The Last Neigh: Grief, Gratitude, and the Power of a Photograph

Such a view

Rain, snow, sleet, or hail this was often my view. Star made known whenever he heard anyone close any door on our entire farm that he would like some food.

Our kids learned early on that it is difficult to get too attached to our animals, because death is simply just part of farm life. I have lived the majority of my life on a farm, and while experience may have lessened the blow of pain, that doesn't make loss any easier.

A few days ago a few of us returned from a trip to UNL in Lincoln to see our daughter Rylee in all her research glory. Our yard was unusually quiet. At first, I didn’t think much of it—we were overwhelmed by our trio of dogs, unpacked the van, I started laundry, and then went to check on the horses. As I walked to the barn is when I realized just how quiet the barnyard really was.

Any time a door opened—anywhere on the farm—he’d neigh, letting us know he would like some food. Now, the silence where his impatient call used to echo feels deafening. His death was sudden. He was well cared for by the daughters who stayed home, and I’m deeply grateful they weren’t the ones to find him in the pasture.

First day at the farm

We were gifted these handsome horses in May of 2019.

Loved this view

Life is unfortunately too busy to ride often, but I am the only one who was able to ride Star. The kids ride Beau, our other horse.

Time for our selfie

Ever tried to take a selfie with a horse? It isn't easy, especially in a dark barn!

I still can’t believe it was Star—not Beau—who passed. Beau is much older and doesn’t look nearly as healthy as Star did. It was a complete shock. Thankfully, Beau is doing well, although he seems a bit lonely. Honestly, I think he might be enjoying not having his buddy steal his food every day.

This whole experience has reminded me how important photography truly is. When our two previous horses passed, I regretted not having more meaningful images of them. The photographer is always last to work in her own yard, right? They lived right below my studio—it should’ve been easy. But it’s always hard to stop work and “play.” So, thankfully I have done better with documenting these two.

Love to ride

This doesn't happen often enough in the craziness of life, but I was the only one in our family who was able to ride Star.

More food please!

ALWAYS ready for food.

Sunrise Splendor

My favorite sunrises here at the farm have horses (and my barn) in the foreground.

Farm life: winter in MN

Here in MN winters can be tough, especially for our animals.

Winter glory

They both look so stunning in winter. I am going to miss this view.

These may not be my most technically perfect photos, but they mean something to me. I’ll always wish I had more “perfect” images of each of my animals—but I’m deeply grateful to have this one, taken just a few days before he passed. It’s not just a photo of him—it’s of us.

I should’ve asked my intern to use my real camera, but I assumed it would just be for social media. Still, I’m thankful to have it.

Earlier this summer, one of my senior clients asked to pose with both of my horses, and now I’ll always have those photos, too. Ironically, the beautiful print I ordered from Italy arrived the same day Star’s body was taken away. That was incredibly hard—but also a powerful reminder of why what I do matters so deeply.

Because in the end, it’s not about perfect lighting or flawless composition—it’s about preserving what matters before it’s gone. That’s the heart behind every Legacy Experience I offer. These sessions aren’t just for show; they’re for the people—and animals—who shape our stories. You’ll never regret having too many photos… only the ones you didn’t take.

Star and I

My intern Laura took photos of the two of us for some social media. I ended up using the photo way more than ever planned. I love it so much! It is a fabulous reminder of why documenting the animals that mean so much to families is so important.

Pretty great model

My horses became models during one of my senior sessions this summer. I had ordered this print to use as a studio sample because it fits so well with both legacy and seniors. Little did I know that it would arrive from Italy the day Star was taken away.

0 Comments

Previous Post Next Post