Adding great photos and videos

Photos sell horses. Videos do even better. A few rules of thumb that work across every discipline.

The shot list

1. Conformation shot — full body from the side, square stance, on level ground.
2. Front view, hind view, both side views.
3. Headshot — kind expression, clean background.
4. Under-saddle photos at walk, trot, canter.
5. One showing the horse doing what it's bred for (jumping, dressage movement, trail).
6. One candid — the horse being loved on, in turnout, hanging out.

Cover photo

Pick the cleanest, most flattering shot for your cover. It's the only photo most buyers see in search results.

Videos

Two videos is the sweet spot: one of the horse moving freely (lunging or in turnout), one under saddle. Two minutes max each — buyers watch on their phone in line at the coffee shop.

Lighting and background

Outdoors during the golden hour beats fluorescent indoor lighting every time. Skip cluttered backgrounds — neat fence, plain wall, or open field.

What hurts a listing

• Cell-phone screenshots of older photos
• Pictures with halters/show numbers/random tack
• Heavy filters or color grading
• Cropped photos that hide a leg or the head