About Annalisa

Annalisa Hall began teaching riding lessons for pay at the tender age of thirteen. She learned to ride and to teach riding at Harmswood Stable in Morton Grove, Illinois, just north of Chicago. Harmswood was a tremendous operation, giving 1500 riding lessons a week in 2 indoor and 2 outdoor arenas, often with groups of 20 riders in both rings simultaneously.

During high school, Annalisa routinely taught 75 students a week, including Janet Crampton, who has trained at some of the top Saddlebred barns in the country and now has her own business, Burnscroft Farm, in Tenessee. Annalisa then decided to attend William Woods University, the first college in the country to offer a four-year degree program in Equestrian Science. She graduated Summa Cum Laude and was awarded the Outstanding Equestrian Senior trophy by the Equestrian faculty.

After attending William Woods, Annalisa proceeded to work for some top horse trainers including Dick Gray in Danville, Kentucky and Bill Beckley in Wallingford, Connecticut before accepting her first Manager/Trainer position at the Bagdasarians' West Wind Farm in Madison, Connecticut. She remained at West Wind for eight years, producing countless State and New England Champions, a National Horse of the Year, and her first New England Saddle Seat Medal Grand Champion. At West Wind, 'Lisa started World's Champion rider Kristen Bagdasarian from age two to ten years old. Kristen first showed at the World's Championship when she was only four years old, and is still believed to be the youngest rider ever to show there. Kristen is now a very well-respected trainer/instructor in her own right.

Over the years, Annalisa has instructed and trained quite a few riders who have since become professional trainers and instructors, including Missy Hughes of DeLovely Farm; Kristen Spann Cater of Cater Stables, recently awarded an Instructor of the Year award; Brooke Hovey Graves; David Mikosz, who has produced Arabian and Half-Arabian National Top Ten winners; Kim Manna formerly of Pixel Acres; Sarah Wright Lettre of Wright Way Stable; and others.

In 1989, Annalisa elected to start her own business, moving to Maine to open Mariways Stable. In eight years in Maine, she added countless more State and New England Champions, several National Top Ten winners at Madison Square Garden and the National Equitation Finals as well as the World's Championship Horse Show, and three more New England Saddle Seat Medal Grand Champions. 'Lisa's AHSA Youth Club, the Mariways Maineiacs, won the Youth Club of the Year award over about 70 clubs in all fifty states.

Annalisa has served on numerous equestrian boards and committees, including secretary of United Professional Horsemen's Association Chapter 14 and Chairman of the New England Saddle Seat Medal Championship for eight years. She also earned her National Judge's License. Annalisa has also completed a two-year study program in Children's Ministry.

Annalisa specializes in timid riders and riders recovering from a bad experience.

Read some unsolicited testimonials from Annalisa's students.

Email Annalisa at mariways @ gmail.com

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