I have spent most of today standing in the mist on top of a hill looking down towards Euston Hall photographing riders from the Anglian Distance Riders go past.  Despite the fact that it was freezing cold it was great to see so many riders that were out just to really enjoy their horse and enjoy riding.  I have never taken part in a long distance or pleasure ride myself, but every time we photograph one I always think  what great fun it seems.  No worrying about about who the judge is, will my horse behave etc etc, just get on, point and go!  Throughout our working year, we spend a great deal of time among horses that are groomed to perfection with riders that look like they have stepped out of a Harry Hall catalouge and I am always in awe of just how you get a horse to look that clean?!  So when I see over 70 horses and ponies of all shapes and sizes canter past me, splashing up mud with their riders smiling, laughing and generally looking relaxed, I always think that this is the equestrian sport for me!  And despite the fact that I have one very unfit pony, and one that hasn’t had a saddle on its back yet, I am determined that I will join in with the fun.

Well done pleasure riders everywhere as you have made one very cold photographers assistant remember why she loves horses, riding and muddy ponies!

Tina was a miniture shetland pony standing not more than 9 hands.  She is not the sort of pony that you ‘own’ but rather she allows  you to care for her needs.  She was rescued as a youngster from a farm where she was kept tethered to a tractor wheel.  She had the scars from her grown in head collar for the rest of her life.

Tina was well known among the local horse people.  She was banned from local shows as she once disrupted an entire 4 ring show after dumping her young rider in the fancy dress class and bolted around the show ground still in her costume. She also managed to escape from her field on a regular basis to wander to the next village to graze on the Crown Green Bowling Club’s ground where they tended the grass so well.

Tina came to live in our back garden later in life as she seemed to insight fear and anarchy into any horses that I let her graze with.  She enjoyed being centre of  attention in the garden.  She could charm treats out of the most hard hearted passer-by.  She quickly worked out how to come in through the  patio doors, help herself to any food left out, before letting herself out of the back door. I blamed our dogs for stealing food for a long time before she was caught in the act.  In fact her love of being in the house meant that the farrier would trim her feet whilst she stood in the kitchen.

Now I am not saying that this pony was spoilt, but she had a way of whinnying to you which was both endearing and extremely threatening at the same time.  I never remember her biting or kicking anybody but even the most experience of horsey person who came into contact with her were just a little afraid. If she had been in human form then she would either have been a member of the royal family, a confidence trickster or a politician, cool and cute on the outside but totally on her own agenda.   She pretty much decided what she wanted and when.

I don’t really know how old she was when she died recently, but I know that she was well into her forties.  She had always looked young, but just after the recent cold weather she went down hill very quickly and as it was obvious that she had given up on life I thought the least I could do was to honor that wish.  She was always difficult to catch from the field but the day that the vet came to put her to sleep she walked up to me as I went in with a lead rope, wise old girl.

We will miss this funny little pony with her long grey coat and her stumpy little ‘Queen Anne’ legs. This tiny pony has left a large hole in our lives and despite the fact that I know she merely ‘tolerated’ us as  humans, we miss her a great deal.  Of course she has had the last laugh at us humans as the vets bill for her arrived this morning!

RIP Tina

While building up my Suffolk Punch series, which we are going to call ‘The Sorrel Horse Under a Suffolk Sky’ I am also working on a Welsh Cob set, I have access to a fantastic group of Welsh Cobs and over the coming months will spend time with them capturing more beautiful images.

I have spent the last few days investigating media to print The Suffolks on. Hahnemuhle a german company produce a paper made from bamboo fibres. ‘This natural white, warm-toned genuine art paper with a premium inkjet coating has maximum aging resistance. Hahnemuhle Bamboo stands for spirituality, naturalness and resource-saving paper production”. So armed with my new paper from www.on-linepaper.co.uk who incidentally fulfilled my order in less than 24 hours!, I made my first print and its stunning, the warm toned paper suits the subject while the supplied colour profile allowed me to print colours accurately.

My first print on the new paper.

I am currently enjoying taking part in an online course run by The Equine Photographers Network its titled creating and marketing Fine Art. One of the advantages of taking part in a course like this is the communication with the other photographers who I might add are producing some stunning work , their enthusiasm and passion is infectious and for the first time in a while I have been taking photographs just for me and asking questions of myself and my craft. I spent several hours over a couple of days photographing the Suffolk Punches at Hollesley, mainly to obtain some images for the trust to use of the horses in the snow but also with this course in mind. Below you will see 4 images I have chosen as part of a series I am putting together around the suffolk punch. Please enjoy looking at them and if you would like to comment please do.

This First one I have called Inquisitive

No. 2 Softness

No.3 Togetherness

No. 4 Whiskers

During the snowy spell of weather we have all been experiencing lately, I took the opportunity to photograph some Suffolk Punch Horses in the snow. These beautiful horses seem to take the weather in their stride although the foals seem to have a mischievous look in their eye just like naughty children!!

The Equine Photographers Network photo a day challenge is now completed, I really enjoyed having to take a photo everyday in whatever  conditions the British weather threw at us. It made me carry a camera with me all the time and made me THINK, looking for different angles on the days topic.

One piece of good news I have been awarded a gold award by the SWPP for the month of October in The Landscape Category for the Image below. It was taken in Spain a couple of years ago during late december sunshine!

Day 29 The word was CONTRAST and Day 30 was END See my photos below:

Did a PR shoot for The Suffolk Punch Trust and used that for EXPRESSIONS and a Macro shot taken today at Mid Suffolk Pony Club dressage.

Nearly at the end of the challenge!! Day 26 and The Word is CHORES. Wanted to do something different than a straight shot of a chore being done, then I saw Sarahs shadow on the stable wall as she mucked out!