Give your horse a nice bubble bath and a good grooming the morning of your shoot…you can do it the day before but we all know they can't resist a good roll in the only mud puddle in the paddock or there are those that like to use poop pillows at bed time. Please allow enough time for your horse to dry before your session.

I used to find it therapeutic to give the bridles and halters a good cleaning and conditioning…taking each piece apart, scrubbing the stitching with a tooth brush, putting them back together and wrapping them perfectly ready for the next day. I'm not saying you have to go that far, but trust me, it makes all the difference in the final images. A great cleaning tip from my grooming days for bits…. soak them in Coke, it eats away the grime and leaves them shining like new!
If you're local here in Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin HK Tack Services also offers tack cleaning and restoring. Tell Hayley I sent you, she's awesome!
https://instagram.com/hk_tack_services

Every session and every horse is unique. My job is not only to capture your horse's natural beauty but his personality as well which may result in a blooper reel of funny faces and temper tantrums…it happens ;) Have no fear we will have many beautiful images.
There's no need to worry yourself about posing or being awkward in front of the camera. I want you to just be yourself, in the moment, deep breaths, lots of muzzle smooches, snuggle up and allow me to bottle that feeling up in images you'll cherish forever. I provide gentle guidance in posing and positioning of the horse. Then I allow things to unfold naturally. I should warn you I get a little silly sometimes and have been known to start dancing and even sing/rap whatever the occasion calls for ;) there's usually a lot of laughter

If your horse needs a body clip please be sure to have that done at least two weeks, preferably three, prior to your session. Nothing worse than lines or a dull looking coat. Ears should be done a week prior as well or done with a 10 blade the day of. I find using a 40 is a little too close of a shave and shows many flaws. Muzzles can be done the day of or not at all, your choice.

The key to having a relaxed horse during your session is making sure they are exercised prior to the shoot. Whether it's a quick hack, lunge or turn out, it really helps to get all their sillies out and helps them remain calm and focused.

It really depends on your personal style, what you're comfortable in, and the look you're trying to achieve in your photos. My suggestion is to find a look with neutral and earthy tones. Vivid color tops tend to reflect up towards the face creating a color cast. Think of using bright colors as an accent rather than a base. Go to Pinterest and type in "what to wear for a photoshoot" and you'll have tons of inspiration. I'm also here to help.. you can always text me your outfit ideas and I'll do my best to help you pick one or two….Outfit changes are always allowed during my sessions.