
Riding is the Spice of Life
...struggle to feel balanced and connected in the saddle (despite being pretty fit, doing Yoga and Pilates and core strength)
...spend most of their ride trying to get their body to "be" in the right place (which leaves less focus for learning new things)
...and are not as confident in the saddle or about their riding as they would like to be.
If you are ready for something different...
...you are in the right place!
If you want to regain balance, flexibility and confidence in the saddle - no matter your age...
...you are in the right place!
...because your horse deserves the Best Version of You!

"To practice equestrian art is to establish a conversation on a higher level with the horse:
a dialogue of courtesy and finesse." Nuno Oliveira

"You know it´s impossible to achieve great riding success with a horse that´s stiff, crooked, weak, and unbalanced, but have you ever stopped to think that a horse has just as difficult a time archieving great sucess with a rider who´s stiff, crooked, weak, and unbalanced?" Daniel Stewart

"Increased body awareness gives you a greater awareness of your inner self as well as your surroundings. Changing your habits will cultivate an ability to make clearer choices:
A balanced body permits a balanced state of mind." Sally Swift

WATCH OUR FREE MASTERCLASS
The 5 Essential Keys to Feeling Naturally Balanced, Supple and Connected in the Saddle...regardless of age, prior injuries or feeling like you've already tried everything.
You go to a clinic…
Your trainer tells you you’re crooked…
You see photos and realize you’re collapsing a hip or gripping or stiff in your rib cage…
And suddenly you think:
“Okay, I’m aware of it now. I’ll just fix it in the saddle.”
But here’s the truth no one says out loud:
👉 Awareness doesn’t fix your body.
👉 You cannot THINK your way out of stiffness, crookedness, or cattywampusness.
👉 And you absolutely cannot reprogram your movement patterns while you're also trying to ride.
Because riding happens FAST.
Your body reacts before you can think.
Your default patterns take over — not your intentions.
So yes, your trainer is right when they say you’re crooked…
But riding is NOT where you fix it.
Riding reveals the problem.
But you correct it OFF the horse.
This is particularly important for adult riders.
Why?
Because your patterns have become so deeply wired that no amount of “sit up straight,” “don’t collapse,” or “relax your hip” will magically stick.
You know what I mean: your instructor or clinician has made you aware – you know your right leg needs to be more forward and your left hip a little more to the center and your shoulders back.
You spend the best part of your lesson super focused on trying to control your various body parts…
…but as soon as your instructor introduces a more complicated movement or trying to teach you something new…
…your body defaults back to being cattywampus!
You start thinking: “What is wrong with me – why can’t I get this? Why can’t I control my body parts!?!?”
Why?
Human nature – this is just how the human body works!
You want automatic movement patterns – that is efficient and most often great.
Just not in the saddle when your body defaults to movement patterns and a posture that is not helpful in the saddle!
The obvious answer: you have to re-train your body’s default posture and movement patterns!
And THAT is what most riders never train.
Instead, they keep investing in:
🐴 Lessons
🐴 Saddles
🐴 Supplements
🐴 Clinics
🐴 Training for the horse
…but almost never in retraining their own body, which is the root of 90% of their communication issues.
This is not your fault — riders have never had a real system for this.
👉 But this is exactly what I do.
I help riders re-train their default movement patterns.
Restore mobility.
Correct asymmetries.
And build the body mechanics riding actually requires — all OFF the horse — so the change shows up automatically on the horse.
When your body moves right, everything changes:
✨ Clearer aids
✨ Quieter seat
✨ Better balance
✨ Faster reactions
✨ A more relaxed horse
✨ And confidence that actually lasts
If you’re tired of being told you’re crooked… stiff… collapsing… or “just getting older,” and you’re ready to actually FIX it, not just be told about it…
I’ll show you the system that finally makes your body work with your horse — not against him/her!

"Love feeling more confident in the saddle"
I’ve gone from: Pain and crookedness in the saddle – and having lost my confidence and the joy in jumping, to: Feeling comfortable and confident in the saddle and having a wonderful partnership with my mare! And on top of that: my instructor is thrilled with our progress and partnership! “Life is good!”
- Sue P (Hunter/Jumper)


"In just a short time, I'm already sitting straighter"
I'm just getting started in this program - I was experiencing upper and lower back pain and extreme difficulty sitting straight on a horse.
Anna's program has been most helpful for both problems. I'm becoming more and more able to sit straight in the saddle.
- Vickie (Dressage)


"Highly recommend working with Anna"
I can hardly believe how great my body feels after lots of time in the saddle this past 3 days, especially since I have hardly ridden all summer due to the neck pain I joined Anna’s program to deal with! Now my neck and shoulders feel great. I am so thrilled to be able to report this along with my accomplishments with my horse Whiskey!
- Mary (Western)


"I wanted to be a better rider for so my mare's sake"
I was struggling with some back pain when riding and just didn’t feel confident and secure in the saddle.
I had recently purchased a great horse - Chili- and wanted to be a better rider for her sake.
Improving my balance and getting my body to be more naturally aligned and relaxed and understanding how this all connects to my mind has helped me manage my fears, increase my confidence in the saddle, and I do believe is helping Chili have more trust in me. Tracie
- Tracie (Hunter/Jumper)


"I'm so happy to be playing with and riding my hores again"
I had been managing back pain for 25 years, but my back was getting worse and I had stopped riding.
I am a confident rider and love being with my horses. But I was starting to think that I might not get back my life as I knew it. I joined the program the end of May 2020, I am so happy to be playing and riding my horses again. I also got to video for Online WDAA World show in Oct and just competed at the WDAFL championship show this past weekend..
This program WORKS!!! Don't give up!!!
- Patricia (Western)


"I now enjoy ALL the acitivites I love - not just riding"
Anna helped me not only with riding, but with all the outdoor activities I love to do. I was in a cycle where I would start working to get back in shape for hiking, kayaking, golf etcetera and after a bit I would injure myself and have to back off period now I know that the problem was the alignment of my body, each time I tried to go further or do more, I exceeded my body's ability to compensate for the structural problems and the result was injuries. I am now enjoying ALL the activities I love without worrying about hurting myself. I haven't reached out my goals yet but now I know that I can
- Riggan (Pleasure)

Anna Bergenstrahle
MSc Exercise Science, MSc Equine Science
Years ago a rider said to me: "Riding used to feel like breathing to me."
What does that mean?
Riding used to feel so natural to her that she never even thought about it. Easy, effortless, natural!
I help riders get back to that feeling so they can have more fun in the saddle, feel more connected to their horses and perform better.
Alignment
Balance
Connection

This is a special 1-on-1 call with me to unpack what is really going on for you in the saddle, what you are struggling with the most and what is getting in the way of the brilliant and magical riding partnership you want so we can lay out a step-by-step game plan for you to feel more balanced and connected in the saddle!
I look forward to connecting with you.


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