GP horses under her. She owns her own horses…I respect what she’s done for herself. That said, I understand why she doesn’t want to always work with beginner riders - many of them can’t apply the aids she tells them to apply. They’re not coordinated enough in their bodies and their horses are often not too responsive (often, the horse has already tuned the rider out). Sometimes, the obvious problem is saddle or bridle fit or horse health issues - that’s nothing CH can fix. That’s not an insult, it is what it is. The ~$400/weekend would be much better spent on $400/6-8 lessons from their local trainer. That’s a much more effective use of money for many. I’ve known some beginner riders who ride with BNTs just so say that they’ve ridden with them…or they say they’ve “trained” with them. No one here may know people like this but I certainly have. So I get what Catherine is saying.
Most clinics with high-level trainers I’ve ridden in are scheduled to include 1-2 riders per level from Training/First to FEI. I think that structure is beneficial to all.
I agree with her in that local trainers have a significant effect on everyone who is their student…and many local trainers need to continue to ride with BNTs who can help improve them. These trainer should be able to change their riding quickly and adapt to what a GP-level rider like CH is telling - that makes the lesson effective for CH.
Lastly, CH trained in a SYSTEM. As an academic (and an academic aware of the German academic system), there is a large degree of respect between trainee and trainer. It is expected. One does not go before the mentor unless thoroughly prepared. I once rode with a German-trained GP trainer with my horse in a tailbag. The BNT took me aside to tell me how tacky and disrespectful this was. I was horrified, I thanked the clinician, and was sure to remove it for the next ride. I got what he was saying. Some people might think this is nitpicky and ridiculous, since I was paying for the lesson. But I got it - he thought I should show him the best we had to offer and show respect for riding in front of him. I got it.
[QUOTE=AllWeatherGal;7104448]
Reading this thread as a writer not a rider I wonder if the purpose of the blog was not to flog anyone but to get people talking.
Writing something controversial,thought-provoking and leaving room for a variety of people to get offended so others will argue with the offense generates more buzz for the issue, and therefore, more awareness.
The point about learning to teach/train by watching excellent teachers is noteworthy and makes me ponder the difference between “instructor certification” and “teacher training.”
As for experts not wanting to waste time with amateurs, consider that professors at universities and colleges all over the United States create courses to attract new students to their field of study and seem to enjoy getting to play around with upper level content for the novice.[/QUOTE]
Great post. Especially appreciate your distinction between “instructor certification” and “teacher training.”
[QUOTE=NOMIOMI1;7104306]
PS she is not saying ONLY pros either, she makes it clear if they are going to encourage students to come to her make sure they can do some dressage first and secondly the trainers should join in!
This seems reasonable regardless if you like her or another clinician I can see my trainer saying as to who would be ready for xyz trainer and who would not as well as riding a few herself!
But she is german so ;)[/QUOTE]
I believe she is Lebanese - def not German.
[QUOTE=dudleyc;7104762]
I believe she is Lebanese - def not German.[/QUOTE]
Sorry I was unclear!
I mean “she” being my own trainer and not CH 
Thread Summary:
Catherine says that basic classical dressage foundation is sadly lacking in the US.
She is pretty certain she is totally amazingly awesome sauce and her blog always reads that way.
Panties wadded.
Train wrecked.
Choooo Chooooo!
You are confusing me with another poster. I didn’t use “shrill” or “shrewish” nor did I say anything about your turning away potential customers.
I also didn’t find the blog offensive. I can understand her perspective to some degree. In a country without the rider/trainer density of Europe, perhaps the best way towards progress as a country in dressage is to get more local professionals better trained to help the local adult amateurs. Many pros I’ve met end up shortchanging themselves (either due to time, money, or both) when it comes to advancing their own training.
As an adult amateur, I know I’d be frustrated auditing a clinic with most of the riders at the lower levels. I’m in New England, opportunities are there for the pros to ride with other pros. Same is true for NJ, but I can understand why if she’s travelling to some other areas of the country that CHS would have expected to have more pros scrambling for the opportunity to clinic with someone of her caliber. Those opportunities are likely rare compared to the coasts of this country.
It’s like an Inception thread… a trainwreck within a trainwreck!!
I read parts of the blog post to a non horse person and here is what they said:
“She sounds like a frustrated and crazed woman. I can see her point, but it’s partly her fault for not stating a minimum level of rider. If she doesn’t want to teach beginners than she should just say so.”
I read that she will now stay home unless the clinics are filled will trainers on multiple horses and maybe a couple of advanced students. So all’s well that ends well.
[QUOTE=SnicklefritzG;7104841]
I read parts of the blog post to a non horse person and here is what they said:
“She sounds like a frustrated and crazed woman. I can see her point, but it’s partly her fault for not stating a minimum level of rider. If she doesn’t want to teach beginners than she should just say so.”[/QUOTE]
In fairness, I don’t expect a non-horse person to understand an article written by a horse trainer to a targeted audience (CoTH). Calling her “frustrated and crazed” is simplistic and naïve, IMO.
[QUOTE=J-Lu;7104855]
In fairness, I don’t expect a non-horse person to understand an article written by a horse trainer to a targeted audience (CoTH). Calling her “frustrated and crazed” is simplistic and naïve, IMO.[/QUOTE]
Actually it’s not, particularly when the language used in the blog has as much bravado as it does. Intelligent people can see it for what it is regardless of the nature of the topic being discussed.
[QUOTE=dudleyc;7104762]
I believe she is Lebanese - def not German.[/QUOTE]
Pretty sure she’s American.
[QUOTE=SnicklefritzG;7104869]
Actually it’s not, particularly when the language used in the blog has as much bravado as it does. Intelligent people can see it for what it is regardless of the nature of the topic being discussed.[/QUOTE]
I see your point, but if your friend calls her “frustrated and crazed”, I think your friend misses her points and doesn’t understand what she’s trying to say. That’s not surprising, since it is difficult for anyone on the outside of a field to understand what a professional in the field is saying. This applies to horses. I know it SOUNDS so easy for people to just pay to improve their riding, but that’s not always the case as we who ride all know.
[QUOTE=AllWeatherGal;7104448]
Writing something controversial,thought-provoking and leaving room for a variety of people to get offended so others will argue with the offense generates more buzz for the issue, and therefore, more awareness.
QUOTE]
^I couldn’t agree with this more.
Instead of focusing on the messenger, consider thinking about the idea and looking deeper at the more complex situation…such as increasing our standards as to who (or making sure that the trainer has the ability to teach the complete basics) can teach our amateur or beginner riders.
I would prefer to spend my money on several lessons with someone who has trained with a BNT (and has the ability to teach the basics) than on just one or two lessons with a BNT. I am at the stage of my riding ability where I prefer to spend my money on a capable trainer and numerous lessons vs one or two lessons a year on a BNT. But that’s more of from a financial perspective.
Having more trainers who are able to continue their education with BNT will give access to better training to their students.
[QUOTE=SnicklefritzG;7104841]
I read parts of the blog post to a non horse person and here is what they said:
“She sounds like a frustrated and crazed woman. I can see her point, but it’s partly her fault for not stating a minimum level of rider. If she doesn’t want to teach beginners than she should just say so.”[/QUOTE]
My mother, who is a professional women though no longer a horse rider, said pretty much the same thing.
Added to that a comment of “It was pretty good that Franz Maringer didn’t feel the same way or he would have been flat out finding anyone to teach”. That said, Franz always made it clear he wouldn’t teach people under 12 years of age and I was devastated that he died prematurely before I was taught by him. He certainly didn’t insult anyone in setting that limitation though.
Personally I agree with just about everything meupatdoes has said. Blogging is not the same as having a private vent about something - if it was just done to cause discussion then is was poorly done.
Exhibiting her typical and endearing bluntness, CH wrote a controversial piece that’s touched a lot of nerves. What struck me as odd - and I’ll stand by my impression - is that she seems to assume that because she can’t fill up her clinic with good riders there aren’t good riders willing to learn. It doesn’t seem to occur to her that those good riders may prefer to train with someone else. CH is the new kid on the block. To give an illustration (and I’m picking this randomly from an ad in a New Jersey forum), Heather Mason had a clinic this year where she charged $155 for a 1 hour lesson and $80 for 1/2 hour. Her credentials aren’t shabby:
http://www.centerlinescores.com/Rider/Details/13502
She has trained many GP horses and has many students at the GP level. She is just one of many, many trainers of that caliber based in this area, and there are other trainers who come from other states or Europe to teach.
To give an analogy, suppose I had spent years overseas studying Yoga at the best Yoga center in the world. Suppose I became one of the best Yoga instructors in the world. I return to Philadelphia and open up a Yoga studio. Suppose I don’t get a lot of students or the ones I get are rank beginners. Do I assume that no one wants to learn Yoga? The reality is there are already tons of really good Yoga studios here with an established clientele. Maybe, just maybe, I still need to prove myself as the new kid on the block.
That’s the part of CH’s article that bugged me. I also don’t see the state of dressage in the US being quite as dismal as she sees it. If I misinterpreted CH, please tell me politely, but don’t create straw man arguments.
A straw man or straw person, also known in the UK as an Aunt Sally, is a type of argument and is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position. To “attack a straw man” is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by replacing it with a superficially similar yet unequivalent proposition (the “straw man”), and to refute it, without ever having actually refuted the original position. This technique has been used throughout history in polemical debate, particularly in arguments about highly charged, emotional issues.
(From: Wikipedia)
Well, I knew her back when she was flying around the ring on a little quarter horse and teaching lessons for 25 bucks. We all start somewhere.
Obviously, her clinics aren’t filling with the riders she wants to teach. Perhaps she should reflect on that. Would she prefer to sit out the time when her spots don’t fill, and take less $$ ?
