When you think of a little girl’s dream world, what do you picture?
This is exactly what we imagine. Tutus, tiaras, ponies, and more ponies… Am I right? We recently came across Julie V. of @aboutlittlesandponies on Instagram, who has been documenting her children and ponies on her ‘magical stable’ for quite some time. Not only does she tell a story with each photo she takes, but she captures a majestic style that leaves our hearts warm and full of joy. Equestrian Stylist is proud to feature this exclusive interview with Julie showcasing her history, background, and photography journey at her home in Belgium with her family and horse stable.
Be sure to follow @aboutlittlesandponies on instagram and continue to watch her magical journey unfold.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your background. Where do you live, how long have you had the “magical stable” etc. Did you grow up with horses / ponies?
I live in Middelburg, a small village in Belgium. My husband and I bought our house about 7 years ago. I loved the house because of the stable and the fields surrounding it . Horses have been in my family for generations. My father had lots of stories and photos about his amazing childhood surrounded by ponies. They are an inspiration to the kind of photos I take.
I started horse riding when I was about 5 years old, I did a lot of national showjumping competition with my ponies and when I was about 16 years old, my father bought me a lovely showjumper , Lady Butler, to jump in the 1.30m – 1.40m competition. I have so many great memories of that time. We always tried to keep our horses and took care of them when they got older.
I stopped competing when Lady Butler started getting some health problems. I didn’t miss the competition, I still had so me horses to ride at home and I could use the spare time for my studies.
Q: What got you into photography?
I started taking a lot of photos when my son was born. I used to send a picture of Mathis to my dad every single morning. My dad had a file on his computer where he saved all the ‘goodmornings’ and when I forgot to send one, he always reminded me. He died when I was five months pregnant of my daughter. As time went by I realized that apart from losing my father, I also lost the friend I shared my passion (horses and photos) with.
Through my sister I discovered Instagram. I started sharing photos on Instagram of my kids. I loved the reactions from my sister and friends , but also sometimes from friendly people I didn’t know. I got inspired by the beautiful photos other people shared and decided to take a photo course and learn more about photography. I think photos can make beautiful memories especially when they tell a true story.
Q: How many ponies / horses live on your farm? Tell us a little bit about them…
We have 2 horses and one pony at our home. When we bought the house, I asked if Dousha could move to my place. She used to be one of my show jumping ponies. To be honest, she never was a good show jumper at all, but at the time we kept her because she was very sweet and we were scared she would not be treated good if we would sell her. Dousha was the only horse that walked separate at my parents’ place, so she had no friend to leave behind. She is 33 years old now, and she loves being a pet pony for my kids.
I bought Zamoura a few weeks after Dousha arrived. I think a horse always needs company of other horses or ponies. Zamoura is an Arabian full blood mare, she is almost 7 and she was a yearling when I bought her. I have always admired the grace and beauty of Arabian horses. I enjoy her attentive and kind character. Everything is a reason for her to start showing off her beauty, and I enjoy watching her.
The third horse is a very special one too, his name is Twyford, he is 23 years old, and is a retired showjumper. He is the only horse that is born at my parents place . I was about 13 y old when he was born and I still remember that night. Twyford was a small horse, only 1.63 m but a great show jumper. He jumped internationally 1.50 m competition and once won the Belgian Cup.. When my father was diagnosed with cancer he arranged for the horse to come to my stable. Twyford’s mother, Pinot Gris, is about 27 y old, and lives at my parent’s place, my mother takes care of her and three other retired horses
Q: Do they all participate in the photo shoots? What is one of your favorite memories while shooting the ponies and the kids?
Most of my photos are taken with Dousha and Zamoura. I consider Dousha as the safest horse to be very close to my kids. She is slow and patient and she doesn’t scare easily. Since my daughter is only two, that is the only horse that she is allowed to lead by herself. Both my kids talk about Dousha a lot. They see her as their pet.
I think Zamoura would really love to become a pet horse too and get even more attention. At the moment, she is still too strong for little ones to handle outside by their own. If I photograph her, she is usually behind a fence or in the stable. In the stable she is much more at ease.
Twyford is the biggest horse I have, and he also is quite strong for my kids to handle. As my kids get older, he might show up more in my photos.
There is a story behind all my photos. My kids and horses surprise me all the time; Alix’ kiss on the window ; Zamoura that starts to dance when I take pictures for school of my son, to Alix taking out her pacifier to kiss Dousha before she had to go to bed last summer, it all happens so quick and unexpected , so often I don’t have my camera ready at all, but when I do, I am happy like a child and really treasure these moments.
Q: Do you shoot for clients or is this a hobby?
This is a hobby for me, through my photos on Instagram, I try to tell our story…
Q: Do the kids enjoy being photographed? What are some of your tips for getting them to smile or pose for the photos?
They don’t mind. Taking photos is only a small part of the time I spend with them ( and the horses). They love to help out with the horses and usually I only take photos for about 5 to 10 minutes and then I just join them in what they want to do. Sometimes I take photos when they don’t even notice it (like the one of Alix kissing the window and Alix kissing Dousha).
Some photos are spontaneous but when I plan a photo, like the photos with the drawing on the barn door, I let them do something they like very much, they smile easily when the mood is right.
For nice photos with little kids and horses, I think it is important that you are relaxed and for that you really have to be sure that it is safe for the children. When it is stormy or windy, I never take photos outside because I know the horses will be nervous.
If I take photos of more kids, I like them to be all on one side of the horse and if possible standing on something, like the bench. To make them stay on the bench, you can give them an ice cream or a little drink. That way the horse won’t accidentally step on their feet. And, the horse will probably be interested too. When the kids feel happy and comfortable, the smiles will come naturally.
Q: The idea of the pony coming through the window is priceless… How did you come up with this idea?
A: It came naturally. Dousha is a skinny old horse and last spring there was more grass in our garden than on our fields. An old farmer suggested we let her graze in our garden until the grass started growing in the field. We followed his advice and we had the best time with her. She grazed for an hour and then spend most of her days peeping through the windows into our house. It didn’t take long before we opened the windows to pet her. It is almost winter now, and we still let her walk in the garden. For the window photos, we just have to open the window and call her, and Alix is always happy to sit next to her. Often she even tries to open the window herself, using a little step.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share… Do you have a website, any new shoots on the horizon, etc… ?
I would keep documenting the time with my kids and the horses. It all goes by so fast and photos make great memories. I would love to learn how to make small videos and share those too. Instagram has been very good to me. It’s a great way to connect with people who share the same passion. I thought about a website, but I think I would probably not update it often enough. Most people know that they can reach me through my Instagram account @aboutlittlesandponies and I always answer everybody.
