About the teaching
learning with
Mary Anne Campbell
Mary Anne is a skilled, observant and effective teacher and clinician. Credentialed by the Foundation for the Equestrian Arts as an instructor in classical dressage, Mary Anne has an international following and regularly teaches across the US and in Europe. Mary Anne has the deep, old knowledge based in decades of study, sourced in the literature of thousands of years of equitation, along with the discerning eye earned in a degree in art, and decades of riding and teaching experience. It’s a good set of skills and practical work that makes it easier to bring really great riding home to you.
Mary Anne’s work is guided by the unique mentality of the student she’s mentoring. If you’re a ‘top down’ learner, you’ll find the theoretical basis on which to build your riding. At the same time, she’ll help your brain begin to integrate with your body more and more effectively.
If you’re a kinesthetic, or movement based learner you’ll be working in a movement based series of lessons as Mary Anne will help your body stay active and your mind begin to make sense of the interaction.
If you’re the kind of rider who just loves the horse, and loves being part of the conversation together, we’ll integrate that loving connection with movement and theory and help your whole system become alight with the pleasure of the work with the horse.
Enjoying people as much as she does horses, Mary Anne meets you where you are and helps you develop into the best rider you can be.
Mary Anne Campbell is an author and contributor to several publications, notably “Quotes and Commentary” with Craig Stevens, and “Method of Equitation based on New Principles” both now available through Amazon. With the Foundation for the Equestrian Arts group she completed “Principles of French Classical Riding” which is currently being carried by Bookemon. She’s also been published in several magazines, including writing series for “Ride” magazine in the US, and “Horsemanship” in the UK.
Recommendations
From Suzanne with her horse “Lochinvar”, a now 28 year old Andalusian.
Lochinvar is an amazing teacher as are you!! Our first ride of 2026 was grin inducing! At the canter I remembered your saying think about slowing and elevating just a bit and got the loveliest change of lead... We’re both good for another year together !
"Over the years watching her work with my daughter I’ve seen that Mary Anne is compassionate, approachable, and provides a gentle introduction to new ideas. She is endlessly kind and patient with both horses and riders." – observation from a student's parent
"Mary Anne's teaching has effected a profound change in both my horse and me. She has taught me how to show up for my horse in a consistently trustworthy way. In the beginning of this work, my horse rejected connection to both people and other horses, and he was opposed to all forms of training. He now seeks connection, gets along with other horses, enjoys the training, and is a happier and more engaged partner." - Tiffany
Mary Anne has coached me in how to work with my senior horse in ways that promote his long-term soundness and well-being. As a result of this ongoing work, he is able to move freely and to be comfortable in his body. He's 25 now, and we're doing flying changes and piaffe! Gently - joyfully - and without force.
~Marci
The community around the work
French Classical Riding is all about connection. Over the years at the Snohomish location the work developed a marvelous community of friends and fellow riders, and that family extends to places all over the world, from Snohomish to Stockholm to Mount Gambier to Addis Ababa and more. Craig Stevens and Mary Anne Campbell, along with senior students created The Foundation for the Equestrian Arts to preserve this older way of working, and the Foundation is very active in supporting new trainers to become skilled and adept and confirmed in the older way of interacting with the horse and the rider.
Mary Anne currently serves on the board of the Foundation and is working on several books with the Foundation’s translation group- if you are fluent in French, Spanish or Portuguese and studying with a credentialed French Classical instructor, we invite you to join the group! It’s fun and whew— is it fascinating to read the old masters in their own words.
But that’s the distinction of this older way of working, it’s so enjoyable to interact with real connection with the horse, and to interact with real connection with other human beings too. Those healthy, joy-filled connections are an expression of what makes French Classical work unique among the disciplines still practiced today.