Tampa Equestrian Photoshoot

Jackie, Stella, & Coosa

I could photograph this group all day long! Actually, we did photograph for half of the day during this Tampa equestrian photoshoot. I first met Jackie and Stella at the Orange Bowl Color Classic last May. The pair was incredibly impressive. They entered in a variety of classes that showed off Miss Stella’s diverse training and talent. Stella quickly became my favorite horse to watch as the weekend went on. Not only is she talented, but she has a wonderful personality and gorgeous feminine look to match. She politely went around each of her rounds wanting to please her rider. Jackie and Stella ended the weekend as APHA Novice Amateur All Around and OBCC Overall High Point Novice Amateur. After the show, I continued to keep up with Jackie and Stella. When I posted searching for a “Then & Now” pair, Jackie reached out about Stella and her older gelding, Coosa.

Coosa is a 25 year old gelding who Jackie has had since he was three. Jackie was a beginner rider and learned everything with/from Coosa. They competed mostly in western pleasure, but dabbled in all events. Coosa even went with Jackie to college all the way in Iowa! Fast forward several years after Coosa’s retirement, and Kiss Me at Twilight (aka Stella) enters Jackie’s life. Jackie and Stella mostly compete in hunter classes at AQHA and APHA shows, but also compete in western pleasure, horsemanship, driving, trail, and even mounted shooting. She is truly the definition of “an all-around horse”. It was so sweet seeing Jackie with both Coosa, the horse who fired her horse passion, and Stella, the horse who is checking off all of Jackie’s goals. Horses are a large part of an equestrians’ life, they teach us more than just horseback riding. I love that Jackie still has both horses who have influenced her life so much!