How to prepare for a horse & rider session!
Preparing for your session can seem incredible daunting and there are probably so many questions running through your mind! What to wear, grooming your horse, bridle or halter, should you bring your dog, will your horse behave, will your boyfriend be a good sport for photos, the list is endless! But let’s break it down a little bit so that you can have a seamless and flawless session, all that will be left for you to do is show off that beautiful smile!
Getting yourself ready
The first thing to worry about is everything you need to do to get yourself ready. Start thinking about outfit options early on and have at least a few choices ready so that you can narrow it down a few days before. Decide if you want to wear multiple outfits and what vibe you want in your session, your outfit helps a lot to set the tone of the session! If you need inspiration, here are a few place to look
PINTEREST
WHAT TO WEAR BLOG SERIES
FASHION BLOG
If we’ve already got a session on the books, reach out to me and I’m happy to help! The second part of the equation is hair and makeup. If you need to book appointments, do so early and make sure to leave yourself lots of time so that you aren’t rushing on the day of to get to the barn. Finally, it is always a good idea to have a friend available on the day of to help you get everything ready!
Preparing your horse
Getting your horse ready will probably take a lot more time than getting yourself ready and there’s a few things to worry about. Lucky for you, I’ll break it down! Now some of you might be lucky enough to have a horse that is kept in a stall, doesn't rip it's blankets off or just simply hates the dirt (isn't that the dream!), but most of us probably bring our horses in from the field with dirt in places that you didn't even know dirt could go, and places where it certainly doesn't belong. Ultimately your grooming routine for the session should be much like your grooming routine for a horse show. You want your equine to look their best!
Bathing your horse a day or two before the session, or the day of if you have time to let them dry.
I recommend grooming for an hour before the session, two if you didn't get a chance to bathe.
Make sure you have clean brushes when grooming, brushing with dirty brushes won't get them cleaner.
shine spray to get them gleaming.Hooves should be hosed down, cleaned and oiled to look their best. Make sure you leave enough time for the hoof oil to dry, or don’t bother applying it at all!
For any white markings, I recommend using baby powder to make them pop.
But grooming isn’t the only thing you have to worry about. Horses are unpredictable creatures and a photoshoot is an unusual experience for them, so there are a few things you should do to prepare your horse mentally to be on their best behaviour!
Lunging
Now I know what you might be thinking, about how your old and retired gelding, or push-button mare, is not going to need to be lunged but hear me out first. Typically, they might be the most relaxed creature, but asking a horse to stand still, move this way or that and put their ears up, for an hour straight tends to get on their nerves. Lunging allows them to release some energy, maintain some routine and relax before we ask them to do something totally new.
Meal Time
If your horse will be missing breakfast or supper time for their session, please feed them ahead of time, we don't want any grumpy geldings or mean mares. Avoid any high fat and high energy foods before their session to keep them relaxed.
Mind their Mood
We all know, horses can have bad days, just like us. Be aware of your horses mood when you are bringing them in from the field and while grooming them. If I know ahead of time, I can accommodate most grumpy or uncooperative horses and I'm pretty good at working around their moods. Don't be afraid to let me know, I am here to make the process as easy and relaxed as possible.
There are a few other things you can consider, such as bridle or halter, braiding or a natural mane, whether you want to ride bareback or with tack, or not at all but these are all up to personal preference! The most important things are getting yourself and your horse ready! Here are a few other tips to help your session be as magical as possible!
If your session is in the spring or summer, apply copious amounts of fly and bug spray to yourself and your horse, you won’t regret it, trust me!
Give yourself more time than you think you will need. I suggest adding a 15-minute buffer to your planning. The last thing you want is to be stressed as you are getting ready.
Wash your hands after you have cleaned your horse and gotten ready. We often start the session with some close-up detail shots, and you certainly don’t want any dirt under your nails. •
Bring a hairbrush, some hairspray and makeup essentials for any last-minute touch ups.
If you want to include anything in your session that is out of the ordinary for your horse, PRACTICE BEFORE THE SESSION! This includes riding bareback in a field, wearing a big poufy dress around them taking them to a new location or bringing your other pets to your session. The best way to have a successful session is to expose your horse to as much as you can beforehand, so that none of it will come as a surprise.
Get a good night’s sleep the night before and lay all your outfits and accessories out ahead of time so you know where everything is on the day of your session.
