Floriano MLW is an 8-year-old Hanoverian who resides in Double Oak, TX. He is owned and cared for by Hannah. The dynamic duo trains at Brawley Farms.
Floriano is a sleek and handsome dark bay gelding who Hannah calls a ‘very special horse’. He’s incredibly smart but also a goofball. He’s opinionated but also has the biggest heart. He loves to win and loves attention and compliments but he’s also forgiving when she makes mistakes in the ring. He’s talented enough to do the mods with her in the morning and the derby with her trainer in the afternoon. For those who aren’t familiar with class terms, this is like him being able to do a smaller more beginner class in the morning and then a bigger more expert class in the afternoon. Floriano is highly food motivated and will eat just about anything but his favorites are big chunks of watermelon, Starbucks strawberry refreshers, and just ripened bananas (no mushy ones though). He also loves to graze but prefers tall grass and clovers. He’s brave, beautiful, entertaining, and most importantly Hannah’s best friend.
Hannah and her trainer found Floriano in Florida after another horse she was looking at didn’t pass a pre-purchase exam. Floriano was only lightly marketed and when the first horse didn’t pass, their connection told them about Floriano thinking he might be a good match based on the first horse. After one ride, she looked at her trainer and said “This is my horse, I know it.” Hannah shared, “I went back to try him and a few others the next day and he was all she could think about.”
Hannah has now had Floriano for two years and the pair have already conquered quite a bit. They have won several large hacks and competitive classes together at shows like Tryon, Kentucky, WEF, Pin Oak, and other Texas shows. But her favorite aspect of their bond? That he trusts her wherever they go and no matter what they’re doing. Whether they’re leading the trail from the barn to the show in WEF, walking through water in Tryon, or walking into a vet exam. He whinnies when she comes up to his stall, they snuggle when he lays down, he bows on command, and they try new things together constantly from new jumps to new places.
Hannah started riding at 7 years old. “I started riding Parelli because it was just down the road from my house and the instructor walked alongside the horse (which put her safety-cautious parents at ease) but I always wanted to jump. It took years and a few different disciplines along the way (dressage and western pursuits) to convince my parents but finally, they let me join a hunter jumper barn and lease a show pony when I was about 13. One year later we moved from Utah to Texas and had to choose between keeping my western show horse or selling him to purchase the show horse I needed to compete in jumping.” Hannah shared that she couldn’t let go of him so riding came to a halt for her for about 10 years before she picked it back up in 2019. Her favorite thing about riding is that it is truly an ageless sport. She came back and immediately became just as horse-obsessed as she was when she last left off. It didn’t take long for her to purchase the show horse she’d always wanted and now she’s figuring out the A circuit and she never feels like she can’t have big goals or try new things because she’s older, she still feels like that kid with her first pony just so excited to ride for a ribbon at the end of the day.
Did you know that horses can have black, white, or multi-colored hooves?
Karinda K. is a Houston, TX based equine photographer that travels around the United States photographing equestrians and their horses. Karinda specializes in Outdoor Horse & Rider Portrait sessions that bring to life the magical relationship equestrians share with their horses, Senior Portraits, and Fine Art Black & White Background Portraits for those that want a piece of art featuring their very own animals. Karinda accepts a limited number of private clients each year, if you are interested in having her photograph you and your horse or an equestrian in your life, you can reach the studio by sending an email to equine@karinda(.)com or calling (832)598-8715.
Portraits for Charity was an idea Karinda dreamt up to help give back to families impacted by Childhood Cancer in memory of her husband’s sister Jessica. During the 2021 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Karinda photographed around 140 Horses, Dogs, and even Goats, and was able to donate $10,000 to Candlelighter’s Houston. These are the stories of the Horses, Dogs, and Goats that were photographed at the show, these stories complement a photographic book that Karinda is printing and donating to Texas Children’s Hospital featuring Portraits of each and every animal she photographed.
The Waiting List for Pin Oak 2022 is now open, click here to join: https://equine.karindak.com/pin-oak-2022-wait-list
If you are interested in having Karinda attend your event and host a Portraits for Charity day, send an email to equine@karindak(.)com.
