poses to do with your horse

One thing clients say all the time is they don’t know how to pose and are awkward in front of the camera but when hiring me you don’t have to — I will guide you into poses and interactions with your horses that come off natural and relaxed. Although every session is different, these are the core poses that I work off of and tweak them based on the client and vibe of the shoot. Below I will share my core poses with you, show you different variations of them, and a tell you a little bit about each one…

starting point

For almost all of my sessions I start with the pose that comes natural for most clients when in front of the camera — face the camera and smile. I use this pose to loosen the nerves for not only my human clients but their horses. Typically it includes one hand under the horses neck and the other loosely holding the lead/reins, softly resting on the horses face, or propped up on their waist. I use this starter pose to then guide clients into other poses below.

give kisses

What horse girl doesn’t love to give their horses kisses? It is very rare where I get a client that doesn’t want to be cuddly even a little with their pony. Prompting clients to give kisses is something that I do throughout the session and is a great thing to ask during my starter pose to further break up nerves. Then I try to include a kiss in all the poses after if I can and clients are willing. Typically when asking clients to kiss their horse I will do it one of three ways — (1) kiss their nose, (2) kiss the soft spot above their eye, and (3) kiss your favorite spot on their face.

huggies

Like kisses, most clients have no issues when you ask them to hug their horses. I typically direct this for them to hug softly around their chest/neck but if we have a super chill horse I will also include hugging their face. The hug from behind is a client favorite — this is where I will tell the client to put their belly button to the shoulder of their horse, and lightly rest their arm and head in the horses neck. The hand that we don’t see in the photo I will direct for them to lightly apply pressure so that horse will naturally then wrap their neck/head around to hug their human back.

starry eyed love

This is another pose like giving kisses that I incorporate in combination with other poses and is a great one to direct after the starting point. Here I will direct clients to just look into their horses eyes and this normally draws out a different smile than the one that was facing the camera and I swear some of my clients eyes just sparkle when they look into their horse’s eyes. This pose is great when you ask them to tickle the horses nose or in combination with giving kisses.

squeeze ‘em tight

This is one that doesn’t get included in every session because not every horse appreciates an aggressive hug but sometimes you just have to squeeze your horse as tight as you can. When the moment feels right, I will direct clients to bear hug their horse and to squeeze ‘em tight. Many times the emotions that come out from this is so pure and adds something special to the final gallery.

big booty views

I have never met a horse owner that doesn’t want to flaunt their horse’s hiney so I usually like to include a pose from behind during the shoot. I will do this in a variety of ways based on the vibe of the client — some will be hugging their horse, some will be leaning against their horses shoulder, or hips, some will be resting their arms of the back, and some will be snuggling their horses face. It is important here that even though the pose is from behind that the focus point is still on the client’s face and/or the horse’s face.

peek-a-boo

This pose is when I have the clients “hide” behind their horse and peek around them. I love this pose because it adds a sweet, playfulness and can add some dynamic images to the final gallery when you use the reins or horse’s neck to add natural framing of the client.

nuzzlin’

This one pose that isn’t something I direct but I tell my clients from the very beginning if at any point their horses nuzzle them or initial cuddles to embrace it. Let them nuzzle your neck, sniff your arm, and wrap them neck around you — embrace it and give them love back.

strut your stuff

This is my “break” pose but is always a favorite. I will often ask my clients to strut their stuff at least once during a session and it is often when I notice the horses start to get antsy from standing around and they need a little break to work out the wiggles. But just because it is a “break” pose doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to be fabulous — when I am asking my clients to take a walk I show them how to “walk pretty” with exaggerating crossing one leg over the other, flowing their dresses if they are wearing a dress, and petting their horse as they walk to keep that connection there. Reminder this pose does not always have to be shot from the front, you can add variety to the shoot but also catching the shot from the side. When doing it from the side I have my clients try to match their horses stride and either walk way out in front of their horse or behind their horses head enough so you can still see the horse’s face.

lean on me

This is a pose that gets included in almost every session too where my client is simply directed to lean up against their horse where their hands can be in a variety of ways — lightly holding the lead/reins, arms crosses, or arms up on hips. I typically pair it with a crossed or resting leg and it can be photographed from pretty much any angel and look amazing.

got your back

This is a pose that doesn’t get utilized very often but when I do, it is always a favorite. Here the client is positioned behind their horse and drapes their arms over the back of their horse but this only works if there is an appropriate height difference to make it dynamic. You will see me doing this a lot with clients that have ponies or yearlings but sometimes I cheap and put my clients on a hill, rock, or bucket.

just chillin’

This kind of pose is one where there is normally some kind of connection with the horse and the body language is very relaxed so it comes off like you are just chillin’ in between moments. Normally I will let their facial expressions happen naturally and sometimes I will direct clients to smile or look a certain way but I always like these because they are so normal, but add so much to the story of the session.

on the fence

I call this one on-the-fence because we utilize either a fence, gate, hitching post, or building as a leaning post. The leading lines of a fence always adds something to the photo and positioning the clients behind the fence and leaning over also creates visual interest to add variety to a final gallery. It is always a bonus when I am able to climb up on the fence and get a different angle then just straight on.

be a little extra

Once my clients have loosened up through some of my more guided poses — I ask them to add a little spice through some fun posing and serving sass to the camera. I do have some prompts I give depending on the vibe and styling of the session/client but it often includes asking them to channel their inner super model and feel themselves — figuratively and literally.

melt into them

Anytime my client wants some mounted photos you best believe that I am directing them to melt into their horse at some point. I typically direct this by telling my clients to lay down onto their horses neck, take a deep breath, and as you let it out just melt into them. Sometimes we will also add in wrapping your arms around the neck or propping the chin up on the hands resting on the neck but the connection here is the most important part. The pose needs to look relaxed and serene. And for certain clients — this includes laying over the booty or even melting over the horse backwards.

praise ‘em

I am big on always praising your horse and any time we are doing a mounted shoot I will have the clients bend down and pet their neck to give them praise. Sometimes this will include adding extra instructions of running hands through the mane but it almost always includes eyes down on your horse giving off a sense of calm and pride.

look over there

I love a good “look off into the distance” shot to add into every portfolio but there is something about doing it mounted vs on the ground that always adds something extra to the story. Because just saying “look over there” doesn’t always lead to the eyes and heads pointed in the correct direction, I typically pick a spot/object to direct them to look at. Here I will also direct how their facial expressions should be based on the mood of the shoot/client — sometimes it will be a soft face watching the sunset and sometimes it will be a big grin looking at mom do the chicken dance just outside the frame.

don’t leave me

This is one pose I get requests to do a lot but there has to be trust there with your horse and a horse that will stand still for the client — this is a pose I will not do if at anytime I do not feel it can be safely be done because just because I am not liable for my clients I will not encourage or promote unsafe actions. Here my clients will be directed to either kneel or sit alongside or in front of the front legs of the horse and wrap an arm around one of the front legs. I love the connection this pose provides and how it shows off the trust the horse and client have in each other.

take a seat

This pose is one where my clients are seated in some fashion that is not on the ground — it could be a chair, rock, hay bales, stairs, barrels, a fence, tree swing, etc. This allows for some more variety in the final gallery and enhances the story I am there to tell. A lot of times these seats are not something that are planned but things I see in and around the session that would make for something visually interesting.

drop it low

These poses are ones were I direct my clients to either kneel or sit on the ground with their horse it can be done safely. Like when I direct clients in the “don’t leave me” pose I always make sure that safety comes first. I will often start with a kneeling pose where it would be easy to pop up if needed before moving into fully sitting next to or in front of the horse. These are poses that I never rush as I want the horses to be fully aware that their person is in a vulnerable position and to be extra gentle.

ride away together

Like when I ask a client to strut there stuff as a little break for the horse, the ride away together is something similar often as horses are roaming animals and not natural for them to stand in one spot for an hour plus. So when a horse starts getting a little antsy while we are doing mounted photos I will tell my clients to ride away from me or ride in a circle around me to get some fun shots before asking their horse to stand again for awhile. Riding photos can be done at any speed and I often tell my clients to do whatever speed they feel most comfortable at.

sitting pretty

Other than just sitting on the horse regularly, facing the camera smiling — I like to add in a some other ways of sitting on your horse — typically “side-saddle” in some way or another. Here, when it is safe I will have my clients swing a leg over so they are both hanging on one side of the horse then position them in a way where either their legs are crossed or staged so they don’t just appear to be dangling. Occasionally we will get a little extra here and I will have them put both legs up on the butt of the horse in a fun way if the horse is being cooperative and it feels right. No matter what, I make sure the client feels okay before moving into this position and often I will have someone at the head of the horse since the client has little control over there animal at this point. I also always direct them that if their horse starts moving and they don’t think they can balance to slide right off since they will have both feet on one side to land smoothly.