Keynote speakers

Maria Terese Engell, DVM, PhD

Maria Terese Engell is a veterinarian and researcher specializing in horse rider interaction, with a special focus on rider biomechanics. She holds a PhD based on her pioneering research into how the rider’s position and movement influence equine performance, health, and welfare.

Educated at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Budapest, Engell has worked clinically as an equine veterinarian at Bjerke Dyrehospital and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). She has also held research positions at both the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and NMBU, contributing to the scientific understanding of horse–rider dynamics.

Her work bridges clinical practice and research, driven by repeated observations that many performance issues and unexplained lameness cases in horses may originate from the rider rather than the horse itself. This insight led to the development of the Rider In Balance (RIB) Method – a structured, research-based approach to rider training grounded in biomechanics.

Today, Engell is recognized for establishing a systematic framework for rider education that emphasizes human objective biomechanical analysis, physical awareness, and evidence-based training.

Maria will also present during practical day.