ABOUT US

Maria Terese Engell (DVM, Ph.D)

In 2008, Maria Terese Engell graduated from the Szent Istvan University of Budapest, fulfilling her dream of becoming an equine veterinarian.

She nourishes a deep and lifelong love for horses, their health and wellbeing and runs her own equine practice, Kalnæset Equine Clinic.

Lars Roepstorff (DVM, Prof.)

Lars Roepstorff has been an important mentor for Maria Terese Engell through her PhD Research. He became an officially partner in the RIB team in 2019.

His responsibilities in RiB are research and technology development. Lars grew up with horses and this is what drives his passion.

 

Ingeborg R Simensen

Ingeborg joined RIB in 2018, and she is taking responsibility for all running operations and projects.
She handles communications and marketing, planning and production, distribution and office management.

Ingeborg has been working for the Norwegian Equestrian Federation.

Håvard Engell

Håvard Engell gained a unique and practical understanding of human motor control and the body’s sensory system, during his career as a dancer. 

He further developed this passion by studying for five years at The Norwegian University of Sports and Science, and later as a coach at the OSC in Oslo.

Maria Terese Engell (DVM, Ph.D)

In 2008, Maria Terese Engell graduated from the Szent Istvan University of Budapest, fulfilling her dream of becoming an equine veterinarian. She nourishes a deep and lifelong love for horses, their health and wellbeing and runs her own equine practice, Kalnæset Equine Clinic. Growing up with Håvard Engell as her father, and practicing both ballet and dressage, Maria early on gained an interest in and knowledge of human postural control which she implements in her practice as a veterinarian. Her mission is to create a wider understanding of the interaction between the horse and rider as this will benefit orthopedic health issues of both horse and rider. Improving postural (ie body) control in the rider is also a key for anyone wanting to finetunig their riding skills and improve horse-rider performance.

In 2018 Marias research within veterinary medicine and human postural control resulted in her groundbreaking doctoral thesis “Postural strategies in skilled riders”. With Marias background from ballet, veterinary medicine and research, she is a pioneer in her field. She is considered a leading expert worldwide with her focus on balance and rhythm of the horse and rider. She is highly regarded within the equine sport in Scandinavia, and is also a key person in the Norwegian Equestrian Federation elite programs, training both show jumping riders as well as dressage- and para-dressage riders

Lars Roepstorff (DVM, Prof.)

Lars Roepstorff has been an important mentor for Maria Terese Engell through her PhD Research, and he officially became a partner in the RIB team from 2019. His main responsibilities in RIB will be research and technology development. Lars grew up with horses, competing in showjumping from a young. He is still an active competition rider on a hobby/amateur basis. He graduated as a veterinary surgeon 1985. He has practised as an equine clinician both in private practice at different clinics and at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). 

His scientific work has been focused on biomechanical studies of equine locomotion, with the overall aim to improve health and soundness. In 2011, he became Professor of Equine Functional anatomy, and is today working with applied biomechanics in three different areas; development of tools for objective equine lameness diagnostics, horse-rider interaction and equine footings. His research on equine footing is recognized world-wide, and has made him attractive to top riders and organizers, who wants to ensure the best training and competition footing for their horses.

Ingeborg R Simensen

Ingeborg joined RIB in 2018, and she is taking responsibility for all running operations and projects. She handles communications and marketing, planning and production, distribution and office management. Ingeborg has been working for the Norwegian Equestrian Federation, and she has been the Chef d’Equipe for the Norwegian Para-Dressage team since 2005 (she still is, and she will take the para-team to Tokyo2020). 

She has been travelling to Paralympic Games and World Equestrian Games around the globe, and she has a broad experience in organizing and supporting riders in all areas of sporting life. Ingeborg is a school teacher, and has a degree in Business Management, and she has also been an active amateur rider her whole life.

Håvard Engell

Håvard Engell gained a unique and practical understanding of human motor control and the body’s sensory system, during his career as a dancer-
an interest that evolved into a lifelong passion. He further developed this passion by studying for five years at The Norwegian University of Sports and Science, and later as a coach at the Olympic Sports Centre (OSC) in Oslo. 

For fifteen years, he was responsible for developing technical performance, and balance and injury prevention in one to one coaching of Olympic athletes in more than thirty different sports. Ultimately, he coached a group of athletes that went on to achieve more than 300 medals in Olympic and World Championships. With over forty years of experience, Engell is now a world-renowned expert on balance and gait, and he pours his experience into perfecting the worlds best shoes, the GaitLine shoes.