The Horse That Started it all

I was the shy child, the one that did not have much confidence and didn't think she was special in anyway.

I was different, i was a tomboy and not a girly girl. I had skater boy shoes, Played bb gun wars, Baggy pants, had the bushiest eye brows in the world and could do more push ups then most boys my age at the time.

Then at 15 i started riding, this gave me a confidence boost as the horses never judged me for being different, they just let me be me.

About a year later i found my best friend, Slewper Sentinal a thoroughbred who was an eventer.

His nickname was peanut, as he was a little feisty once he had good food in him, because when we got him he was very thin. i have fond memories of spending more time in the dirt from being bucked off than i did in the saddle lol for the first few years. Even though he was a handful i always believed i needed to be a better rider for him.

He loved carrots, hated men by his food, if the apple wasn't crunchy he wouldn't touch it.

We had many adventures, show jumping shows, night rides, natural horsemanship sessions, outrides in fields, to getting chocolates from the bp and a few grey hairs.

He was my best friend, he listened to all my problems, hopes, dreams, love stories and was a shoulder to cry on. He gave me peace in the chaos of life.

People saw the photos i took of him and they said i should be a photographer.

So in 2009 i studied photography at the Vega brand communications school and received a higher certificate in photography. I went on to work for H2 Pics and a family photographer in Sandton before going on my own full time.

In his older years, he hated being called old and would be the biggest hand full in any ride if he heard someone say that, haha bucking like a 4 year old and bolting off.

He was an absolute champion, still riding into his 24th year, he was not on any injections and only was fed golden years, Lucerne and a general supplement.

His nemesis was peacock feathers and a feather duster but he would jump anything.

We spend many hours over the years, bonding through join up and playing chasers.

As hot as he could be, he had all my trust, i would often take my camera on rides with him to photograph other riders.

When he passed in 2019 was the only year i truly was not sure if i could continue doing equestrian photography, He passed on the Thursday and i had a matric dance shoot the next day, i had to take medication in order to do the shoot and let the clients know that my horse had just passed so that no one brings him up as it was to raw. I postponed all other shoots that could be postponed so i could grieve.

I had a shoot coming up over the weekend about a week after he passed and a friend said come and see her horse that i had a connection with as the first horse. I could not even go to the stable. I was panicking because how can i be a equestrian photographer and i cant be near them. I had to give it another try, so a few days later i tried again and then i was able to go in the stable, my heart ached but as the power of horses that we know my friends horse just held me there his head low and nuzzling me. The feeling i can only describe it as every rider knows the feeling of peace a horse gives when you are going through a rough time.

A month to the day of his passing a got a tattoo of him on my shoulder. This way he is looking over me and i feel his presence with me. i still have days even years later where i will burst into tears and misss him terribly, its not in my control and its normally around the month of his passing.

For the ones that say its just a horse, its merely because they cannot understand what they have not experienced themselves. They change us on a emotional level. Without him coming into my life i am 100% sure that i would be the woman i am today.