The 14 year old bay Westphalian gelding (Diarado x Lamoureux I) has been Ashlee’s trusted partner for nearly 8 years. You’ve got to put respect on his name. ***The*** ***Don*** has earned his place on Israel’s Olympic team twice and took home the big $1M win at the CSI5* Coachella Cup Grand Prix in early December (just to name a few). He’s just that dude.

The energy surrounding the world renowned International Ring at WEF will just about take anyone’s breath away the first time they visit. The horses, the packed crowds, and let’s not forget the warm up ring that is always surrounded by dozens of onlookers (including myself). There are so many talented equestrian athletes from around the globe that call this place home, many of which, growing up, I had only seen in magazines/books & on TV. But I have to admit. There is a very special horse and rider combination that I, and so many others, love to come out and watch in the big ring. And that is Ashlee Bond & Donatello 141- aka Donnie or The Don as Ashlee calls him.

Ashlee is a woman who wears many hats (No literally, her hat collection is fire). And avant-garde may be a word to describe her impeccable fashion sense. Aside from the equestrian life, she is also a devout Mother and a kick a** business woman which I personally respect and admire. It’s really something special to watch her and Donnie in the ring together. At the jumps, he is so careful and jumps his heart out for her each and every single time. Hard not to fall in love with a horse so consistent like that. You can really feel their interconnectedness. I could not be anymore grateful to dedicate this week’s blog about The Don and our black background photoshoot session. It was a “fill my cup” type of moment, for real.

SHOOT TIME
I pulled in to a driveway leading to a charming & cozy country farm house setting- pleasantly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Wellington. “It’s so peaceful out here, and I love the chickens, especially the one that’s perched like a potato over there” I said to Ash. “That one is like 10 years old, but we love having access to fresh eggs, says Ashlee. We both laughed as my mind circled questions about the lifespan of chickens.

With camera in hand, I followed her to the barn where I was greeted by a horse with a delightfully compact frame, massive brown eyes and a cute head indeed. Donnie is absolute perfection along with his teddy bear attitude. A real gentleman. It took no time before I put my things down to indulge in a quick snuggle sesh with him. “I can leave my 8 year old daughter on him for hours bareback- he takes such good care of her “- Ashlee. The 14 year old bay Westphalian gelding (Diarado x Lamoureux I) has been Ashlee’s trusted partner for nearly 8 years. You’ve got to put respect on his name. The Don has earned his place on Israel’s Olympic team twice and took home the big $1M win at the CSI5* Coachella Cup Grand Prix in early December to name a few. He’s just that dude.

Ashlee gave Donnie a nice gloss over as he stood ever so patiently outside his stall with ears perked, making it quite clear that he had this thing all figured out. We went completely halter/bridle-less for pretty much the entire session, with Ashlee nearby to pay him the occasional peppermint tax for pose bait. It was hard for me not so smile from ear to ear. My shutter took off on speeds like I’ve never seen while The Don was gracious with this angles the entire time. I did not want to miss a single second.

Check out our gallery with Donnie!

The Don | Heart of a Champion

Black Background Portrait Session | Orfeo