Bath: Make sure that your horse has been freshly bathed and groomed. This means shampoo and conditioner, I prefer to use products from xtreme designs that are herbal and all natural. Clip the bridle path, muzzle and ears. This will give the impression of nice, clean, and pretty head. Apply a thin coat of baby oil around the eyes, to the inside of the ears and on the muzzle, this will highlight the pretty features and add an extra dimension of depth.
Feet: Make sure that the farrier as freshly trimmed or shod your horse prior to taking pictures. This will let the potential buyer see the correct angles and conformation of the feet and legs. Also apply a coat of hoof black or polish to their feet for that extra finished look.
Tail: make sure that the tail had been washed and conditioned and the dead ends have been trimmed off. This will not hurt your horse to trim off the dead ends, after all you go the hair stylist to have the same thing done.
Halter: If you are going to take photos of your horse with a halter be sure that it is properly adjusted to fit their head. Don’t use a rope halter since they fit too sloppy, see if you can borrow a silver show halter for the day from a friend or go buy a new nylon halter that fits. If neither of these options work use one of your show bridles that fit, that is better than an ill fitting halter that give the impression of a bad head. If you have no other option take the photos all natural with nothing on their head, always better than a piece of equipment that doesn’t fit.
Saddle: If you are going to take pictures of your horse wearing a saddle, don’t. Most buyers will want to see their topline and you will just have to take more pictures. If you are riding and taking action shots, then the saddle will be fine. Always a show pad for the pictures and not you work pad, it just shows that you care about your horse's appearance. Always be sure to clean and wash all of you tack before taking pictures, it shows that you care about the little details.
Legs Wraps: Always shoot all of the conformation shots with no leg wraps. Use polo wraps or splint boots when shooting action shots, this will allow buyers to see the horse's legs. And remember that white always looks pretty and clean.
As Always; Ride Hard, Be Safe, Have Fun – Steve Kutie