National School of Academic Equitation

05/09/2024

My farm has been sold to a lovely young couple, Katie and Isaiah, and they'll be running it as a boarding facility. They're a joy. I am very grateful that this beautiful land and the horses I've loved for so many years are being passed on to such a delightful pair. At the end of September the next chapter begins for all of us. Me in Portland somewhere, them here in the heart of the community I love so much.

18/04/2024

Craig's memorial at our farm in Snohomish is up now on YouTube. It was a beautiful day.
The memorial starts with an introduction, it's a little hard to hear but we fix that in a little bit...
Then a beautiful song by Linnea
Then a montage of photos and memories and music...
Then remembrances.
And finally a special treat: Marie Haglund receives her certification as a Foundation for the Equestrian Arts instructor... a very big deal.
Thank you Craig, for all you gave us.

This is the tribute that we gave at the home he lived in at NSAE, in Snohomish, for Craig P. Stevens.He was a man who loved horses. From Craig's origins in N...

03/03/2024

We lost the horseman who started NSAE last night.
Craig P. Stevens passed away in his sleep, taking with him a lifetime of study into classical riding. He influenced and mentored so many people around the world over decades of teaching in Europe and across the Americas. He continued to work horses, to study the literature, and to learn, to teach, to train and to write to his last day. Our hearts go out to his fiancée Gail and to his stepdaughter Kat and granddaughter Kai. Sending deep love to Megan Rau and to all the community at Falcon's Landing in Colorado where he spent the last several years. And here at home where he taught for two decades our hearts are broken too. Thank you Craig, for your mastery and your curiosity, your wit, your genius and your terrible sense of humor, for your deep good heart and dreadful social skills, for your passionate engagement in EVERYTHING you took on, for your ceaseless and generous support of the students who worked with you over the years. And most of all thank you for the contribution you made for the horse through your never ending research into the beautiful art of French classical equitation.
You made a difference to the horse, and you made a difference to the riders who studied with you. Wherever you are please be content that you are remembered and that your work continues through the many people who learned from you over the years.
We love you.
And we will miss you.

01/08/2021

If you're looking for NSAE or Mary Anne Campbell, you'll find us here: www.Blue-River-Farm.com. And, if you're looking for Craig don't worry: we can get you in touch with Craig Stevens as well. The work goes on!

Blue River farmA center for education in classical farm artsIn Snohomish, Washington: half an hour from SeattleStudy French Classical Equitation, enjoy family events and fall in love with the fun of animal care. Ride, learn, play.  French Classical EquitationLessons, Seminars and Clinics for riders...

04/11/2020

03/11/2020

“Tact”. Equitation is conversations in a tactile language. Brian Rojas Bernard and Jade, working in hand... a quiet interchange on a bright Autumn afternoon.

21/10/2020

Mornings in the barn... tending our equine friends, making their rider’s spaces better... it’s time for taking care of our community.

19/10/2020

We have a waiting list for weekend lessons now! And as the holiday season begins we miss group get togethers. Potlucks are out!
But... this coming Hallowe'en weekend our riders are invited to come a little early and decorate their horses for their private lessons, and we'll have buckets of apples bobbing for horses to reach for. Strut, who is 36 and still going strong, will be licking up applesauce instead.
He's entitled.
NSAE is rolling with the punches, and it's going to be fun.

10/10/2020

An era comes to an end...
Craig Stevens is leaving the Pacific Northwest and going to be moving on to other areas, other farms. He's starting by taking up a sort of 'artists in residence' with "Falcon's Landing" in Colorado, F.E.A. Certified instructor Megan Rau's wonderful new facility.

Mary Anne Campbell will stay on at NSAE to create the next new chapter with the community here.

So...

Watch this space, something interesting is unfolding in rainy Washington state. Reach Mary Anne any time at [email protected],
And keep in touch with Craig at his personal page, under Craig Stevens.

22/09/2020

Cathy Sirett, a long time friend of the NSAE community, is starting a podcast. She's a great confidence coach: listen in and see why we love her.

YES! The editing is DONE! The download page and RSS feed are SORTED — so the Complete Confidence Podcast is on it’s way!

Follow Complete_Confidence on Instagram or facebook for the chance to enter our LAUNCH COMPETITION being announced soon!

Complete Confidence Podcast: Your Confidence Questions answered!

17/09/2020

Working in the smoke, doing double duty-masks, gloves and all. Hoping for clear skies soon.

12/09/2020

Smoke.
California, Oregon, Washington all aflame... people losing their homes and lives, and for us here as the wind shifts, the discomfort of working daily in the smoke. Daily exposure, though we're minimizing it, still causes headaches and froggy voices. It's painful, muddles the mind, and it's disheartening.
So... it's particularly welcome that our barn community has stepped up and offered to take on some of the shifts, letting the staff have what we can of a breather. Thank you Christie, Diana, Syd, Steph, and Kathy for your help this weekend. Literally a 'breath of fresh air' in this very hard time.

03/09/2020

We’re missing our European riding community! And... at the same time this ache brings us present to how grateful we are for twenty years of friendships with riders and horse around the world. Thank you, all of you! Hope to see you safely soon. 💕

03/09/2020

For those who remember Megan's charismatic horse Grayson - the two of them came as a package for her year as a professional's course student here - take a look at how he's changed with her good work. He was such a troubled horse with so many physical, emotional, and psychological issues that Megan had to develop a serious "A Game" to work well with him. And she certainly has made the study of developing that 'A' game for him, and for other horses as well, the central point of her studies.
She's a delight. Megan is running her own training and teaching center now in Colorado, where she continues to study with us online, to study by reading and considering the material deeply, and to study with her horses and her students as well every day.

Speed and contracted muscles are the two things riders do most often that cause them to lose feeing. Always be slow and relaxed.

01/09/2020

Mornings at NSAE: autumn is beautiful here. Come - bring your mask- and ride or take online lessons with us. Reach out to us at [email protected]

26/08/2020

Summer draws towards autumn at NSAE. We’re taking reservations for intensives, in house study continues on our school horses with people in masks practicing social distancing,. And we have lots of great online courses available both live and from our digital library. Come ride with us, however it suits your time, travel, and budget: we’re here for you.

26/08/2020

Work in hand... work with lightness.

25/08/2020

Working well with the horse requires clarity, curiosity, and a delight in the sacred sensation of wonder.

23/08/2020

“Hair is an extension of the nervous system,it can be correctly seen as exteriorized nerves...that transmit vast amounts of important information to the brain stem, the limbic system, and the neocortex.” ~C. Young ——

"An educated hand assists the horse in understanding the meaning of the movement of the hair. The rider’s legs, if used at all very carefully educate these ‘feelers’."
~~ Craig Stevens

22/08/2020

What did we learn as children about horses? What do we teach our kids? What do we tell our vulnerable selves about riding? Being friendly and supportive, safe and engaged, curious and skillful: all of this creates the finest riders.NSAE is about a healthy relationship with the horse AND with the rider.

08/08/2020

Suz, one of our credentialed teachers, is doing wonderful work. We're proud of her.

When you look at your reflection do you always like what you see?⁣
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And when you don’t like it can you accept it and start afresh?⁣
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When you do like it can you allow yourself the warm glow of self appreciation without needing to demonise yourself in anyway?⁣
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We all make mistakes when we are riding, either through accident, coordination, inattention, loss of physical balance or loosing our cool. It happens. Probably more often than we would like to admit even to ourselves. ⁣
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But what is your mindset around these errors? Do you label yourself as bad or that you will never be a good horse person? Or use these errors as a springboard to learn more, practice more deliberately and ask for help from trusted coaches?⁣
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Ultimately life is lived in our responses to the events around us. Classical training teaches us to elongate these moments from split seconds to palpable thinking spaces and to choose our responses wisely. ⁣
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📸: .osborne.photography
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Like what you’re reading here? ⁣
Check out my blog for more musings. ⁣
Google AHolisticSolution and click the one with a horse. ⁣
The link in my bio takes you to my online course at

21/07/2020

One of our own got married this weekend! Congratulations, Megan and Jo! We love you and wish you all the happiness and then some.

16/07/2020

“Learning has to be fun to be real, and the student has to be safe in order for the learning to be fun. Curiosity is the base of play in both horses and the riders. How can we permit ourselves to be curious if we are fearful that someone might think we don’t know everything?”
- Mary Anne Campbell
We train all ages here at NSAE. Please check out our website for more info at classical-equitation.com. Link in bio.

14/07/2020

A special mid-pandemic Sunday afternoon at NSAE, Diana and Candi Girl.

Diana wrote...
"Craig Stevens. Mary Anne Campbell. Two people who love what they do, and are cheering us on.

I’ve been working, yet again, on gaining confidence. I was beginning to think maybe it would never return. But Craig was willing to try. Online, no less, due to the pandemic. We figured out the when and why. I became anxious when I first mounted, before I was able to connect with CandiGirl. Craig figured out the how. He broke things down into smaller and smaller pieces until I could clearly bridge from one thing to the next.

He offered to hold CandiGirl when I got on, work her in hand a few minutes, until I wanted to hop off. And try again. Over and over, if necessary, to help me build up good experiences and my confidence.

Let’s get this straight right off. This mare is well trained. She’s never bolted with me. She can be reactive, but she’s eminently rideable. My head was just not in the game. I started riding quite young and yet, I couldn’t seem to keep it together.

I’ve probably spent more time on the longe than any other student. Ever. I’ve stopped caring about it. I know anyone watching me ride is not so silently cheering me on. That’s the thing about “our” barn. Everyone is watching, and everyone is rooting for you. Craig and Mary Anne, included.

This past weekend was just crazy. Saturday Craig turned me loose and I did some flying changes. On Sunday Craig and I rode side-by-side, and then I wanted to ask CandiGirl to piaffe. And then try some flying changes. My whoo-hoooo brought Mary Anne out of the house. She wanted to see, and to catch some video for me. I can’t tell who is happier here. Can you?"

09/07/2020

“Many of the well-known trainers throughout history were famously egotistical in their interactions with people. Yet once a great trainer is worth the horse, the ego becomes a servant to the relationship. The trainer becomes a beginner again, listening new with each horse. Only the horse is the master, or better said: horse and rider become equals.”
- Craig Stevens
For more information on courses check us out at classical-equitation.com. Link in bio.