Photography has always been a passion of mine, but it was really sparked by my first ever passion: riding, especially dressage.
I began riding at the age of 15 by taking a trail ride with my friend on her birthday at a small livery stable in Willow Springs, IL. I fell in love with riding right then and there. I soon volunteered at that stable and began to lead trail rides and take Western Pleasure lessons from a local boarder. I did barrel racing, pole bending, parades and lots and lots of trail riding.
A year after I began riding and after three accidents involving me sailing through the air, landing on the VERY hard ground and my horse running away home, I decided to take a hiatus for a year. The riding bug got worse and I couldn't stay away any longer, so I looked for professional instruction to help me ride better and help alleviate this "falling of my horse" business. I started taking lessons in the only discipline I knew, Western, and was having a good time.... but something was missing still. It wasn't until I overheard a conversation one of the trainers was having with her students at the barn.... "... yes, Sanderson is a Friesian Stallion and he's in the far aisle."
FRIESIAN!?!? I LOVED Friesians... but I never saw one. I always drooled over the beautiful black flowing manes and gorgeous tails in all of the horse calendars I owned, but to see one in real life, and IN THIS BARN!?!?!? I had to ask about him.... and so I met Lisa and learned about dressage.
She still has that Friesian, and yes, he is big, black, beautiful and now I am the proud owner of his one and only daughter (as of date) who turned out even more beautiful! Her name is MOONLIGHT SONATA (some people call her SNOTTY for short, but she's really got great temperament, they just like to give me a hard time). Her movement is fantastic and her personality is second to none and I would never trade her for any horse in the world. Below is a little timeline that I pulled from the thousands of photos I have of my precious mare, to date. If you ever have the chance to keep a photo record of your horse over the years, don't hesitate. I still think I don't have enough photos of her!
Many of these photos are from before I became a pro photographer... just to give you an excuse on why most of the photos are not really pro quality... but you can see as time progresses, so does my skill.... =)
This is Sonata at 2 weeks with her gorgeous Mommy, Allegra. This photo of Allegra does not do her justice. She is a big 17.3h and beautiful mare with fabulous movement who is living happily with her owner on private property. I wish I had a better photo of her!
Sonata at 2 weeks old, still trying to find her footing!
Here is Sonata at 1 month old, standing proud as ever... she has always been a little show off!
Here she is at 2 months old, already growing so fast that she is practically as tall as her mother!
3 months old and starting to finally lose all of that mousy gray hair and show her true colors.
5 months old and I weaned her from her mother. It was very easy and she really took to her new human friends... as well as other four legged animals.
Sonata's first show in hand (and mine too). We won third and even beat out some warmbloods! Sonata went on to win USDF All Breed and become one of the top FSHR (Friesian Sport Horse) horses in the country!
Sonata is little over a year here, playing the snow.
Here she is as a 2 year old... and really bleached out from the sun!!
As a 3 year old, I took Sonata to her first ever inspection for FSHR.
She did so well, that she got Reserve Champion and wowed everyone, including myself! As a 5 year old, she will be going to the ISR/Oldenburg inspection to get into the pre-mare book and hopefully breed to a wonderful Oldenburg stallion in the future (my favorite breed).
Every once in a while, I get the chance to photograph Sonata at liberty. Here she is as a late 3 year old, full of herself as she ran around the pasture.
Since I didn't get a chance to show her undersaddle, I had my wondeful fiance Adam take some gorgeous photos of us in the dressage ring at my stable. She is 4 years old and 17.2h in this photo.
And this is the last photo I have so far as an early 5 year old, first time outside after the winter. My position needs lots of work, but I am proud of how far she has come. Hopefully this year, we'll get a chance to strut our stuff in the show ring and have fun doing it!
X - Halt - Salute
Jessica ALWAYS loves to pose for the photographer and make a GRAND exit out of the ring.
Artistic black and white lengthening
I had to brag about the sky in this photo
This photo does not do this horse's tail justice... it was one of the most beautiful full tails I have ever seen on a non-friesian horse!
Concentration
Jessica making another GRAND exit! Good job Jess!!!
Sijmen fon LaClar and Heather McCarthy going down centerline
This horse had a beautiful head and neck, I had to show it off!
Bob and his horse Gabriel, ridden by Jessica Valenti. That's not how to get "ears" for a photo!?
Gabriel and Jessica in the ring
Jessica's family and Gabriel's owner
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