Amanda Garcia Equestrian

San Luis Obispo, Ca – Nikki and Coal

I love heading out to Amanda Garcia Equestrian’s place in San Luis Obispo because it completely brings back all those memories of growing up in a barn. I lived and breathed at the lesson barn I grew up riding at in San Francisco. The wonderful smells, the comradery, and of course the horses. Amanda Garcia Equestrian is such a place where you learn about horses and riding while you’re learning about life and responsibility.

Nikki boards her stunning black gelding Coal there and trains with Amanda Garcia Equestrian regularly. Coal is actually related to several of Amanda’s horses and has been owned by Nikki since he was young. The long-term partnership that Nikki and Coal share is palpable. I had met Coal previously when he moonlighted as a model for Milton Menasco and myself for a Noelle Floyd piece. Having a gorgeous, true black gelding is a must for any high fashion photo shoot in my humble opinion. He was a great model so I expected the same for his shoot with his mother. I didn’t think it was possible but he was even better. He clearly knows who is person is and had such a sense of calm and understanding that this was special to Nikki.

We decided to start with some mounted shots on a favorite trail that Nikki and Coal frequently ride. Nikki’s precocious corgi Rowdy came along for the ride and made us laugh the entire time. If horses could roll their eyes, Coal definitely did that during the times when Rowdy was getting all of the attention.

Then we switched gears and did some unsaddled shots of Nikki and Coal just hanging out. Nikki mentioned that this was her favorite part of their relationship. The quite, snugly moments the two of them share. What horse girl doesn’t understand that? That’s the type of bond we all strive for and are so lucky to find. The unspeakable bond you have with your horse that the two of you understand perfectly.

Enjoy some of the images from my session with Nikki, Coal and of course, Rowdy. Do yourself a favor and zoom in on Rowdy’s “crazy running face”… I guarantee a laugh! To book your very own horse and rider session, click here.