I never know what kind of horses I’ll be working with when I travel for photography. During my January trip to Wellington, Florida, I stopped as Cassandra’s barn to photograph her two horses, Luigi, a 4 year old warmblood, and Poppy, a 5 year old Thoroughbred. Working with younger horses, usually means that we’ll need more patience, and be super clear with directions with the horse, to ensure they stay engaged and entertained, in a positive manner.

However, both of Cassandra’s horses were an absolute joy to work with! Luigi, despite being a giant 4 year old, was so soft, with a grounded curiosity, and was content to just hang out and snuggle. He was stunningly beautiful when we asked him to engage his topline, with forward ears, and expressive eyes. He has the potential to grow into an absolute stunning jumper, and I hope to photograph him in the coming years to see how this sweet boy developes.

Poppy’s personality was very different from Luigi’s. Being a boss mare, she knew her place, liked things a certain way, and didn’t take crap from anyone! Bold, confident in herself, with a determination to accomplish anything she set her brain to. We wanted to capture this in her, but away from prying eyes, Poppy did reveal she has a softer side, and a love for Cassandra. This is also something we wanted to capture.

Both horses were motivated by different things, required a different way of communication and reward, and were the perfect example of how a horse’s personality and build can determine the poses, and how the same poses can be captured in different ways to reflect their individuality.

These were some of my favorite photos from their Luxury Equine Portrait Sessions.