More often than I like to admit, I get stuck posing. It happens to everyone! A naughty horse might have me thrown off my gameplan… Redundant poses might have me feeling a creative block… An overbearing observer might be placing too much pressure on me… A shy subject might be difficult to connect with or pull emotion from…

Whatever the cause might be, I have two “go-to” posing prompts that I use when I need to hit a reset button.

1. Walk Towards Me, and Away From Me

This prompt gives me a second to catch my breath. If the horse is being good, I have the girl pet his neck with her inside hand. If I need even more time, I have them go back and forth several times and photograph it from different angles and both far away and up close.

This posing prompt gives my girl the chance to take a breath and walk out any tension. If I sense she is getting too stiff, I start having her move. This prompt also gives my horse a moment to breathe. It can be difficult for horses to stand still for a long period of time, so walking with a few pats can be the perfect mental break they need.

2. Give Your Horse A Bear Hug

I give this prompt first with no guidance — to see where my girl naturally hugs her horse. It gives a cute, candid moment. If I need to, I can instruct her hands or arms to move to different places to create a better image. I also like to do this pose with a smile, a laugh, and a serious face to give variety.

This prompt usually leads to the horse rubbing on her, or avoiding the hug… which leads to genuine laughter and great bloopers shots.

Want more help posing girls + horses? Check out my full course on posing here.