Casper is a 12-year-old Cremello Quarter Horse Gelding with blue eyes that lives at Elena’s grandmother’s home in Kentucky.

We all know the bond between a girl and her horse is a bond like none other. This is no different for 14-year-old Elena. One of Elena’s favorite memories with Casper is the day she got him. That she gained her best friend. “Every day with him is a memory. Whether I’m just feeding him or riding, it’s the time I get to spend with him that makes the memory.” 

Elena and Casper are the “all-around” type of horse and rider. The pair practice barrels and poles as well as long trail rides and some liberty. They are also trying to learn to rope.

Casper’s personality is calm, but when he wants and/or needs to be he is spicy! He thinks everyone is a scratching post. Elena’s favorite thing about him is his patience. Being able to handle the crazy things they do with one another and not focusing on a specific thing to practice, being well-rounded, and learning together. Elena found him at a local barn nearby when she was horse shopping. The instructor at the barn had shown her two horses. She liked one of them. (This was not Casper). Elena went back and rode Casper one day and came to find out that he was in fact for sale. He had been retired because he was a one-person horse and had actually bucked someone of a couple of days before. “I talked to my mom that night and we bought him the next week. One of our special awards is we won 1st place: second division at the county fair. That was our first away show.” The rest was history!  

We did both outdoor portraits and Black Background portraits for Elena’s session. Elena’s Mom and Grandmother were even there to hop in for a few photos as well! Spending the evening with these ladies was so much fun. Elana first found me a few years ago when I was traveling through Kentucky doing my 365 Days of Horses project, when she saw that I was headed back to Kentucky for my annual road trip she told her mom she HAD to have portraits with Casper and I am so incredibly glad we were able to make this happen for her.