Forest Gait Farm

Yesterday the girls had a day off school so my youngest and I packed our camera bags and headed to my sister's in Palgrave. From there we, in addition to my niece (a horse lover as well), made the drive through the beautiful Caledon countryside to Georgetown, home of Forest Gait Farm Paso Finos. This is where my sister's horse, Alberto la Manana, resides with many of his Paso Fino friends. My sister's dog, Niko, came along for the ride also. Niko has been lonely since the passing of the other family dog, Lucky, this past February, so he likes to come and visit the resident lab, Lucy. Not to be forgotten is the barn kitty, Spooky, who was my constant companion throughout the day.

The weather was gray, and for the most part the rain held off. Days like these can make for some lovely atmospheric photography.

After a lunch of the best tuna melt I ever had, the girls headed to the barn where they got a lesson in grooming the very patient Pachanga, the senior horse at Forest Gait. Then all tacked up, they each got to be led through the forest on a trail ride. What fun!!

I was in horse heaven, and shot a couple of hundred photos throughout the day of horses, kids, dogs and cats.

Other than Alberto of course, my next favourite equine of Forest Gait is the resident stallion, Postin de Petrolero. Postin is a stunning example of the Paso Fino breed, and has the coveted disposition of the Petrolero line. A gentleman and a sweetheart, I could have photographed this horse all day. I made a promise to Postin that I would get him on the cover of a horse magazine some day ;o)

After grooming Postin for a bit, he did the natural thing and rolled in the mud...what a character! Even dirty...he's still pretty!

I will be back at Forest Gait as there will be a new baby soon that I will HAVE to photograph. Postin's first at this farm. The Mom is Captiva, a striking black Paso Fino mare that has been Postin's common law wife since they made a baby ;o).

Thanks to Jeannie for having us to her farm for the day!

Grandview Combined Test

After my photo shoot at Glen Oro, JT and I wandered over to Grandview, conveniently right across the road. The weather was amazing, and I'm pretty sure I got a bit of a sunburn as I always seem to at the beginning of my photography season (sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen...next time...I promise!). Grandview was having a Combined Test, Dressage, and stadium jumping. While JT wanted to practice photographing the jumping, I was enjoying the view over at the Dressage ring. The warm up area is even more fun to photograph, many more possibilities to be creative; the riders, horses, trainers and spectators, and of course the ever present variety of canines. Here are some of my favourites from today.

Glen Oro Farm, Hawkestone

Oh happy day! A day filled with horses, and photos, and photos of horses...well ok ALL photos of horses...plus a few dogs thrown in for good measure. I started at Glen Oro Farm where Kairos and Sheilagh were all prettied up for their shoot. We had a beautiful day which always is a good thing! Glen Oro is such a pleasure to photograph at, such gorgeous countryside, and everywhere you look, beautiful horses grazing, whinnying, or galloping along the fence line. I made a couple of new friends there in Norman and Strider, the resident dogs. Norman seemed to be a sweet lab/husky cross with his one blue eye, and Strider is a breed called a Lurcher. I'm only sorry I didn't get any photos of this beautiful dog doing what he does best...running. Here are a few photos from this morning.