We’re excited to share some favourite images from a late summer photoshoot we did with Emma & her beautiful horse Darcy, her hubby Pete and their Jack Russell Alfie! On a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon in September we headed over to Gloucestershire to spend a few hours with them to capture some memories!
We first met Emma a few years ago when a friend recommended her as someone that could come along and help us on our stand at shows; we were impressed with her attitude, resourcefulness and her love and passion for horses, so we were pleased to welcome her on board as part of our team. Then at Badminton Horse Trials this year Emma mentioned she wanted a shoot for herself of her with her husband Pete, the horse she loans Darcy, and their dog Alfie. We were over the moon, and a date was arranged for September, just after her and Pete’s summer holiday in Italy.
When we arrived at the yard where Emma’s horse is kept, both Darcy and Alfie had been scrubbed and buffed, we wondered if Pete had been through the same process ahead of the shoot…..
I asked Emma to tell me a bit more about Darcy, who is 3 year old thoroughbred gelding: “I have loaned him for 3 and a half years. He is one of the soppiest/cuddliest horses I have ever come across and he has certainly established fan clubs at all of the yards I’ve had him at! He can also have his moments where he gets so excited, especially in new situations and when he’s with lots of other horses. He can also be rather dosey and has a penchant for self-harming as well as pulling shoes off! I stumbled across his advert when he was up for loan as I was procrastinating when I should have been doing my dissertation! I went to see him and that, they say, was that. I am so incredibly lucky that his owner, Sarah, is so supportive of me and us as a pair as without her I wouldn’t still have him.”
The second four legged member of the family is Alfie, Emma and Pete’s 3 year old Jack Russell “he was a birthday present from Pete to me just after finishing university,” Emma told me: “He has managed to wrap all of mine and Pete’s families around his paw, he is such a cutie and always keen for a cuddle!”. It was so much fun having Alfie on the shoot, as you can see from the pictures of him he is one irresitible little dog!!
We’re always fascinated by why people book a photoshoot with their horse and/or dogs, and when, so I asked Emma what prompted their decision to have a photoshoot, and why now.
“I had a very special horse when I was a teenager who I had to sell when I went to university. I really wish I had more pictures of him just at home (rather than competing) so it was always something at the back of my mind with Darcy and, obviously I’m biased, but he is a super good looking horse! Hehe! In one of his more special moments Darcy was mucking about in the field at the end of last summer and fell over, resulting in a fractured hock just before our wedding! The morning I should have been having my final fitting and picking up my dress I was actually collecting him from the vet after an operation to remove the bone chips from the joint… Not only did that mean he couldn’t be part of our wedding photos but it drove home that you never know what’s around the corner and what might happen tomorrow. We were very lucky, it could easily have been the end of Darcy. I LOVE your pictures, so with Darcy fit, well and back in work it just felt like it was something we had to do. I really wanted some nice portrait pictures of Alfie and Darcy. With the shoot the day before our year anniversary we will have the pictures forever and to remind us of everything we achieved in our first year of marriage!”
Her answer speaks volumes to us, as we have seen so many cases where people have left it too late, or until their horse is ill, before thinking doing a photoshoot. As we always tell clients, the best time to do a photo session and make some memories with your horses, dogs and family is when everything is great, everyone fit and well – those are the memories you want to keep and cherish!
We loved the gorgeous location of this shoot around the yard where Darcy is kept – beautiful views of the rolling Gloucestershire hills, a sense of space with the open fields, and a small orchard, which felt like a vineyard! The weather was also perfect, and Emma chose lovely clothing for their shoot, starting with jeans and shirt for her and a T-shirt for Pete, then a lovely summery light blue dress with long boots for the field shots. Darcy was an absolute superstar, did everything we asked with very little fuss along the way, including standing at the top of the hill in his own field for the last few shots. Finally we let him loose in his field and were treated to the amazing sight of him rolling around having fun – what a happy boy!
Feel free to share on social media everyone!
If you’re thinking about an equine/canine photoshoot and would like to find out more, you can contact us here, we’d love to hear from you and talk ideas!