So far this winter we’ve had ONE snow storm.  It wasn’t even really a “storm”  since we’re talking about Pennsylvania and we usually get something close to 20+ inches of snow each winter season, give or take.  But, we adventured out to Caitlin’s barn where she keeps her Percheron Draft Apollo.  Apollo is a giant!

Apollo came into Caitlin’s life shortly after she lost her OTTB Mare.  Apollo showed up at a time when Caitlin needed love and comfort the most. He has helped her through the loss of her mare and the pair have moved forward to win ribbons and year end awards through their local 4-H club.  They are currently working through a lameness injury Apollo sustained at the end of last year, but these two are so adorable together you can just feel the love when you’re with them.

Our session together was bitter cold, windy and the snow was just dumping from the skies.  We laughed and shivered in the cold, wet wintery weather.  But, look how cute and fun their pictures turned out to be!  I can’t wait to go back to their farm this spring to capture the two of them again!

Lindsay & Nakai are a special pair.
Lindsay wasn’t exactly looking for a new horse, but she stumbled across Nakai many moons ago by accident.  His owners were looking for someone to exercise their horse, as he seemed a bit overly energetic. When Lindsay first met Nakai she was greeted by a bay Appaloosa gelding with attitude.

Linda wasn’t Nakai’s biggest fan but they slowly formed a relationship, through the Appytude and all of Kai’s silly shenanigans; that let’s be honest, every single Appaloosa has.  Eventually Nakai’s owners were selling the farm and needed somewhere for Nakai to go, because Lindsay & Nakai had spent so much time together and formed a relationship his owners chose Lindsay as Nakai’s new forever partner.

The rest, as they say is history.  Lindsay and Nakai are The Equine Bond.
They encompass everything that a bond is and should be.  They respect each other, They care for each other and they know how to get on or stay off of each others nerves.  Nakai is very playful, even in his late 20’s!  The pair have tried many different forms of the Equestrian sport from jumping, reining, western, trails, endurance rides and NACMO courses.  However, all accomplishments aside, Lindsay’s all time favorite time with Nakai is simply sitting in his stall quietly listening and taking in the sounds of Kai eating his grain and hay, occasionally sharing a morsel with Lindsay.  There is something so peaceful and relaxing about sitting quietly with your horse. The time here seems to reset our souls and relax our stress away – if only for a moment.

*What brings you the most Joy when you’re with your horses or pets?

I arrived to the warm and welcoming barn atmosphere at the age of 9.
A spunky kid, eager to learn everything about horses and riding.  I gawked in admiration of the barn owner’s daughter riding and jumping her horse tackless. I wanted to do that too. I spent my entire childhood and adolescence getting to the barn and touching every horse I encountered. I collected every book and magazine. I read and re-read the Heartland series more times than I care to count. And let’s be honest here, I’ve binged the  CBC Heartland series on Netflix even more times.

It wasn’t until the good old age of 25 that the planets aligned and I brought home my first horse.  I was the most excited 25 year old horse girl rushing to the barn to meet my first horse.  He exceeded every expectation, a noble, wise and kind steed, My Gulliver.  A beautiful, short and stocky, bay Appaloosa gelding with a big, bold blanket. Together we galloped with the wind, over fields of grass and snow. We blazed trails and roads together, exploring new places.  I’ve always loved horses more than any other domestic animal, there is just a warmth, trust and love that just has a way of absorbing every emotion.  Gulliver was that horse. My heart horse.

As a horse lover, photographer and an overly obsessed horse Mom, I certainly snapped hundreds of photos of my handsome Gulliver in the short time he was with me before his passing.  But, the one thing I kept pushing off was the investment of a photographic experience to capture the absolutely amazing and unforgettable bond we shared.  At the young age of 19, Gulliver getting sick and passing so quickly was so far from my mind, I thought I had time.

Time is a funny thing, you always feel you need and want more of it, but there is never enough.  We’re so greedy about time, if we could we’d pluck it from every tree and just add minutes to the days and years.  That’s not how time works though. Time is finite.  It has a beginning and an end. We don’t know when either is set to start or complete, but they’re there; the beginning and the end. Our focus in life needs to be to focus on the NOW, TODAY. To make the best of each period of 24 hours we are gifted.  What we choose to do with those hours is up to us, obviously in order to enjoy the things we love most, we must go to work, but that doesn’t mean we cannot enjoy the work we do.

What work does mean is that the time we have at the barn is ever more precious than we ever imagined. The time with our horses and our loved ones is more memorable than the moments before arriving to their side.  The barn is our sanctuary, our safe place. A place where each set of hooves, each whinny and every (some what annoying) paw at the ground for food sets our souls on fire and lifts us higher and higher the longer we are fully present in this space.

The Equinetographer is here and our entire mission is to capture the ESSENCE of you and your horse exactly as you are.  Two souls, entwined together and taking on the world! Visit our website to learn more about our Photographic Experience and view some of the wall art options we have available!

I had the absolute pleasure to photograph Duke and his sister Lani for a short session to promote a Valentine’s Day Soiree their Dad is throwing!

How stinking adorable are they?!