To say that horses were a large part of Mary Anne McPhail's life would be the understatement of the century. Originally from Kentucky, McPhail's uncle owned a thoroughbred horse farm, which she visited often. When she was nine years old, her father bought Mary Anne her first horse. Although she moved with her family to the Detroit area shortly after that, far away from her uncle's farm, she never lost that love of horses. Later, as an adult with a family of her own, she helped set up a nursery school at an old estate in Bloomfield Hills. It didn't take long for McPhail and her husband, Walter, to purchase a number of horses to fill the pastures that surrounded the estate.

McPhail soon developed a strong interest in dressage, an interest that led her to fund the establishment of the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine. That position was held by widely respected dressage authority Dr. Hilary Clayton from 1997 until her retirement in 2014. In July 2015, the College appointed Dr. Stephanie Valberg, an international leader in understanding and managing equine neuromuscular disorders, as the Chair. In August 2024, the College welcomed Dr. Jane Marie Manfredi, a board-certified equine surgeon, sports medicine specialist, and accomplished FEI-level dressage competitor, as the new Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine. Manfredi's research focuses on the intersection of endocrine and musculoskeletal disease, as well as horse, rider, and tack interactions.

McPhail passed away peacefully at home in 2025 at the age of 92. Her legacy continues through the many programs and institutions she helped shape, here at MSU and beyond.