Somehow it feels bitter sweet to write this blog post, the last from my 2020 model call. I feel like I have walked away from this little project a more rounded person than when I started, and not in a cliché way. I met and spoke with so many incredible and wildly unique women through this, and each session was a new experience. Not only do I feel like I got to flex my creative muscles, I feel like I was better able to solidify who I want to serve and what I want Three Redheads and a Moose to represent in the upcoming years. I appreciate every single person who contacted me to be a part of this model call and am grateful to each person who committed to these sessions. They shared their time, knowledge, and beautiful horses with me and I could not be luckier.
Myranda was one of my first model choices, and then Kentucky being Kentucky and 2020 being 2020, we were forced to reschedule so many times I was sure she was going to give up on me. But once I was pulling through the wrought iron gate, with perfect golden fall light streaming through the leaves....I knew we had been holding out for magic. Myranda is gorgeous, when you meet her you feel right at home instantly and she did not for one second make me feel awkward while I blubberd over the farm dogs and looked at her horse like a kid in a candy shop. When I tell you that seeing Sheldon with his blinged out brow band and incredible hair is the same experience as being star struck, I am not over exaggerating. He has so much presence about him. As he rightfully should! He is one of Myranda's home-breds, CCF The Force Awakens, and earned his very first grand championship title this October. Which is an impressive feat on its own, but Myranda shared with me that: "My first homegrown horse won an Open Grand Championship in 2015 and I won on a homegrown horse myself this fall for my 7th Amateur Grand Championship title (but my first as a curvier rider). Raising my own horses and winning despite not fitting a stereotype size will hopefully encourage others to see that you don't have to go buy the most expensive horse or wear a certain size coat to win. It's all about the heart and soul you put into these horses we all love."
Despite the chilly breeze, Myranda was an absolute model, and Sheldon required little direction as he seemed to realize he was being paparazzied. The connection between the two is unmistakable and I believe it shown through in the photos we captured.
I have asked each model to answer a few questions for me, to help me when writing these blog posts. I have been blessed by some really great answers, but Myranda's blew them out of the water. I started this project with a desire to highlight ways the equestrian community falls short in promoting diversity, and how individuals can encourage and facilitate changes. But I think that Myranda said it best: "If we don't step up to change anything, we won't see diversity increase. We can't assume someone else will do it because it will take all of us."
And she isn't wrong! As long as people remain quiet and compliant because behaviors in the industry do not affect them, than the behaviors will continue. Outside of the fact that finances often make the equine community (especially showing) less attainable, there are many more barriers in place as well. Myranda pointed out "Show and riding attire sizing is different from street sizing yet often is a higher number than the equivalent street size. Many companies rarely carry sizes above a street size 6-8 in stores while they carry massive stock in the smaller sizes. This puts a huge negative impact on riders that don't fit that stereotypical mold." And as long as there is not a push for an increase in these sizes being available, or stronger representation in companies with curvier models, this will continue to be the story.
Myranda is very vocal about change, working on several committees to put forth initiatives to encourage diversity in our community. She is working to encourage more women to become professional trainers as well, bridging the gender gap in trainer representation within the Rocky Mountain Horse community. She has even been in a documentary highlighting her breed, and the ability for gaited horses to overcome so many stereotypes. I have been lucky enough to photograph and show case two less "traditional" breeds for competitive careers that often break those stereotypes, and am honored to include Sheldon in that list now as well.
Myranda talks about her experience on her college hunter team, and how it really brought to light that your talent is often viewed exclusively in your pant size and price tag on your horse. "When I was younger, I was super skinny (to the point people would tell me to eat more) and now I'm much more curvy. I used to constantly receive compliments on my attire and told how well I dressed and how well I rode. Now, it is very rare to hear this and the only difference is my pant size (and age). -Myranda" She talked about the feeling of "not really being a rider when you don't fit the mold sharing, "You just felt like an outsider. For me being from the south, pale skinned, curvy, and blonde with an accent on top of not growing up riding ultra expensive hunters I was really the anomaly. It is certainly an odd feeling being "the only one" of anything in a situation."
All in all it was an incredible opportunity to work so closely with someone who has seen multiple facets of the community, while also working hard to be the change within it. I am incredibly grateful that she was so willing to share her time, knowledge, and experiences with me.
Ultimately I feel I benefitted immensely from these sessions, and am only more passionate to continue to encourage people to feel confident in their own skin. I know that people (myself included!!) often shy away from having photos taken because they don't like the way they look, or feel like they don't look like everyone else they see on social media. But, I want to continue to work to change that, and can only be that change because of the incredible people who trust me with their images. It is important to me that models feel comfortable while we shoot, I like to believe we walk away from sessions more like friends than anything else, and I will continue to strive to educate myself in ways to best encourage and represent diversity in our community. A million thank yous to Myranda for sharing her incredible horse with me, as well as her time and her wisdom!
And that is a wrap guys! I LOVED these sessions and while its a bit sad to write this final blog post, I am excited to put everything I learned into action in 2021!
