In February I had my first equine portrait photoshoot of 2023 – I was telling the story of Rosie and the four boys in her life; horses Digby and Baloo, Sprocker Wilbur and boyfriend Adam.
It was the perfect February day; soft sunlight diffused through clouds and a hint of warmth suggested that Spring was not far away.
Digby is Rosie’s 19yr old Warmblood x Thoroughbred ex-eventer who she has had for 9yrs. She took a chance on him when she purchased him; he failed his vetting due to arthritis in his hocks but with careful management Rosie and Digby managed to event all the way up to CIC* level. He finally started showing his age and she retired him in 2022 to enjoy life as a happy hacker.
This meant it was time to find a new ride to compete and Rosie purchased 4yr old Warmblood Baloo to try and fill Digby’s very big shoes. Their partnership is very new but Baloo is already proving to be a very sweet boy with great potential. This shoot was particularly special to me because Rosie is a dear friend of mine – we met when working at Cirencester Park Polo Club in 2016 and have stayed connected through the polo world ever since.
We started the shoot in the traditional wooden stables on the yard for some cosy cuddly shots with her boys – for styling we went with two cosy jumpers, blue jeans and ankle boots.
An expansive field out the back of the yard provided a fantastic backdrop, and we made the most of the sunshine for some beautiful back-lit photos. We switched Rosie’s outfit to a classic long camel coat, white shirt and smart black trousers.
If ever you are in fear of any good location for your equine portrait photoshoot, Rosie’s shoot is great inspiration – Rosie had warned me that there might not be that many locations on her yard, but I found a wealth of opportunities. A simple field can offer so many options for your equine shoot; long hedgerows, overhanging trees and country vistas all make for great backgrounds.
We finished the shoot with Rosie’s smartest outfit, a gorgeous checked jacket plus the most beautiful knee high suede boots!
