I remember as a kid being mesmerized by the Budweiser Clydesdales. Not only were they exponentially ginormous to my tiny form, but they were also quite literally larger than life because of their beauty, grace and stature. My little girl heart soared when I met the late, gentle giant, Hans, in September. The 17-hand Oldenburg had the sweetest demeanor and his personality started to shine even before we started shooting. 

Before I arrived, Hans actually escaped his pen and ate a whole bunch of clover. He was drooling so profusely that we joked he got drunk before his shoot. I was a little worried that I would be doing a ton of photoshop work to get rid of the drool, but with some cleaver angles and approximately a million slobber wipes we got some great shots of Hans. 

Hans came to Arkansas all the way from Washington to be with his owner, Kerry. She bought him site unseen and ended up with this handsome, hunk of a horse as a result. Hans arrived in Arkansas on December 10, Kerry’s niece’s birthday, and they’ve been infatuated with each other ever since. The pair did some dressage together and they always created quite a stir at a show.  

“He loved shows and would whinny throughout his entire dressage tests. He would get all the other horses talking back to him.” – Kerry 

I wanted to help Kerry and Hans celebrate their relationship through this shoot and I think we were able to accomplish just that. Even though Hans battled some health issues throughout the summer months, he was still gorgeous as ever at 24 years young. About a week after our shoot, Hans passed away. I know Kerry will treasure these photos for years to come. 

It’s never too early or too late to freeze-frame time by booking a shoot with your favorite companion. Much like with kids, time marches on and it can really get away from us if we aren’t careful. And remember, there’s never a bad time to celebrate your bond with your horse.