riding – Decaseconds

Views from Derby Day

2017-Oct-092017-Oct-09 adohertyhLeave a comment

St. Lawrence University’s Derby Day finished out the summer horse show season, and I was on hand to get some shots. The day started dry with a dramatic sky, but quickly turned to rain.

Did you know that a group of vultures (of the turkey variety, in this case) in a tree are called a “committee”? I’ll not over-interpret that.

High-collared jackets are the perfect (badass) gear for when the weather turns stormy but you still need to warm up outside before heading into the ring.

Back Seat with Style

2017-Sep-18 adohertyhLeave a comment

The back bench of a horse show golf cart is a performance space for cool/relaxing geometries.

I like the juxtaposition on this hunter-equipped English rider atop a very different kind of steed. On the morning of a busy day, she waits for just a moment while her friend stands in line for coffee.

Soft Landing

2017-Jul-24 adohertyhLeave a comment

Though images of horses jumping often focus on the apex, I like this shot of McKenna Norris jumping 1.2 meter at Woodside this spring. The sense of motion as her horse lands on the bright footing is gentle, in spite of appearing powerful.

Hunter

2017-Jun-28 adohertyhLeave a comment

Though English riding has much of its origin in hunts across the fields of rural estates, the sport is just as often trained indoors—particular at spacetime junctures like Salt Lake City on Christmas Eve.

Jumping at Woodside

2017-May-01 adohertyhLeave a comment

I spent Saturday at Horse Park at Woodside on the peninsula, photographing jumper events for The Plaid Horse. Sunburn aside, it was a productive weekend. I happened upon a particular angle near a jump where riders were forced to make a tight turn immediately after landing. That transition sideways meant some dramatic direction changes.

Some riders were even looking to the next jump around the bend while they were still in the air.

Riders of All Ages

2017-Apr-26 adohertyhLeave a comment

Though most sports have an age of peak ability, English riding seems to be wide open to riders of all ages (though the cost of riding horses can remain a separate barrier.) Today, I wanted to look back at some of my portraits from past horse shows. First, a shot of young Hanna Rose Egan at the 2014 Kentucky Summer Classic.

I’ve heard that dogs and their people start to look similar, but I’ve never heard an equivalent edict for horses and their owners. Perhaps that should be reconsidered in light of this portrait from the 2014 Lake Placid show.

Tag: riding