The Horse, My Teacher
What I Learned About Horses & Riders from Meeting Chris Irwin: Horse Shaman
In the summer of 2009, I took my daughter for a pony ride. She was thrilled, but I noticed something: the pony didn’t seem as enthusiastic. My mind wandered as I watched her ride, wondering if she could truly learn anything from this experience, or if it was simply a mechanical action like riding a motorcycle. Having grown up around horses, I questioned my own understanding of what this experience felt like—for the pony. This thought lingered, stirring a deeper curiosity that eventually shifted the direction of my photography to explore the bond between horse and rider. Is it just a romantic relationship? I ride my horse therefore my horse loves me!?
A few months later, in November 2009, I met two people who would influence this journey: Skylar and Melissa. Observing their joy sparked a desire to better understand the connection between humans and horses. During my research, I discovered the work of Chris Irwin, a horse trainer with a unique perspective on horse-human relationships. He described these connections as a “romantic dictatorship,” a phrase that struck me deeply. It highlighted how often our idealistic notions overshadow a genuine understanding of our relationships with other beings.
Melissa & Skylar
My next step was to send Chris Irwin some images of Melissa and Skylar, which led to a conversation that revealed his nuanced approach to horses and human connection. His insights inspired me to capture more moments of subtle communication between horse and human, with Melissa and Skylar as my first subjects. Then, when Chris invited me to his River Song Equestrian Retreat, I had no idea how transformative this experience would be.
“I love your work. You have a keen eye and your talent for capturing the energy and/or ambiance of a scene is quite impressive.” — Chris Irwin
Each photography session I created afterward was inspired by Chris Irwin’s teachings. His perspective reshaped how I viewed relationships, whether with animals or people. Through this journey, I learned that fostering genuine, respectful connections requires understanding, patience, and a willingness to let go of idealistic control—an approach that enriches all of our relationships, equine or otherwise. You can read more about how my vision evolved into this approach in my blog post, The Power of Attention..
