Craig Stevens
“How a mind links to another is
the result of a centered cadence that shapes the pulse of the movement.
Dressage is in this link.”
Classical Master. 1950-2024
Craig Stevens began the Foundation with his then wife, Mary Anne Campbell, to preserve the old material that he had researched and shared all of his working life.
Riding was his passion, his fascination, his delight. He found the relationship with horses sacred and he shared that love with his students and with the horses he trained throughout his lifetime.
He never stopped learning.
We gave him a Memorial Tribute and this is the montage of photos we chose for the event. With music that he loved behind it, too.
Mary Anne Campbell
“When I first met Craig I had reservations about dressage from years of watching the contemporary version. After I watched him work, though, and saw the sweet connection and expression that was there I told him ‘Okay, you can teach me to ride.’ He replied, ‘be careful what you wish for.’ And that day my understanding of what was possible between horse and human began a transformation that’s been continuing ever since. Thank you Craig. You weren’t simple, you weren’t always easy— but oh, my friend: you were truly a great horseman, and a gift to all who got to study with you.”
Madeleine Forsgren
“I know there has never been, and I doubt there will EVER be, any horseman as knowledgeable as you were.
Thank you for all you tought us - for all lives you changed for the better - and most of all - I'm sure the horses that got to know you, salute you
Sleep well "my big guy" -
We had so much fun - thank you.”
Camilla Lundquist
“I met Craig for the first time at Sparreholm castle in Sweden 2016 at a theory clinic. I had trained with a lot of trainers before and I was never satisfied because it always missed something. And they called my horses stupid and said I was too gentle with them. After the theory clinic I became very curious about Craig and booked a riding clinic and there I first met Mary Anne and that was it: finally I met people who didn’t just do the theory part with “the right words” that people want to hear, no it was the same in practice too!!!
When I saw Craig working, it wasn’t about how it looked, because there were parts that could have “looked'“ better, but the FEELING!!! The timing and the enormous amount of details and T-H-E Connection and linking!!! (And of course my horse wasn’t stupid, he was instead too smart, and would just not do stupid things. )”
Jessica Somréus
Such sad news...
I will never forget riding my arabian mare in that very first clinic you held in Sweden. I was a very headstrong twenty-something at that time and we had already been butting heads in an online dressage community for quite some time. I just HAD to come see for myself if you could really do all the things you claimed that you could?
Turns out you could. Turns out I can too (when I get it right). THANK YOU Craig, for teaching me that. My horses, even the ones that unfortunately never got to meet you, thank you too!
Make a Memorial Donation
Founder Craig P. Stevens asked that a fund be established to house the books on equitation that he had collected over a lifetime, making them available to any student of the horse.
That library will be held by the
Craig P. Stevens Foundation
at Falcon’s Landing in Colorado, where he spent his last years.
If you would like to donate to support Craig’s library, click here.