Feel It to Ride It: Inside Ann Montgomery’s Transformative Mindful Rider Clinic

How Visualisation, Biomechanics, and Emotional Awareness Create Lasting Change for Horse and Rider

If you’ve ever walked away from a riding clinic with more questions than answers, you’re not alone. But attending one of Ann Montgomery’s The Mindful Rider clinics is like stepping into a masterclass in clarity, feel, and transformation—for both horse and rider.

I recently participated in her 2-day, 6-horse intensive clinic at Kalaragan Equine (Murrumbateman, NSW), and I can confidently say: Ann doesn’t just teach riding—she teaches understanding.

🧠 What Sets Ann Apart

Ann’s approach is rooted in mindfulness, biomechanics, and emotional awareness. She doesn’t bark instructions or drill you through patterns. Instead, she creates a safe, empowering space where you learn to feel your way into better riding.

Her coaching is tactile, intuitive, and deeply respectful. She sees the horse and rider as a unit—and works to dissolve the physical and emotional bracing that often blocks progress.

Ann enables a unique bunch of horse people when they come together-they support, actively cheer, hug/high-five, and giggle with each other. Their bonds, and friendships go deep and last years (some decades in length).

Here's a collection of photos from her recent Canberra clinics:

🎥 Clinic Format: A Thoughtful Flow

Each day is structured to maximise learning and integration:

• Morning: A 45-minute private lesson, with key moments videoed by Ann.

• Midday: A group workshop reviewing video footage, discussing biomechanics, and exploring off-horse exercises.

• Afternoon: A 30-minute follow-up lesson to apply what you’ve learned.

This rhythm allows you and your horse to absorb, reflect, and refine—without overwhelm— physically or mentally. So that is 4 lessons over 2 days. Incredible!

🌟 Visualisation That Translates to Feel

One of Ann’s superpowers is her ability to use simple, vivid visualisations that instantly shift your awareness in the saddle.

• "Armpits down, front and back—creating a 'power pose' without stiffness"

• “Think of your knee being held gently by a jump cup—keep it still and stable—aim for a kneeling-feeling.”

• “Can you get your breath down into your tummy?”

• "Are your seat bones evenly moving both sides on the horse's back? At walk, if they were pencils, would you draw an even figure of eight?"

These aren’t just poetic metaphors. They’re neurological cues that help you embody correct posture and movement. And the moment you adjust, your horse responds—often with surprising softness and flow.

🐴 The Horse’s Transformation

Ann’s work isn’t just about the rider. She’s laser-focused on how your position, energy, and mindset affect your horse’s functional movement and capability.

Over the years, as a hypermobile rider, I have been on a massive journey stabilising my body—particularly my lower leg (hypermobile riders must exert significantly more effort than most "normal" individuals to achieve the same level of stability through toning, since most "normal" people naturally have a greater baseline level of tone). Ann has worked tirelessly with me to get it to where it is today. So, I am always checking in on these points.

My first goal was to embrace Halloween with said Warhorse (aka Maestro)! I think we nailed it?! I must make special mention, and deep appreciation, to the amazing people who helped me get in and out of the armour and get on my horse (no easy feat)! And here is the proof (this one AI-enhanced hee hee...):

Well, here's the original photo:

However, in this most recent clinic, with Maestro, I worked on the following:

• commenced walk-pirouettes

• aligning my body more effectively in lateral work to enhance the precision and fluidity of our movements

• how the unconscious engagement of my glutes was interfering with my horse's movements (I do this when I am concentrating... I literally am a "tight a$$")

Ann guided me through a few changes that turned out to be the key to unlocking my horse’s next breakthrough:

• can my glutes melt into the back of the saddle to allow the seat bones to deeply connect with the saddle and horse, concurrently "zipping up my front"

• ensuring I move my seat with my horse without brace in my body (or his)

It was like unlocking a door I didn’t know existed. Ann's keen eye for detail is just out-of-this-world. You simply have to experience it to truly feel how she changes you and your horse for the better! She is the Equine Aphrodite (Goddess of love, beauty and desire).

She helped another rider identify her "busy" lower leg to keep the horse forward (e.g. a nagging leg aid to ask every stride to keep the horse going forward). The horse should be like a conveyor belt—taking the rider to their destination, and how the seat intention should support this. Thereby reducing the amount of rider effort in getting the horse to travel forward (i.e. the rider should not be sweating their butt off to keep the horse moving by working overtime—the horse should carry itself in the tempo you set with your body). With a few targeted exercises, the horse was like the Energizer Bunny—just kept going and going!

To the Fellow Clinic Participants (& Spectators)

Thank you for being the bestest—in support, cheer squad, hug sistaz, encouraging, silliness and outright caring people each and every day. I am honoured and humbled to be a part of your journey in this space and am super proud of your phenomenal improvements and for being such inspirational horse-people. This is what true equine communities, and friends, are made of!

Special thanks to those who helped others in need (including mounting assistance for little old me trying to get on my horse with all that armour on).

💬 Final Thoughts

Ann Montgomery’s clinics are more than a riding lesson—it’s a recalibration. You leave with tools, insights, and a renewed sense of partnership with your horse. A deeper understanding and feel to unlock you and your horse's potential. For horse riders of any level too!

If you’re ready to ride with more clarity, softness, and connection, this clinic is a game-changer. For Canberra-region peeps, keep an eye out on the Lagoballo website (under the "CLINICS" menu and section). Lagoballo host and organise the clinics when Ann visits (usually 2 times per year—around March and November).