Black Jack | Equine Photography

Senior Horse Photography Session

Larsen, Wisconsin

All my life, I have believed that horses make the best friends. They grow with us, change with us, and go through all of life’s ups and downs with us. But if there is one thing I have learned about horses, it is that they cannot be with us forever. Sometimes circumstances change and we are forced to make the difficult to decision to find new homes for our horses. And sadly, horses are often gone much earlier than we are, their lives cut short by old age. But this doesn’t mean our time with them has to end. The relationship with our equestrian friends can live on in memories and special moments; a relationship that transcends time.

While memories are a special gift that horses give us, we benefit from taking it a step further. I never had professional photos taken with my beautiful mare Riley, and I regret that her essence isn’t immortalized in well-done photographs. That is why I cherish the opportunity to be there with my clients for a keepsake session. When one of the most challenging moments of your life starts to approach, a keepsake session will help you to remember every little detail about your best friend. From their fuzzy noses to their sweet and trusting expressions, I love capturing their spirit in photographs. The experience of Laurie and Black Jack was particularly moving.

Laurie and her beautiful horse Black Jack had been together for over 20 years. Black Jack had lived a long and happy life with Laurie, but as he got older in age Laurie had to make the difficult decision to put him to sleep. This was not an easy decision for Laurie, and it is never an easy decision for any horse owner. But as the horse ages, it becomes increasingly clear when the pains of old age are causing too much suffering and it is no longer fair to prolong their life. Our keepsake session was to encapsulate a beautiful lifetime of memories that Laurie and BJ shared together, and to give Laurie beautiful photographs that she could cherish and pass down through her family generations.

The session took place at Hickory Hill Farm in Larsen, WI on a chilly and windy day. While we all felt bittersweet knowing what was about to come, we didn’t allow sadness to keep us from enjoying ourselves. All our attention was on BJ and his relationship with Laurie, celebrating his life and all of the beautiful things he brought to everyone in his world. BJ was the sweetest horse with a still spunky personality—he just adored candy canes and snacked on some pieces every moment he got! Laurie was full of stories about BJ, and I loved learning more about her history with him. Having been in the same challenging situation before, I related to Laurie’s emotions and was reminded of the emotional roller coaster that accompanies owning a senior horse. I respect Laurie so much for her committed decision to provide BJ with the best and most loving care.

On November 16th, 2018, Black Jack was lovingly put to sleep. He will be missed by so many, but none more so than his owner Laurie. While there is nothing that can take away the pain of losing a horse, it is my desire that a keepsake session will assist in the healing process. Keepsake photographs give all owners tangible memories that they can cherish forever, remembering the happy times and looking forward to the future.

If you have a special horse that you would like to celebrate, click here.