B&J photography

03/31/2025

♥️🙏🙏

The Soul of a Horse Person

It isn’t the saddle or show ring lights,
not the boots, buckle, hat or the barn name
but the way we show up
when no one’s watching.

We are shaped by stillness,
by the questions we ask
What do you need?
Am I listening well enough?

Some of us ride.
Some of us remember.
Some keep living statues in the yard,
yet still feel part of something greater
in our ribs.

This is the soul of a horse person:
to lean in,
to soften,
to be worthy of their trust.
Photo by B&J photography

09/27/2024

“The Silent Screams Of The Horse”
photo by: B&J photography

I hear your sounds
They come, but they are hollow,
drifting past me like empty wind.
You speak in rhythms that mean nothing here,
not to me, not in this space
where my heart beats its own language.

I fear your approach,
your footsteps heavy, foreign,
a stranger to my senses,
I know you are not one of my kind.
You wear your fear, aggression like a second skin
Its scent clings to the air between us,
and I respond in kind,
the instinct, the pull to flee.

Your touch, sharp and heavy,
laden with tension I do not understand,
yet my body knows.
It screams with its own logic:
Run. Move. Get away.
But I am frozen,
caught between flight and fight,
a prisoner of this trembling moment.

I see your actions,
and they are filled with needs
that are not mine,
that press against me
but do not soothe.
So I stand, unmoving,
too fearful to flee,
too small to fight.

In this stillness,
I become a ghost of myself,
and you think you’ve won,
because I do not resist.
But inside, I am screaming
if only you could hear,
if only you could understand
the language my body knows,
but cannot speak.

This...is this how it will be?
To stay safe,
to remain unseen, untouched,
because to move is too much,
to fight is too much,
and all that’s left
is this frozen place
where I am still,
and you do not know
how much I wish to be heard.

Inspiration:
This is written to honor those horses that have been and still are being put through outdated approaches that fail to develop them into thriving, willing partners; only automatons to the riders will.

Key thoughts:
I hear your sounds, but they have no meaning; I fear your approach because you are not one of my kind. I smell your hypertension and fear, so I respond in kind; your touch is full of tension that heightens my need to flee. Your action only fills your needs and not mine. So I stand too much fear to run, too fearful to fight, I remain frozen, for it allows you to think you have won. In this state, I stay safe. Is this my life going forward. If only you could understand what my body is screaming.

09/27/2024

"Quiet Ask, Willing Response: The Heart of Softness In Horse Training"
Photo by: B&J photography

Softness with horses isn't just about how light you can be on the reins or how easily they yield to pressure. It's more about your own ability to let go, mentally, physically, emotionally, and create space for communication. Because let's face it, you can't ask a horse to soften up if you're stiff as a board, gripping the reins like they're your last lifeline. I've learned the hard way that you can't out-stubborn a horse, especially when you're the one bringing all the tension to the table.

It's like expecting your dance partner to glide gracefully while you're out there stomping around like Frankenstein. The more you push, the more resistance you get. But when you ease up, offer a gentle ask, and actually listen to the horse's response, that's when the magic happens. It's not about control; it's about partnership. And the funny thing is, once I softened up, the horse followed. They're kind of like mirrors, reflecting all the tension we don't even realize we're carrying.

The real lesson? The work isn't on the horse, it’s on you. Every time I tried to “fix” my horse by demanding more, I ended up fixing my own need for control instead. It’s humbling when you realize the problem isn’t the horse being difficult; it’s you being a little too rigid. Letting go of that control and softening your approach doesn’t just change the horse, it changes you. So, next time you’re with your horse, ask yourself: Am I being soft, or am I just preparing for another fight that doesn’t need to happen?

Because here’s the thing: Softness isn’t weakness. It’s the strongest form of communication there is. And believe me, once you experience it, you’ll realize how much you’ve been holding on to, and how much better things go when you finally let it go.

06/30/2024

don't mind me I am just horsing around!

06/30/2024

had a little photo shoot with the Fayetteville fire department!

06/30/2024

06/30/2024

I absolutely love black and white photos!

06/30/2024

I was honored to be a part of this wedding. It was beautiful and everybody had a great time. Thank you Mrs. Marilyn for trusting me for your photography needs.

02/25/2024

Hey y'all these are my favorite horse pictures and there riders that I have done! If yall are interested getting yalls pictures done with yalls horses please message me

12/13/2023

look at these 2 lovebirds I absolutely love it!