I had a wonderful time last week taking photographs of Lauren and her beautiful grey Connemara aptly named Captain Elegance.  The elegance of this pair made my job of creating beautiful images so much easier than usual.  Lauren looked so graceful riding side saddle in her stunning habit that it was a real pleasure to watch them cantering across the field on a relaxed long rein. 

Connemara ponies, originally from the west of Ireland are renowned for their elegance as well as their strength and prowess.  Historically, in Ireland these ponies were sufficiently versatile to work on farms or pull the most elegant of carriages, as well as being able carry their owners all day in harsh conditions. One day I hope to get the opportunity to photograph these beautiful ponies in their natural environment of peat bogs, windswept beaches and rugged mountainous terrain in County Galway. 

As with many breeds of native pony, the Connemara ponies have a lovely termperament so make the most wonderful all-round riding ponies for children and small adults. Their jumping ability means that they are regularly seen competing in all disciplines - their popularity has grown and spread all around the world. 

I look forward to being able to photograph more beautiful examples of Native Pony breeds over the coming months as part of my Native Pony project. Look out for more updates via my Facebook and Instagram feeds.