A very special family equine photoshoot with Kelly & Perry

A very special equine photoshoot with Kelly, her family & Perry the thoroughbred

I truly mean it when I say every equine photoshoot with each horse and owner is special and individual. However it's been a very long time since I've had the same overwhelming feeling of love and gratitude that I experienced when I photographed the Gibbons family with their beloved 26 year old gelding, Perry, during a photoshoot based in Hertfordshire. You will too when you read just how special the journey with his fabulous horse has been...

The amazing backstory

Kelly and I both worked for the same company in a past work life. We were initially drawn together by our mutual love of horses (naturally! Typical horse girls!). And dogs! We used to spend ages in the communal office kitchen chatting about our dogs and horses. We'd chat about the mutual horsey friends we had, and Kelly told me a number of little stories about her previous, love-of-her-life horse, Perry. Perry had been her 'first baby' for want of a better description! She would regale little stories of how when they first met, non-horsey-turned-horsey husband Chris would come to the yard to muck out and help with jobs, would help plait up on show days and they'd spend a lot of time together at the yard with Perry. He truly was her heart-horse, and Chris adored him too.

However as Kelly and Chris' life developed together, in 2009 she made the bravest decision of all - to allow Perry to be sold so that he could continue to do all the things he enjoyed doing. He wasn't ready to stop. She didn't want her change of lifestyle to impact Perry when he was still so young and full of life and talent. Kelly was horseless for a number of years whilst they brought up their family.

12 years later in 2021 Kelly was sent an ad of a horse for sale by a friend as the current owners were trying to trace previous owners of a horse they owned. It was Perry. I remember the Monday she came bouncing out to the kitchen at work "Holly! You'll never guess what happened this weekend! Remember my old horse Perry I told you about?! Well, I've found him. And I'm bringing him back home!" (I have goosebumps all over again writing this). After various conversations with Perry's owners at the time, they agreed that at his stage of life it would be the perfect opportunity for Perry to return to the Gibbons. The day he came home marked Kelly & Chris' 21st wedding anniversary, it couldn't have been more perfect.

Within a week of seeing the ad, Kelly had her heart horse back in her care and at the very yard he was born at 23 years prior. If that isn't a true sign of what's meant for you will always find you, then I really don't know what else is. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about just how special this second opportunity has been for Kelly and her family. Since that time, my business has changed and grown and we've spoken numerous times about having a photoshoot. At last, we got it in the diary and I'm so pleased that we did.

Think that I could be the right one to help you with an equine family photoshoot? Contact me and let's chat...

How life looks now

Perry, now back with his hooves firmly under the table, is now the horsey linch pin of the Gibbons family. He is 26, as handsome as can be and looking absolutely fabulous. Since coming 'home' to Kelly, Perry has proven just how much of a true family mount he really. He is now Kelly's 14 year old daughter's, Alice, main ride. Within just a few months of being home, Alice and Perry qualified for the Dressage NAF RC Champs, won various Champion titles in Dressage and Showing, and have since managed to compete at the Sunshine Tour Champs placing 3rd at Hickstead! The most recent highlight for them all being placing 3rd at the Royal Norfolk Show 2024! Many of us have times in our lives where we end up in a 'right horse, wrong time' situation, and on behalf of anybody who never got that second chance, this story really is everything you'd hope it would be. Perry will remain with the Gibbons forever now, and although a little greyer around the eyes these days, he is still the most handsome, most loved special gentleman. I feel completely in awe and so privileged to have been able to capture such a special relationship between the family and such a wonderful, legendary horse.

The photoshoot

The shoot was based at their beautiful livery yard just beyond Cuffley in Hertfordshire. When speaking about the concept of an equine photoshoot, Kelly was very keen to have the whole family involved. This meant we had Kelly & husband Chris, and both children Alice and Archie. We then had both dogs - beautiful labs Parker & Darcy - and of course, the main man Perry. Their other horse Steve has been away on training livery and was sadly unable to make the occasion but we hope to have more fun with Steve in the future.

We discussed outfit ideas in advance, and on the day of the shoot we were luckily able to use Kelly's horse box as a dressing room for everybody which worked really well for outfit changes. We scouted the yard for locations on the morning and found some gorgeous spots and lovely light that just highlighted Perry's shiny coat and Alice's beautiful pin-straight hair! Literal hair goals. We were blessed with rolling green hills, a mature old Oak tree, walk ways from the yard, and borders of farmers fields. Alice wore a gorgeous floral dress in various gentle shades of pink complimenting her complexion and Perrys. Kelly and her family were strategically dressed in relaxed but very smart white shirts, jeans and then either boots or shoes of choice for the group family shot. This kept everything lovely and uniform and not distracting from the special occasion!

We carved up 2 hours of shoot time photographing the whole family, Kelly & Chris with Perry and then Alice and Perry. We were able to capture every stage of Perry's life within the family. There just aren't many horses who you're able to truly say that about!

The Viewing

The viewing was emotional. In a happy way, but emotional nevertheless! It was bound to be after 26 years of memories and a journey like his. I am so honoured that I could be the one to provide this experience for them all. These images will be cherished for ever and ever, and in 20 or 30 years to come, they'll be able to look back on all of these and tell the same story of how Perry found his way home and became the best family horse there ever was. It's a story I will tell to friends and clients for years to come also. Thank you Kelly & Chris for inviting me to step into your lives to capture something so incredibly dear and rare. So much love to you all x

Moving forward...

I'm looking forward to photographing more special horse and owner relationships this summer and as we move into the stunning Autumn season. If you have a special relationship with a horse that you'd like captured, please don't hesitate to reach out. I promise you, you're in the right place and I'll be able to take fantastic care of you.