Worked an equestrian festival in South Florida yesterday and tried for some different angles rather than the head-on shots. I sometimes feel guilty for what we put these beautiful animals through. C&C welcome.
Like the first one. Perfect moment for the shot with the horse's knees completely tucked and showing lots of air between him and the crossbar. Horse has a good expression too - alert with lots of concentration, but still at ease.
Not so fond of the second shot. Not the best moment to capture the horse's jumping form over fences, and an image of a horse jumping away from the camera seldom works. (And both horse owners & riders usually prefer photos that feature human and equine faces rather than backsides. )
Thanks for the comments guys. Al, agreed that #2 is not a money shot. I was trying to show the grace and power of the horse from an angle not normally shown.
)