After doing Brittney’s portraits with her family to start her Portrait Session at Southern Way Farm locate in Dripping Springs,TX just outside of Austin, we photographed Brittney by herself with her three horses. Brittney’s horses Yowza, Hotze, and Fuego were all so unique in their own right as you can probably tell from the portrait of the three of them which I think captures their personalities perfectly.
MTM Yowza, Yowza, is a Danish Warmblood Gelding .It’s so hard for Brittney to choose just one of her favorite memories to share of Yowza, there are oh-so-many! Brittney shares that Yowza is a character. He really hates ponies…alpacas…llamas…anything small with 4 legs besides dogs! “We were at a show and a mini pony came down the aisle as I was walking up to the ring and he did a 180 with me on his back and took off running in the other direction!” Needless to say, Yowza is most definitely not a fan of the small guys!
Brittney was competing in the low junior/AO jumpers until recently. She has shifted gears for the time being focusing on her newborn baby.
“Yowza really has a big personality. He is very opinionated and proud of himself (rightfully so). He will literally jump fire, but is terrified of the farrier, other animals and hates head-on traffic. He’s not a big fan of other horses either…except for his wife “MTM Mrs. Yowza” who just so happened to be purchased by someone at our barn. They had never seen each other before she arrived, but they like to scratch each other’s backs in turnout. Fate! He also has a habit of getting loose… it happened when he was on trial to us after the first time I rode him while grazing him (worst nightmare) and has happened to pretty much anyone who has handled him since then. He loves to take advantage of an unsuspecting groom giving him a bath at a show and take off with them chasing him all over creation. He can scratch his ear with his back leg and does so often. Lovingly known at the barn as the “crotch rocket” for his small size and speedy ways.”
Hotze is Brittney’s bay with a star & snip that she has sold since our session and says she misses him so much. Brittney imported him last year as well as a 1.35m jumper for me to ride since Fuego was only 5.5 and Yowza was coming back from an injury, but he ended up wanting to be a hunter. Hotze is described to be a very smart & opinionated horse (my kind of dude!). He was also a very sweet horse. Really loved the attention. “I wish I could keep them all!” said Brittney, and we don’t blame you!
En Fuego, Fuego, is her 7-year-old chestnut who is sweet to the bone. “I feel more comfortable with my 2 yo around him than my 13 yo horse Yowza! Licking your face is definitely his quirk. He has a calm personality and those kind and soft eyes. I love his flaxen mane too.” Fuego just turned seven this month so Brittney hasn’t had a chance to show him just yet, but will in the near future. Brittney told us that riding him has helped her tremendously with becoming a better rider.
