I have known Jessica Fobert of ‘Free Rein Horsemanship’ for almost three years and have had the privilege to come close to her work a couple of times. I am sure there are many horse lovers out there who feel the same way: she truly is amazing at her approach to horsemanship. She has an uncanny understanding of what goes through a horse’s mind, why they do the things they do, the real triggers behind certain behaviours. I have seen it in person and let me tell you, it felt as if she had a proper conversation with the horse in front of her. And maybe she can do that, intuitively. Truth is, horses speak to her and reveal many of their deep secrets. At the end of the day, they are so eager to share with those who know how to listen, as they love being seen and understood.
And Jessica does just that, with each and every horse coming her way.
I have seen Jessica work at liberty with her beloved horse, Nekoda, and it was clear how much this gorgeous 12 yrs old Bashkir Curly mare meant to her.
Jessica got Nekoda when she was 6 months old, as she wanted to have a young horse to build a proper relationship with from the very beginning.
“Started under saddle when she was 3 by myself, by then we had a good foundation and she was very trusting so it easy smooth. She’s a funny mare in that she gives me feedback about everything good or bad, as you saw when she was being strong minded about about photo session that she didn’t care about!! But overall Nekoda is very forgiving and offers a lot of effort to the task at hand. She means everything to me! My first horse who I will keep until the end of her days, she has allowed me to learn and develop my horsemanship over the years and I love her”, says Jessica.
Jessica’s work is all about connection. As a photographer, I am inspired by the exact same in my work. Knowing how sensitive horses are (a mare in particular) around a pregnant woman and how they can sense the little life growing inside the belly, I thought it would be a remarkable opportunity to capture the interaction between a very pregnant Jessica and her lovely Nekoda. And the images we got are nothing but a big reward and a reflection of the love and gentleness Nekoda is already feeling for the unborn baby. A baby who will very soon come into this world and be adored not only by all the humans around him, but also by the fabulous four legged family members who will protect him while watching him grow up.
Jessica, I look forward to meeting your baby and I am sending you all my loving thoughts!
Sincerely yours, Manuela @ gracefulhorses
Jessica’s horse Nekoda is a gorgeous 12 yrs old Bashkir Curly mare
Jessica and horse Nekoda are joined by lovely Stable, a splendid Great Dane and Rottweiler cross
I’m so thankful for these memories to have been captured so beautifully. A huge thank you to @GracefulHorses with Manuela Stefan , truly amazing
What a wonderful article to read. The pictures are just gorgeous. Of course, we can’t wait to meet our little grandson too.
Thank you dear Lu-Ann, it was a real pleasure capturing these for Jess and the little one 🙂 I can imagine your excitement and I am sending you all my best wishes for a smooth arrival 🙂 Blessings, Manuela