One of the great things about being a horse photographer is the opportunity to meet so many interesting horses and their people. I get to learn their stories and help them to celebrate their bonds.
One example is Katie, the quarter horse, and her person, Camie, who I photographed in St. Augustine, Florida at a photography workshop. We had the opportunity to photograph at both the Florida Agricultural Museum, as well as, on the beach at sunrise.
Katie’s Story
Camie had a heart horse named, Flash. And Flash and Katie were best friends. Unfortunately, Camie lost Flash in a completely tragic and unexpected way.
In the months before Flash passed, Katie was a challenge. She liked to pretend she was a circus horse and rear up when she got excited – which, unfortunately, was a lot of the time.
However, after Flash passed away, Katie became a completely different horse. She started picking up on some of the quirky things that Flash did. She and Camie quickly became best friends and bonded while missing Flash together.
Katie is full of energy 24/7. Even when hanging out in the field, Katie’s favorite thing to do is run. Getting a drink of water is an epic adventure that involves cantering across the pasture to the water trough and then cantering right back to where she originally was in the field.
She’s always frisky. And occasionally that comes out by making Camie play a long game of “catch” in the field. But, once she is caught, she’s ready for snuggles and getting spoiled.
Fun facts about Katie
Katie is a 12-year-old grey quarter horse who has a star, a sock and a very tall stocking…but the markings are only visible when she is wet.
Also, she was born sorrel and when she gets a scratch, the hair always grows back in red but then eventually turns grey again.
While Katie is very brave, she is also very strong and can be a handful when she gets super excited. Just the sight of barrels or jumps and the horse is so excited she can’t walk straight. Instead, she has to jig.
One goofy thing that Katie does sometimes is to jump into the tack room, following her owner, because she knows that means it’s treat time.
Katie at the Beach
Watching Camie and Katie tackle the waves at the beach, I couldn’t help but notice that Katie never hesitated to go wherever Camie asked her and was game for anything.
She loved galloping in the water, never spooked at the birds, the people, the other horses, and all the activity happening around her.
In fact, Katie seemed happiest when she was galloping full tilt through the deep waves.
Is it time to celebrate the story of your favorite animal?
Being a horse photographer allows me the chance to step into the world of my clients and see the amazing animals they love, the bonds they share and the love that surround them. I love to help clients celebrate the story of their favorite animals with custom photography experiences.
Is it time for you to celebrate your story?
Betsy Bird of Ride the Sky Equine Photography spends her days doing insane things to make horses look at her. Clearly, she’s desperate for attention. When she’s not celebrating the stories of the amazing horses in her clients’ lives, she invests time and energy into perfecting her equine photography skills and growing her business, hanging with her favorite rescue dog, Nitro, and planning her next big adventure. She also tries to spend some time educating and entertaining her fans and potential clients by blogging and posting on social media about whatever catches her fancy at the moment.
Betsy is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) with the organization Professional Photographers of America (PPA). The CPP designation is held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and is a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry, and professionalism. Ride the Sky specializes in on-location photography for equines. Ride the Sky also has the option of bringing the studio to the stable. Based in Chattanooga, TN, Ride the Sky Equine Photography works on location in Tennessee, North Georgia, and beyond.