Wellington Florida Equine Photographer | Elvis the Paint

Elvis, Comanche King, is a 14-year-old Grade Paint Horse Gelding that lives at Austin Equestrian Center.

Jennifer, Elvis’s owner, shares that Elvis was born and started on a Ranch in Oklahoma. After his owner passed away, the neighbors purchased him and used him occasionally as a trail horse, however he had a bit too much energy for them. That is when Elvis ended up with the owner that Jennifer purchased him from. She had him for a year and used him in lessons and even showed him in a few hunter shows. He eventually went to her parents farm in Washington for a year where he was used as a packing and hunting horse, where he made it clear that he liked a steady job. That is when Jennifer ended up with him.

Elvis lives at Austin Equestrian Center, and the pair trains with Catherine Taylor. This unique boy is a Medicine Hat Paint with blue eyes. Jennifer shares, “Several Native American traditions and legend are based on the medicine hat markings. A Medicine Hat horse is believed to have a magical ability to protect its rider from injury or death in battle. They were thought to have special abilities to warn their riders of danger and to find wild game on the hunt. The mostly white horses were often decorated additional magical symbols as they believed it would increase the power of the magic. They were prized by the tribes that possessed them and coveted by the tribes who did not. To steal another tribes medicine hat horse was to steal the tribes good luck.”

“He has an amazing curious and playful personality. Elvis is one of the clearest communicating horses I have ever known. He has so many wonderful expressions. You almost always know what he is thinking. He seems to prefer the company of women, loves treats and tossing towels in the air to catch on his head. Occasionally dramatic but manageable. He is definitely a steady work kind of fellow. If given too long a rest he can be a little fresh on the first ride back.”

The pair focuses on eventing and jumpers, although they suffered a few setbacks last year  that kept them home most of the time, they are both fully recovered now and are currently training to compete in Western Dressage. The pair plans on going back to jumping later in the year, but right now they are just enjoying Western Dressage.

“I am overcome with such a strong feeling of partnership with this horse when I ride him. There’s this give and take of energy that courses through both of us. In those sweet moments when he is soft and giving you his best you feel truly harmonious; as if our heartbeats matched beat for beat…. provided that you have used the correct queues and can remember left from right.”

Jennifer first found Elvis for sale on the Texas Sporthorse Market Group on Facebook, she purchased elvis in October of 2014. “When I first saw Elvis in person I was amazed at his blinding whiteness, pink skin and bright blue eyes. I could immediately see that I would need to double to my grooming supplies budget. I was really impressed on how relaxed and easy going he was. He unloaded off the trailer like a gentleman and was sweet and friendly. Even though he was a bit out of shape I could see there was potential. And when I rode his rocking horse canter I was sold. My son who was 11 at that time rode him last and as I watched I could see the change in how Elvis interacted with his new rider. Elvis was sweet and steady but able to step it up with a more experienced rider. I was sold!”

This charismatic boy loves carrots and the occasional banana or mint.

The pair has competed at shooling shows in Centeral Texas and have been very successful. Their list of accomplishments include:

DSRP 2015 Jumpers in the Hill Country Show Series Senior Division 3rd Place

2015 Scissortail Hill Equestrian Year End Champion 18″ Division

December 2015 GHCTA Green as Grass Combined Test First Place – their first blue for CT

2016 CTDS Bluebonnet Classic (their first recognized show) Placed first on intro level test as well as winning the Intro Division High Point Award

Jennifer grew up and had a childhood centered around horses, her summers were spent at overnight riding camp for 8 weeks every summer from the age of 8-18. During the winter Jennifer would take lessons on the weekends. Jennifer purchased her first horse when she was 16. Her favorite thing about owning a horse is the special bond that forms between horse and rider, as well as the understanding that happens between a horse and rider as their bond grows.

“Though everyone must think I’m a wizard at the level of cleanliness Elvis maintains I’m just lucky. He has an amazing coat that if kept well groomed will allow most stains to come out with just a good curry session.” I have to admit I am a bit in awe of how white Elvis was, Jennifer is lucky to have a horse with such a great coat.

“Each day with him is a gift. Some days he may be stubborn, some days rambunctious. Some days he’s brave and some days I have to be the brave one for him. On those days when you feel like life is a little too hectic and harried and he wraps himself around you and squeezes you close in a hug. You feel the love, then you feel the careful search of a muzzle against your back pocket for a carrot and laugh.”