Let’s talk prep work for your upcoming portrait sessions! Last week I shared a few of my favorite tips and tricks on how you can prepare your barn for your portrait session. Today I want to focus on how you can prepare your horse physically and mentally. Below I have compiled my tried and true tips that will help set your horse up for success on the day of your portraits!

Ground Manners

Working on your horse’s basic ground manners may seem simple enough; however, asking your horse to stand for a duration of time in locations they may not normally encounter in their day-to-day activities could throw them off. A few weeks leading up to your portraits, I recommend taking your horse to new locations on the farm to practice standing for a few minutes at a time. Locations will vary on what we plan to create with your portraits- if water is included make sure you familiarize your horse with standing in place near/in the water. These short bursts of work will help better prepare your horse for the day of their portraits so that there are no surprises! 

Ride, Ride and Ride Some More

Again, it may seem simple enough; however, your horse is not used to having a professional portrait session. A game-changing tip I have picked up over the years is to ride your horse to the same locations you practice ground manners at. If you plan to have portraits created on your horse, whether it is bareback or tacked up, I very highly recommend familiarizing your horse with your portrait locations. Riding portraits are completely up to you and where you are most comfortable. If you plan to ride your horse for a few portraits, take 15 minutes a few days a week to practice moving as well as standing in place. Keep in mind you are never required to ride your horse in your portrait sessions, safety is always my number one priority.

Bathing & Clipping

Whether you are keeping it natural or pulling out your show tack, bathing your horse before your portraits will take you to the next level. If you plan on keeping a natural look on your horse, I recommend giving them a bath the day prior to remove any stubborn stains, dirt, or a muddy mane and tail. Brushing out their mane and tail and ensuring they have enough time to fully dry will showcase your horse’s coat, any wet spots will stick out like a sore thumb. If we are creating a formal portrait with your horses, I always recommend treating your session like it is show day. Clipping should be done 1-2 days ahead of time, bathing, braiding, and/or banding should be done shortly before our start time. If the weather does not permit bathing, do the best you can to wipe down any excess dirt and grime. Pro Tip: Keeping a few rags, brushes and spray will be useful for quick touch-ups!

Feet

Your horses are on a set schedule with your farrier, scheduling your portrait session in the middle of that cycle will help prevent any unflattering feet pics! Using your favorite hoof conditioner, in general, will help strengthen your horse’s feet but it also helps ensure that your eyes don’t draw immediately to a cracked hoof in your portraits! When it comes to hoof polish, I recommend using what you personally would like to see in your portraits- whether that is a clear coat or black. Hoof care will also ensure your horse is happy and sound for the day of their portraits!

Fly Spray

This may seem obvious, but you may overlook the importance of fly spray while you are prepping your horse for their portraits as well as yourself! Keeping fly spray on hand will come in handy more often than not, it also ensures we don’t have a growingly impatient horse on our hands!

Food & Exercise

My final tip of the day leading up to your portraits is keeping your horse fed and exercised. Feeding your horse an early snack before your session will prevent that dreaded hangry attitude! Be careful with what you feed them though, we most certainly do not want to have a slime situation on our hands! If you have a high-energy horse, lightly working them prior to your session can help relieve a few impatient nerves they may be experiencing. Spending 10-15 minutes reminding them of their ground manners will also get your horse’s mind thinking and responding to you! 

Taking these tips and tricks into consideration leading up to your portrait session will certainly help better prepare both you and your horse. From bathing and regular maintenance to physical and mental preparations, the work you put into preparing your horse for your session will show in the final products! If you haven’t scheduled your portrait session yet click here to start your journey today!

-Charlotte