instructor
Mary Anne Campbell
In her own words…
“This Bittersweet Life” Podcast: March 2022.
Katy Sewall interviews Mary Anne on how horses teach us about life.
Interviews with “Digi-Ponies” podcaster Betsy Bilhorn, a good introduction to the work and to the trainer.
Recent interview on "Equitation for Everyone"
Interview on "French Classical Roots in History"
Mary Anne Campbell has been working professionally with horses most of her adult life.
Her initial work with horses began in Portland, Oregon, riding a friend’s horse at Forest Park Stables and providing care for the race horses and polo ponies belonging to a neighboring veterinarian. She then went to Art school at UC Davis, and discovered at their equine center there that one could study equitation. The riding lessons opened good questions. What is the relationship between movement and posture? What is the value of the rider’s posture, and why do different disciplines call for different postures? Is there a ‘correct’ posture for the horse? For the rider? What are ‘good hands’? What is a ‘good seat’? Why does EVERY instructor say they have the ‘one correct method’ and why do each of them look down their noses at the others? More questions than answers! But good questions.
Back in Portland after college Mary Anne worked with Keith Schramm, a wonderful combined training instructor. She also studied with Susie Schramm who still runs ‘Once Upon A Horse’ down there. Both taught Mary Anne about working well and not taking it all so seriously!
She held a position as manager for a few years for a young man who was importing high-end show jumpers, and learned to navigate the world of the international Warmblood breeder. There she began to get a sense of the difference in outlook of the professional trainer and the seriously wealthy rider and to understand the care and upkeep and promotion of performance horses.
During this time she studied with a Tom Dorrance protégé, Dave Williams, and learned about the world of natural horsemanship and the many different practitioners of that form.
She ran the Lake Oswego Hunt Club riding school for a time and built a robust and healthy school and summer camp program there.
Then in 2004 she met and began studying with Craig Stevens. The world of French Classical Dressage opened up to her— and she had found home.
French classical dressage gave her the kind of riding she had always imagined.
Starting with real balance, riding without fear because the balance is real— not ‘looks right’ but IS right. Directing the horse through real connection, and finding what is beautiful in every horse and every rider— this was riding as Mary Anne had always dreamed it could be.
Mary Anne’s equitation began to truly grow.
She stayed on and managed the farm for Craig, studying the riding, maintaining the online presence, writing, designing online teaching, creating videos, teaching, supporting the training and developing the school horses. Craig and Mary Anne married, and although eventually they parted ways they remained friends and teaching partners until his death in 2024.
Mary Anne has written extensively, with articles in magazines carried both in the US and abroad. She’s also an author of full length books, including co-authoring “Quotes and Commentary” with Craig Stevens, now available through Blue River Farm or on Amazon. She is presently completing “The Work in Hand”, and continues the treatise on “Mediterranean Horsemanship: The old world work.”
Mary Anne has developed a following as a clinician, teaching not only at facilities across the US but in Europe, Asia and Australia. Working with her, all riders and all horses are equally interesting and valued. Whether you’re a tiny child experiencing these wonderful animals for the first time or a senior clinician yourself, with a pure blood stallion perfecting haute ecole— you’ll find when studying with Mary Anne that you’re recognized and welcomed and supported in your relationship with horses.
What particularly interests Mary Anne Campbell is training professional practitioners of this old art, as under the weight of the prevailing paradigm this old way of working is very much endangered. We need all the voices we can bring into this conversation to carry the song to the next generations. Mary Anne and Craig, with the support and engagement of long time students, created a non-profit called the Foundation for the Equestrian Arts that tests, certifies and offers credentials for trainers and instructors in this older form. Mary Anne is a fully accredited instructor and clinician through the Foundation.