SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Podcast
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Equestrian Gallery
      • Stallions
      • Horses & Ponies for Sale
    • Horse Trailers for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
Friday, October 06 2023 / Published in Sidelines Feature, Sidelines Spotlight, Weekly Feature

Samantha Dawn: Doors Opened by Closing a Shutter

By Shya Beth

Samantha Dawn’s story could be summed up in a few words: When one door closes, another opens. She’s always lived with that mindset, no matter the situation—through heart-wrenching times and unbelievably happy moments, horses, art and music have sustained her through it all. Using her pain and hardship as her motivation has allowed her to find solace behind the camera, calling forth the horse’s majestic beauty while healing her wounds and heartbreak.

“My story is kind of all over the place,” Samantha admitted. She was born in Missouri in 1991, and loving horses as long as she could remember, playing “horse” is something Samantha did that most horse-crazy kids can relate to. She never thought horses or photography would turn into a career. Growing up in a musical family, her dream as a young girl was to be a country singer, and she traveled the nation singing at competitions and shows in Nashville and other venues.

Second Chance and Snapping Photos

Samantha’s father gave her a camera when she was 13 years old, and neither had any idea of the journey that would come of it. “Now that I’m older, I’m pretty sure this was his way of ensuring I stopped bothering him, being a single parent and self-employed,” she explained. “However, I don’t think he ever anticipated that I would take photography this seriously and be traveling the world photographing horses.”

Wherever Samantha went, her camera went with her. One of her best friends’ families had horses, and spending hours photographing them ignited the first real “spark” and connection between her love of horses and passion for photography. Upon graduating from high school in 2010, she started photographing horses more, in addition to singing professionally.

In 2013, Samantha’s photography was still a firmly rooted hobby, and her opportunities as a singer were expanding. That same year, Samantha met someone she considered her soulmate. “We connected so well and even had horses in common!” she said. “A year later, in 2014, he ended up taking his own life due to combat-related PTSD that was well hidden from all of us. It shattered my life and brought unbelievable darkness into it, darkness I’d never known before. It was the first time in my life that I remembered wanting to end my own life. I still harbor a lot of guilt from that. I was confused as to how someone could be suffering that much without even showing signs of it. I’m sure the signs were there, I just didn’t see them or know what to look for at that time.”

Samantha credited horses with getting her out of that darkness. They loaned her their strength to carry her through, and it was the horse by her side that helped keep her going. Around that same time, Samantha started turning her hobby of photography into a side job, photographing not just horses but weddings as well. Her full-time jobs varied throughout the years, with her last job being the one she enjoyed, but at the same time despised the most: a used car manager—different from a used car sales manager—keeping track of all the used cars coming in, and what needed to happen to make them sellable.

During this time in 2015, Samantha met her future husband, Jonathan, whom she credits as the reason she is able to do what she does. “If it weren’t for him, my life would be wildly different, and I don’t think I would be where I am without him,” she said. “He shouldered a lot of the weight when we made the decision for me to quit my job in 2017 and chase this photography dream. He also suffers from combat PTSD, and I was able to save his life when he was in a dark place because I had educated myself about veterans and the signs and symptoms of PTSD from combat. We support each other through everything.”

Equine Photographer, Will Travel

Samantha’s come a long way from a girl with a camera and a woman working at a used car dealership to a successful, globetrotting equine photographer. Samantha’s social media, where she connects with past, current and future clients, is filled with her photographs and powerful quotes that hold meaning to her, which have inspired and uplifted many of her followers. “I have messages from people from all over the world reaching out thanking me for being so open, encouraging and vulnerable about things that happen in my life,” she explained. “My experiences with suicide, depression, Imposter Syndrome, ADHD and other struggles are not unheard of by any means, and I’ve found that it helps others when I share my experiences, so they don’t feel so alone.”

Today, Samantha travels across the country for business several weeks out of every month, visiting clients and photographing their horses. Often booked six months to a year in advance, with every year including some international trips, she still makes time for her family and horses, riding and competing in horse shows and team penning when time allows.

 

Samantha’s goals are bright and bold: photographing horses on different continents, exploring the world of horses more in depth, continuing to excel in her artistic medium and gaining more recognition for her photography. At the same time, Samantha always makes time to help others who are struggling by offering support and encouragement.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day; I live by this,” she said. “The people you see that are living their successes got there because they paid their dues—they paid for it in years of time and hard work. Give yourself some grace. You just have to keep practicing and exploring to find what your soul craves. If you’re ever struggling with mental health, please know you can always reach out to me or find someone you trust to talk to. Please don’t go through it alone.”

For more information, visit www.samanthadawnequinephoto.com

Share this page:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Tagged under: Equine Photographer, Samantha Dawn’s, samanthadawnequinephoto.com

What you can read next

Derek Braun: If You Build It, They Will Come
Katie Jackson: Finding Strength and Healing Through Horses
Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue: Stubbornly Advocating for Misunderstood Animals

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Follow on Instagram!

sidelines_magazine

Sidelines Magazine
Hot horseman takeover day 6️⃣!!! 🔥Jorge Va Hot horseman takeover day 6️⃣!!!

🔥Jorge Vasquez🔥
Between his polo career—from groom to coach—and a love of travel, Jorge Vasquez has been to 60 countries, all seven continents, all 50 states and seen all seven wonders of the world—some of them twice. “I’ve been to China, Egypt, India, Dominican Republic, Argentina, a lot of places to play polo,” Jorge said. “I wish travel was my full-time job!”
Jorge is originally from Santiago, Chile, where his dad was a racehorse trainer and his uncle played polo. “I was too cool for school,” Jorge joked, “So I ended up having to do polo.” But Jorge isn’t complaining. There are “a million things” he loves about polo. “Obviously the 
adrenaline, and then the horses—the horses are very special,” he said. “They’re very well trained, and there’s something really special about a polo pony that can read your body and take you wherever you want to go—most of the time without asking any questions!”
Now living in Lexington, Kentucky, Jorge coaches the University of Kentucky polo team, is the U.S. Polo Association midstates circuit governor and is the polo manager at Gainesway Farm, 
where he also recently became the official tour guide. “I stay busy when I’m at home—that’s why I travel!” Jorge laughed, a common occurrence with his easygoing personality. “I like to think I’ve lived a pretty good life, and I get rejuvenated by teaching the game and teaching 
young horses how to play polo. That’s my favorite thing about the sport—teaching horses to play.”

With over 30 years in the industry, Jorge’s biggest takeaway from horses is, “The nicer you 
ask, the easier you’ll get results.” With all his experience, Jorge hopes to pass on the gifts of patience and understanding to those within his sphere of influence. “And that if you pay it forward long enough,” he added, “it will eventually pay you back.”
📸Photo by Kacy Brown
Hot horseman takeover day 5️⃣!!! 🔥Jet Rusi Hot horseman takeover day 5️⃣!!!

🔥Jet Rusidovski🔥
It wasn’t horses that took Jet Rusidovski from his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to where he lives now in Austin, Texas, in 2008. It was the weather. “I came down to visit family down here and it was negative 30 degrees in Wisconsin and it was 60 degrees here, and that was the end of it,” Jet said.

He grew up braving the cold on horseback in Wisconsin, riding and showing hunter-
jumpers from the time he was 4 all through his Junior career. “When adult life started, I had to juggle adult life and horses, and then it became my profession,” he said. Jet now works for Kelly Lorek at Southern Way Farm, training both horses and clients and traveling to shows all over the country. “Our program has been growing by leaps and bounds in the last year, and that says we’re doing something right!”

Jet hopes his experience as part of a successful program will help instill in others that everyone deserves a chance. “There were definitely times in my career I was not given a chance, and Kelly is the one who really gave me that chance,” Jet shared. “She didn’t judge me for mistakes I made in the past, she didn’t hold anything against me—she saw that I had the potential and she gave me the chance to actually show it. She gave the right coaching and the right guidance to get me where I am today, and I feel I’m in a really great place with unlimited opportunities at this point in my career.” When not traveling to shows, Jet travels to Wisconsin to visit family (weather permitting, of course) and would love to revisit childhood vacation spots in Greece and Europe, or check out the weather in Hawaii. He also prioritizes catching up with friends outside of the horse world. “If people see me around at a horse show, don’t be afraid to say hi!” he said. 
“Sometimes I’m so concentrated it looks like I want nothing to do with anyone; I’m actually just deep in thought or something. But I love to say hi to everybody.”
📸Photo by Kristie Scholten
Day 4️⃣ of our hot horseman takeover! 🔥Jo Day 4️⃣ of our hot horseman takeover! 
🔥Jonathan Cohen🔥
Most riders aren’t born into professional equestrian families; some lucky ones, like Jonathan Cohen, end up spending so much time at the barn they are practically adopted into them. 
Jonathan fell in love with horses at a friend’s birthday party while he was growing up in downtown Chicago, Illinois. At 16, he began riding with Alex Jayne—and now works for Alex’s Our Day Farm. “I’m sandwiched right between his three children in terms of age, so apart from missing their earliest years, we’ve basically grown up together,” Jonathan said. “I’m incredibly fortunate to work for a family that treats me like family.”
Jonathan’s title is barn manager. “But the job description is very loose—that’s what keeps it interesting,” he said. After he gets done riding in the morning, he starts on whatever needs to be done around the farm—which perfectly suits his love of “projects.” Outside of work and horses, Jonathan puts that passion for building into home renovation; when he’s completely renovated one home, he sells it and moves on to the next. “I love building stuff, especially when it’s something that meets a very specific need and can’t just be bought,” he said. “I’ll see things I can make better, I start working on the idea in my head, and more often than not I end up building it.”

Our Day Farm splits its time between Elgin, Illinois, and Wellington, Florida. When in Illinois, Jonathan spends much of his time building jumps. “I like to replicate some of the more interesting things we see over the course of the season, as well as anything our horses might need to practice,” he said. Clearly, Jonathan loves what he does. “I’m super lucky that when I wake up every day, I don’t have to go to work. I just go to the barn. It’s my job, and it’s definitely a lot of work most days, but really I’m just going to the barn like any other day.”
📸Photo by Melissa Fuller
100% Equine-Focused Company. 100% Med-Free Facilit 100% Equine-Focused Company. 100% Med-Free Facility. 100% Traceable, Pure Ingredients. It matters to you, and to us.

At BUCKEYE Nutrition, we love horses as much as you do.💚 We strive to do our part to help horses live the longest, healthiest and happiest lives possible by producing the highest-quality, safest feed available.

#poweredbybuckeye #buckeyenutrition
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Stallion Gallery

Visit Stallion Gallery

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • Orbetello
    (Orlando x Landkind – HLP Landgraf I) 2003 16.2 stallion approved GOV, AHS, ARS and SBS. FEI Grand Prix show jumper to 1.60m, Orbetello is bred for performance in international show jumping at the highest level. Orbetello has impeccable character, intelligence and work ethic. Orbetello earned 1c Premium designation at his Oldenburg licensing in Vechta and exceptional scores for both conformation and performance at all his licensing tests.

    [Read more]

  • Informed Educational Solutions
    RIDERS NEED: EXPERIENCED EDUCATIONAL PLANNING School advising - Online school support - Tutoring - Full college admissions consulting IES offers knowledgeable support at every step of a rider's journey. Sarah C. Reese, Ed. M - Executive Director INFORMED EDUCATIONAL SOLUTIONS IECA™ INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION PROFESSIONAL MEMBER WWW.MYIESOLUTIONS.COM

    [Read more]

Sidelines Articles by Email

Subscribe to Sidelines Magazine Articles by Email

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • “Jump for the Children” Benefit Horse Show Celebrates 40 Years & Over $3 Million to Duke Children’s
  • Woodside Recognizes the Best in the West
  • Get More for Your Money with an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

Category

Recent Posts

  • December 2023 – Table of Contents

    Subscribe for just $9.95 or Order Individual Is...
  • Unbridled With Tony Sgarlata

    By Britney Grover  It’s hard to get Tony Sgarla...
  • The Secrets of Whorls in Horses

    By Margie Sugarman What do Marie Claire, Anne H...
  • An International Dressage Discussion

    By George Williams Recently, I attended the IDT...
  • Managing the Journey That Is the Equestrian Industry

    By Rob Jacobs As competitive equestrians, we ma...

Copyright © 1987 - 2021 Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!