This summer I headed to Franklin, WI for a horse + rider portraits with Jennifer H, the skilled horsewoman behind Jennifer Hinkel Horsemanship, and her incredible BLM Mustang, Dream Come True (“Cowboy”). Cowboy is an 8 Yr Old previously wild Mustang – gathered in 2017 from Cedar Mountain, UT. I was blown away that he was only 14.1 hands – his striking appearance and commanding presence give him the impression of being much taller! Our goal was to capture the unique bond between the two and showcase Cowboy’s wonderful personality and he did not disappoint.
Jennifer’s favourite memories of Cowboy have been all the “firsts” that came with bringing this wild Mustang into her life:
“The first touch, removing his tag, getting him haltered, first trip off property (to Midwest Horse Fair of all places), first time riding, and especially first time driving and first carriage show last September. I saw his photo on the Internet Adoption website and instantly knew that he was going to be my next driving horse! A few years later that be true and we hitched to a cart for the first time last July and drove in the largest carriage show in the Country in September (Villa Louis Carriage Classic).”
Over the years, Jennifer has dedicated herself to gentling and training BLM Mustangs, as well as a variety of other breeds, with the utmost skill. The level of dedication she has to her training was evident in how well-behaved and easy-going Cowboy was for the entire session. He has also been at exhibitions at both the Wisconsin State Fair, in Milwaukee, and Midwest Horse Fair in Madison. Jennifer loves to show him off, and they’ve excelled in showmanship and in-hand events. Her newly acquired BLM colt will be partnered up with Cowboy as a driving pair when they’re ready!
