It's definitely spring in NC!

On Wednesday I went out to Chapel Hill to shoot Bonnie and Maggie, and we had so much fun.  After class we headed to North Star Training Center, and while Bonnie began getting her mare ready I scouted out a few locations on the property.  I chose three locations and off we went!  Because Maggie is an upper level mare, the only bridle Bonnie has is her double bridle, fancy!  We shot in two outfits, both her Shadbelly jacket, top hat, and show clothes, and also a beautiful white sundress.  Here is a sneak peak:

Shoot in Chapel Hill!

Tonight I'm heading over to Chapel Hill for a photoshoot with my friend Bonnie and her gorgeous dark bay dressage mare Maggie.  Maggie is 15 years old and carried Bonnie to her Bronze medal and numerous Young Rider championships.  Maggie has spent the past eight months lame, and will soon be getting surgery that could return her to a point of soundness.  Today's weather is beautiful and I'm looking forward to a great shoot!  More soon.

Its been too long!

I need to get back to daily blogging!  The pony is finally gold - check this out!  

Isn't she just the cutest thing in the world?  She has been super hot lately and pretty out of control.  A few days ago she ripped out the board that the cross ties are screwed into, and she has also started rearing a bit again.  Dr. Shuler is going to be out soon, and hopefully he can figure out if there is something wrong with her.  I also want to look into possibly putting her on Regumate, and see if that calms her down.

This weekend I'm heading up to Blacksburg, Virginia to see Zena and Nikki!  I can't wait to share photos from that.  I'm shooting a fun show at her barn, and going to be selling myself to get people to sign up for portrait sessions on Sunday.  It should be fun!

Back in North Carolina!

25 hours and 1300 miles in the car later, I'm back in North Carolina after one of the busiest and most fun weekends of photography I have had!  On Friday I headed down south to Howell, NJ to shoot my friend Gloria, and her Standardbred mare Blue who she adopted as a two year old over 13 years ago.  I've known Blue for a long time, about as long as I've known Gloria, and this is the first opportunity I have had to photograph them together!  Here are a few samples from that day:

A busy weekend ahead of me!

Ritter and I came to an understanding today about the barrels.  He thinks they are scary, I think they are harmless.  Agree to disagree doesn't work for us, we stared and stared, and then trotted and trotted until he realized that no, they in fact won't jump off of the rail and eat him alive.  Other than that little argument though, it was a fairly productive ride.  His transitions get cleaner and cleaner each ride, and he has the best Woah I've ever sat on. Hey yellow pony, want to take some lessons on that from him?

On another note, I received a call from Grayson this morning that Jim Bob may have found the next project.  Its an off the track Thoroughbred that has been sitting in the field a while since he was too slow and kind hearted to make it on the track.  Supposedly he looks like a Quarter Horse, he apparently has had some dressage training, but by the sounds of it has been in the field a while.  He is free to a good home, and he may be something, he may not.  I'll find out more this week, and we'll figure out if JB is willing to give him a shot.  Since I head back north in just over a month, it will hopefully be something that Grayson can keep going once I leave.

A weekend of photography!

Sometimes I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day, but at the end of the day I usually feel like I accomplished so much that its worthwhile.

On Friday I went out to New Heights Farm, the farm that the Elon Equestrian Team used to ride out of, and I was able to photograph my friend Mollie and her adorable gelding Chance.  The weather was beautiful, and we were able to take advantage of the huge field right next to the farm.  Mollie and I cut the shoot a little bit short so that we could both make it home in time to get ready for the Shwayze and Third Eye Blind concert at Elon.  Even though they are about 45 years old now, they still performed well!

Jim Bob approves!

It is hot in North Carolina.  I don't mean the kind of hot where you want to stay outside all the time, I mean the kind of heat where you barely want to go outside or do any kind of physical activity for fear of bursting into flames.  Each day this week got well into the 90's, and it was hard to find the motivation to ride in that heat.

I did though!  The pony has been steadily improving, and I finally got Jim Bob out to see her!  He came out this morning, and I jumped her around a little course.  She was the worst she has been in two weeks! Typical.  The wind was blowing and she was alone out in the ring.  She wouldn't settle into a nice canter, but was really happy to start jumping.  She doesn't rush fences most of the time.  She still gets excited, but the only time she refuses is when I'm not riding well enough.  She still isn't quite ready for a kid but we are getting there.  We need to get her sold though, so I'm going to write her sale ad this week.   We haven't decided how much to ask for her, but once Anne comes out hopefully she will be able to give me an idea of what to ask for each.  He has been keeping his eye out for more projects too which is exciting, though really it just makes sense for him to wait til the fall to buy something, and that way we can get to work when I get back from Spain.

Its been too long since I last posted!

Its been too long since I have posted.  Forgive me!

There has been a lot going on!  I arrived back at school last week and got back to work with the ponies.  The little yellow one, who has affectionately been named Sunshine by Grayson, has really been coming along!  She has been putting weight on, and is starting to look really good!  Yesterday she also jumped around her first course!  Granted most of the course was cross rails, it ended with the barrels under a 2'3 vertical!  She refused the first time but the second time around I just grabbed some mane and kept my leg on and she went flying over!  We still have a lot to work on with her leads and staying quiet, but as long as you stay out of her face and off her back she is a pretty happy pony!  I'm going to look and see when we can get her out to her first show.