We like to keep our Equine sessions relaxed and fun, creating an enjoyable experience for you and your horse to remember for years to come! Here are some tips and tricks on how to prepare for your Equine Photoshoot! We are horse people, just like you! So we know just how much your equine partners mean to you. At every shoot, our goal is to document and capture the bond you have throughout the photoshoot . To achieve this, it takes some careful planning and preparation – below are some guidelines to help.

What to Do Before Your Equine Photo Shoot


1. Take the Edge Off - LUNGE OR WORK YOUR HORSE BEFORE YOUR SESSION


Preparing your horse is the most important step for any photo shoot. While you know exactly what is going on, animals do not always have the same understanding of what a photoshoot is. Even if your horse is the king or queen of ears forward selfies,  a professional photo session is a whole different experience. The best pictures are of calm, relaxed, and happy horses on their best behavior. Regardless of your horses energy level, we ALWAYS recommend a good lunge or work session before your shoot. Your horse may be lazy and bombproof under saddle, but asking your horse to stand still, move this way or that, and put his ears up for an hour straight challenges even the most docile of equines. Lunging helps horses release some energy, maintain a sense of routine, and truly relax before we ask them to do something unusual. A few circles of trot in each direction and one circle of canter in each direction is usually enough, but if you are worried that your horse might need more to get out their energy, feel free to lunge as long as needed, but remember that the goal is to help them relax…not become exhausted.


2. Schedule plenty of time for a Pre-Shoot Bath


While there are some horses who prefer to be kept in a stall, always keep their blankets on, and just hate dirt and being muddy, however, that is definitely not the norm. As the date of your photoshoot draws closer, consider giving your horse a good bath or a few deep grooming sessions leading up to the photoshoot day. A thorough bath helps get all the dust, dandruff, and dirt out of the hair and allows your horse’s coat to really shine. A quality conditioner also does wonders for the coat and can save you a lot of brushing time. 

You may also bathe your horse the same day as your photo shoot, just make sure you leave enough time for him to dry completely.


3. Bring Out the Show Sheen - Pre-Shoot Grooming Session


Regardless of your horse's bathing schedule, we recommend a good grooming session prior to your photo session. When we arrive for our shoot, we expect to be able to get started right away, so arriving early to make sure your horse is caught, lunged, and turned out for your shoot is key. Follow your normal grooming routine but with extra care. Take longer for each step and make sure to get all the dirt out. Make sure to pay attention to the spots that often get forgotten — legs, chest, face, and butt. If possible, the tail and mane should be groomed and pulled to lie straight, but banding or braiding is optional and up to you. After you’re finished grooming, we recommend using a finishing shine spray like Show Sheen to really get your horse gleaming!


4. Bring a change of clothes Or an extra Set of hands for your shoot


Because you are going to lunge and groom your equines before the shoot, do not show up to the barn in the clothes you want to use for your photoshoot. Even the cleanest horses shed and slobber, and normally that is not the look you are going for in your professional photos. We recommend wearing 'work clothes' to get your horse ready, and changing into your photoshoot outfit once your horse is ready to go.


5. Stay Flexible and Patient


Horses will be horses, and there is nothing you or I can do about that. Be prepared for some funny blooper photos and times during the session where your horse simply will NOT put his ears forward — no matter what. Our photography team is trained to ensure you get the most out of your session— no matter your horse’s attitude.

We all know that equestrian sorts have more than their fair share of messiness and moody animals, and that’s okay.


6. Be mindful of the photography team's time


We truly love being able to capture wonderful photos and memories for all of our clients. And we work hard to ensure that you get the absolute most out of your photography session. However, please keep in mind that our time, just like yours, is valuable. All photography subjects (including yourself) should be 100% ready to go when your session is scheduled to start. At the absolute least, horses need to be caught from their pastures, and lunged prior to the start of the photoshoot.