Courtney, Ginger & Lira

There is an indescribable value in having portraits created with the animals we learned the most from, the ones we bonded with and grew to love more with age. Ginger is that horse for Courtney which made their portraits incredibly special for me. It also was very clear as Courtney mentioned that she and her dog Lira shared an immediate bond since she had been born. I had such a wonderful experience creating these portraits for Courtney as she too is a photographer in the pet industry!

The connection Courtney and Ginger shared was certainly once in a lifetime. When she shared how Ginger came into her life at just 4 years old which put their time together at 30 years, I knew this was special. Courtney described Ginger as a sometimes opinionated mare who simply knows what she wants- and she wants treats! Very few things would catch Ginger’s attention for portraits but we could always rely on treats, wrappers and anything that hinted towards food.

Although this lovely mare lived a luxury life of retirement bossing the miniature donkeys around, Courtney fondly reflects on the ruts created in the pasture from their first years of riding. Having a horse willing to take you to the moon is a rare connection, being the perfect mixture of a pleasure horse and trusted babysitter. From giving treats, learning to ride, laughing and crying, Ginger was clearly that once in a lifetime horse.

When asked why she wanted to have portraits created, Courtney had the greatest reason. Her Grandmother often reminded her to have portraits created with Ginger, unfortunately she passed away before they had been completed. She followed up by saying:

“I made a commitment that I would have our portraits done before it was too late for Ginger.”

Including her dog Lira in her portraits was also important for Courtney as they too share an incredible history. A true photographer’s dog, Lira challenged her mom in the whole pose pretty request for portraits, but ultimately created memorable portraits. When photographing Lira and Courtney, it was quite obvious they had a connection. Lira’s introduction to this world was quite the story. She was born with major congenital birth defects and given less than a 5% chance of survival at birth, but that was 4 years ago and other than a few minor issues she has been in perfect health.

When looking through Courtney’s portraits, there is no question she has tremendous love for the animals in her life. Seeing Ginger’s personality come out and having the opportunity to photograph Lira created the perfect combination of custom artwork and generational memories. Since our time together, Ginger passed away in the comfort of Courtney’s farm after fighting Cushing’s disease, comforted by the human she had shared so much love with those past 30 years. It is such an honor to have had the opportunity to document such meaningful portraits for a duo I will not soon forget.

On top of being a phenomenal businesswoman, equestrian, and animal lover, Courtney also runs a small dog rescue in Rutledge, Georgia called The Rescue Ranch Pups. This entire organization is dedicated to saving medically fragile & special needs Boston Terriers & their friends. They seek to be a positive influence in animal rescue through community outreach, working with other rescues, and making a difference in the lives of animals. Make sure you take a moment to check out this incredible organization and support Courtney’s dream of making this world a better place for animals.