Simple Horse Grooming Tips for a Photo Shoot With Your Horse

 

Preparing for the Photo Shoot

 

• Consider this grooming routine as similar to a show routine. Starting a few days in advance lets your horse’s natural oils come back after a bath if you strip the sebum, and massive spa day activities can be spread out over a few days to accomodate your schedule if needed.

 

 

 

The basic grooming routine to prep for a horse photoshoot

 

• The best foundation for getting your horse ready for a show, clinic, or photoshoot is to bathe them, and bathe them well. Then, move on to the shine stuff and trimming.

 

Bathe your horse

 

• Use stain-removing products sparingly and only on stains to help your horse’s coat retain shine from their natural oils.

 

• Harsh shampoos and detergents, while they clean your horse, also remove the shiny sebum that your horse’s skin relies on for protection from microbes and more stains. If you use a harsh shampoo, follow up with a conditioner and an oil buffing session.

 

• Brighten white or grey tails with purple shampoos. Don’t let them sit too long, as you may have a lavender tail. You can also use purple shampoos on socks and other white spots or touch them up later with pigment spray or baby powder.

 

• Add a conditioner if your horse has crunchy, dry hair. A grooming oil at the ends of the tail doesn’t need rinsing, unless you use more than a few capfuls.

 

The most important part…

 

• Rinse your horse well! Leftover shampoos and conditioners may irritate your horse’s skin or create annoying itching. Rinsing with white vinegar can also eliminate leftover products.

 

• Dry your horse, and hopefully, there is no wet rolling going on! An Irish knit cooler helps this process along, as does wind and sunshine.

 

Let any color enhancing shampoo stay on for about 5-10 minutes.

 

Oil buffing

 

• Grooming oils accomplish a few things. One, the condition the hair coat, mane, and tail. Two, they add shine. And three, these oils help prevent future stains. You only need a few capfuls for your entire horse – so use sparingly!

 

• There are a few ways to oil buff. In warm weather, you can:

 

• Add a few capfuls to two gallons of water. Sponge on while your horse is damp from a bath. Then you can sweat scrape if you like.

 

• Using that same formula, you can dip a stiff brush or a cloth and groom, like you are currying the oil into the coat. It’s easier when your horse is damp or dry for this.

 

In cold weather, oil buff in a similar way.

 

• Begin by mixing up a few capfuls into HOT water. Then dunk your rags and wring them out well. The cloth should be damp and steamy.

 

• Then, use the steamy rag to curry your horse’s hair. Your horse should not get wet in this process, but if they do, add a cooler over those areas.

 

Trimming with clippers

 

• The best time to tidy your horse with clippers or trimmers is after a bath, and your horse is dry.

 

• For an equine photo shoot, you may not want to have your horse trace clipped. A full body clip, or not clipping at all, is best, so you avoid seeing changes in length or color to the hair.

 

• You can tidy things up a bit by trimming these areas if you like:

 

• • • Bridle path
    • Fetlocks
    • Any stray leg hairs
    • Banging the tail
    • Coronary band

Whiskers

 

• I don’t recommend trimming the muzzle; those hairs are sensory vibrissae that your horse needs to navigate areas their eyes don’t see. I will be stone, cold cash that your equine photographer can easily edit whiskers out if you like that look.

 

You may want to clip the lower legs, trim the coronary band, or both.

 

Miscellaneous touch-ups and mane and tail color tips

 

• Last-minute stains, scars, and markings are easily covered up with pigment sprays. For large areas, like white markings and socks, spray directly. For smaller areas, spray a toothbrush or other small brush and dab the color on the imperfection.

 

• There are many colors to choose from, and you can even blend colors in a small tray to dab on for the perfectly matched coat color.

 

• You can use these same pigmented sprays to cover up sun-bleached manes and tails.

 

Final shine-boosting steps

 

• For the final grooming before the photoshoot, grab a finishing brush and some gloss spray. Spritz your equine buddy with the colored spray, then use a finishing brush to smooth everything out.

 

• If you want to add highlights to your horse’s facial features and knees, use a dollop of grooming oil smushed in your hands to wipe over their face and legs lightly. This oil adds shine and looks especially good on bays with dark legs.

 

Hoof care and shine tips

 

• You’ll want the hooves to look more natural and glossy for a photo shoot. While you might use colored hoof polish in the show ring, you could try a light shimmer. Grooming oils and gloss sprays make excellent hoof dressing, or choose your favorite clear variety.

 

• To not distract from your horse’s face, consider applying a polish and then buffing it to create more of a sheen versus blinding shine.

Horse Grooming Tips for a Photo Shoot – When to Bathe, Clip, and Polish

 

• Preparing your horse for a photo shoot requires quite a good grooming routine. Here’s what you should do. Know how your horse’s coat reacts to clipping and bathing when formulating a grooming schedule.

 

Bathing

 

• Bathe your horse a few days in advance if you know they look a little dull after a bath. This added time gives their natural oils time to come back, with the help of your elbow grease, of course.

 

• Or you could bathe in the morning and use products to enhance color and shine.

 

Clipping

 

• The best horse grooming tips for a photo shoot involve body clipping at least two weeks in advance. This extra time lets the natural oils come back strong, and any uneven patches, clipper lines, and weird coloring can smooth out.

 

Sheen sprays can coat the hair and protect against stains.  Apply to your horse when dry. 

 

Protection from stains

 

• The best photos happen at sunrise and sunset. If you bathe a few days ahead or the night before for sunrise shoots, protect the hair from stains with these tips:

 

• Use sheets if appropriate for the weather. Even a fly sheet offers a barrier to stains.

 

• Use products like sheen sprays to add another layer of stain protection.

 

• Give your horse’s stall or shed the cleanest shavings and muck the area often.

 

• If a stain appears, do this routine – curry, brush, spray some no-rinse shampoo, wait about 10 minutes, then wipe away. Once it’s clean, spritz on some grooming oil or sheen spray.

 

Prevent photo shoot panic – train your horse for a new experience

 

• Aside from grooming, your horse should be confident around new people, weird equipment, and maybe even some backdrops. Knowing where your photographer thinks is a great location based on light, colors, and scenery is good to think about.

 

• You may not be able to duplicate your equestrian photographer’s exact setup, but you could bust out a sheet if backdrops are an option or spend some time in photo-worthy locations. Use a tripod, gear bag, small table, or anything else that resembles something new to your horse in that area.

 

• The key to all training is to equate that location and items with reward and safety. Use patience, don’t overwhelm your horse, and ensure they understand that new things are treat-worthy!

 

Detailing for the Perfect Shot

 

• Grooming and training are done, at least for a photo shoot, but don’t forget about tack, accessories, and your outfit if you will be in the photos.

 

You can use any tack you like, and sometimes a well-loved halter is perfect. 

 

Tack cleaning

 

• Simple leather tack, like a bridle or halter, is best for professional equine photos. We want the focus on your horse. Choose black or brown depending on your preference, what you already own, and how spiffy it looks.

 

• Of course, your tack should be clean and conditioned. Do this at least a day before so any conditioners or oils don’t transfer to your horse.

 

• Use metal cleaning cloths to polish buckles and metal things – but not the bit.

 

• Use a solid color lead rope or leather lead line to keep it streamlined and simple.

 

Choosing Equestrian Props

 

• Adding a few accessories in the background makes your photos pop with elegance and personality. You could add accessories to create a scene, like at a horse show or before a ride. You could use:

 

• • • Saddles
    • Bridles
    • Blankets
    • Show ribbons
    • A tack trunk

 

• Your photographer likely has a portfolio full of ideas, and a conversation with them about location, style, and your dream photos can help create a plan.

 

Your outfit

 

• Look to your horse’s coloring and the setting to guide your outfit choices. You want to complement your horse without overtaking them.

 

• Usually, neutral colors and more festive solid colors are best as long as you are comfortable wearing those shades. Patterns could be acceptable, too, if it suits the overall style you are going for.

 

• Your photographer will have lots of guidance on this topic, too!

 

Now, this is an OUTFIT.  I might skip the horse boots and shine up the horse. 

 

Selecting the Right Location

 

• When choosing locations for your equine photoshoot, the setting is so important! Think about these things:

 

• The lighting during the time of your shoot. Great locations may only be great in the morning or the evening, depending on the sun’s position.

 

• Is the location safe for your horse to move to? It could be the most amazing backdrop, but if there’s heavy traffic close by or questionable footing to get there, it’s likely not a great location after all.

 

• Will your horse be comfortable or fidgety at the location? Antsy equines are not always the best models, and you want your horse’s eyes to look soft, not panicked.

 

• Is there an eyesore in the otherwise perfect spot? An expert horse photographer can advise you on the feasibility of posing to cover the eye sore or editing it out.

 

• Some ideas to consider:
• • • Hilly background
    • The beach or lake
    • With a rustic barn in the background
    • At the showgrounds

 

Follow your equine photographer’s lead

 

 

• A portrait session is more than simple posing; there are many moving parts, like the sun and your horse’s reactions, to navigate.

 

• Trust the process! Based on your professional’s portfolio and any discussions or emails, you should already have some expectations about the final photos.

 

Your shoot won’t look like this, but that equipment may be part of the process. 

 

Weather concerns and time of day

 

• Have a plan B for bad weather! You could have a backup location inside the barn or covered area, or just wing it and deal with rain or snow as it comes.

 

• The “golden hour” will make your horse look best. This window is the first hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. Middle-of-the-day photo shoot put the sun above you, creating glare, shadows, and harsh lighting.

 

Keep your horse comfortable

 

Do your best to set your equine partner up for a calm and successful session. Make sure your horse:

 

• Has exercised
• Has a belly full of forage
• Can see their herd mates if they are more comfortable with other horses near
• Has ear puffs if they are sensitive to noises
• Has experience with flashes, although many photographers don’t need them.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How can I keep my horse relaxed during equine photography?

 

It’s best to work with your horse when fed and exercised so there is less anxiety about eating. Positive reinforcement training, like clicker training, is a great way to keep them busy and attentive. Your equine photographer will be able to keep your horse’s ears forward and focused during the photoshoot.

 

What is the best time of day for horse photography?

 

The time after sunrise and before sunset is best for an equine photoshoot. Horse grooming tips for a photoshoot – like adding shine with gloss sprays – will help your horse look their best and softly reflect the light.

 

Can I use flash photography with horses?

 

Flash photography can easily spook a horse, which is a bad idea for equine photography. Professional photographers specializing in horse photos know the times of day and lighting conditions that work best and are expert photo editors, too.

 

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