When I was a pre-teen I lived in central BC on an isolated airbase. Nearby there was a reserve. The native boys would ride horses into the airbase community and for a few hours they would read our comic books and ride our bikes while we rode their horses. This was way back in the mid 60's before safety rules or parents paid too much attention to kids!
The horses all had western saddles on them so us "city" kids could get on and hold on. Most of the time hanging on was all we did as the animals trotted and galloped and ran with the wind! There were some memorable rides! Most of those great memories are overshadowed by the last time I tried to get on the very last horse I rode. I put my hand to the saddle horn to pull myself up and had one foot in the stirrup when the massive buckskin whipped his head around and bit me in the back of the arm.
That is my memory. I have no scars and I don't remember any blood. But it was a horse bite.
Thinking back, realizing there were wild horses in and about the community, understanding the sense of humour that some of those boys had, as an adult, I'm thinking that the reserve kids came to us for comics, bikes, and rodeo!
So. Why did I agree to participate?
Sandy and I were basically strangers who had seen each other's work but only met physically once on a winter trail, a few months prior. I knew she had some amazing horse images in her files and when we met in person I instantly liked her, so figured there was nothing to lose. We made plans over that first lunch and with her connections to women with horses who may be interested we began.
Ange: A crazy beautiful soul who uses a whip as an object her horse desires; she calls him to come play and he comes running when she cracks it. She does not hit him with it. Ange taught me about the playful side of the equine relationship!
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| Responding to her hand gesture - he rises! |
Aly: I captured Aly at a dressage competition, one of the first times I captured this event! I was amazed that a woman who I presumed to be paralyzed was able to ride so beautifully. There were many other riders that day and until I met her again I had no idea!
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| Beautiful selfie smiles! |
Nicola: A truly beautiful soul. Her smile is so warm and kind. Her openness, honesty and willingness to share the painful parts of her journey make her even more beautiful.
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| She said she wasn't a morning person... I disagree! :) |
Courtney: I was excited to ask Courtney to participate. I captured her and her partner and their animals for an engagement session and as I followed her journey I knew her story would be a great lesson.
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| Communication on so many levels! |
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| Bonded! |
Jill: Jill. Our paths continue to cross and for that I am very grateful! I have learned a lot about humanity, spirit, horses and life... from Jill. Jill is also the person who planted the seed of this idea.
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| A quiet moment. |
So. I have learned a great deal about horses and equine photography from working on this project with Sandy and the wonderful participants!
Horses can bite but they rarely do.
Walk right behind a horse touching his/her butt and you likely won't get kicked. If you do there is not much potential energy there to hurt you.
Horses are herd animals. Not pack animals. Pack animals attack. Herd animals find comfort in numbers. I'm still reasoning this one out because a herd of horses has hierarchy.
Horses and humans desire interaction and there are many more forms of communication than verbal. Touch, energy transfers, awareness.
When a working horse has it's ears back it is working and listening to the human.
W's in the legs and ears forward are desired for "glamour shots"
I have learned a ton from Sandy and I hope to learn more from her in the future. Horses have brought us together.
And good news! Not one person (including me) was bit or nipped in the making of this project.
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