Meet Anna and her super handsome IDxWB gelding. He's 9 years old and Anna has howned him for just over two years. Together they enjoy a bit of everything. Stabled at a very pretty yard in Sonning, we had the choice of some lovely meadows filled with buttercups and dandelions as well as a lane with an archway of trees above.
We began the shoot in the fields I mentioned above. Bertie looked lovely, a beautiful big star, large glossy eyes and a gleaming bright bay coat. I loved his bushy tail, which Anna said comes from the Irish Draught breeding he has! With a new leather headcollar with his name engraved on the side, he looked amazing! So, we headed off - with Anna's friend armed with a bucket of treats and my squeaky octopus and her Mum to the buttercup field.
Bertie was so well behaved throughout and he loved being in front of the camera. Wherever the bowl of treats went, he looked! "He knows he is handsome and is a bit of a diva about life on the ground. Ridden he is my perfect horse, he looks after me, is sensible but also is talented enoguh to do whatever I can think of if I put the work in. We have a lot of fun together and we trust each other."
Anna wanted me to capture the fun that they have together. After seeing the photographs I'd taken of Giles and Jessie. She said that she isn't the sort of person to enjoy being in front of the camera, but after the shoot she said she did actually enjoy it and it was great fun! I love keeping the shoot as relaxed as possible - I don't enjoy having my picture taken but we need to remember that the images taken during the shoot will serve as a wonderful memory for US, rather than for anyone else.
"I love learning with him. I love after we have had a lesson walking him down the lane and chatting to him about what we've learnt and giving him lots of cuddles and polos. He's not the most affectionate horse on the ground but is always happy after he's been ridden."
We headed back to the yard for an outfit change. Bertie had his bridle put on, with his super blingy Ultimate Bling browband from Bex's Browbands and Collars. Anna then got changed in to her wedding dress! Anna got married in February, in Canada. She said that she'd always wanted Bertie to be at the wedding if it was in the UK - so that was the main reason focus of the shoot.
They got married in Canada in a glass-based gondola followed by a decent in -15 degrees down the slopes, skiing in her wedding dress! They'd always planned on going to Canada for their honeymoon but they decided to get married out there and then have 2 big parties for their friends and family when they got home. Neither of them wanted a big wedding with lots of fuss made so they chose to do something that they'd both enjoy. I did ask if Anna had her wedding dress on over warm clothes - nope! Just a cardigan, some fingerless gloves and a big fur coat to put on between the photographs they had taken.
Bertie was an absolute saint both on the ground and when Anna climbed aboard. He didn't blink an eyelid, even when the dress was draped across his back - what a superstar! Thank you so much for having me Anna - it was a pleasure to meet everybody and I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself!
