Shana Rose and I had the opportunity to photograph her lovely Gypsy stallion, known as Paladin, at Washoe Lake the other night to capture his elegance before roaching his long locks! She is not planning to show him, so she will be roaching his mane to make summer care MUCH easier!
She is also planning on gelding him too, so his breeding days are coming to an end at an early age of 5.
I asked her to write a guest blog about her beloved boy!
Destiny in the Field: The Story of Cambrias Midnight Traveler
In early 2021, I was grieving the loss of my heart horse—a companion who had been with me since childhood. The ache left behind was deep, raw, and hollow. It felt like a chapter of my soul had closed. I wasn’t searching for a new horse. In truth, I didn’t think I’d ever be ready. But then one day, a photo appeared on my Facebook feed that made the world pause.
He was running through a field—ears pricked forward, eyes lit like stars, mane wild in the wind. He didn’t look real. He looked like something out of a dream. And just like that, I knew. I didn’t know how I would do it—he was a Gypsy Vanner stallion located across the country, priced well out of my reach, and stallions are never the easiest to house. But none of that mattered. My heart said he was mine.
His name was Cambrias Midnight Traveler, but he would become Paladin—my protector, my light, my next great journey. The challenges of bringing him home were real, but so was the pull between us. And when he finally arrived, it was as if he had always been here.
From our first moments together, Paladin carried an old soul energy—quiet, grounded, and wise beyond his years. He didn’t just settle in; he belonged. Every day with him has felt like a gift I wasn’t sure I deserved. Even now, years later, I still catch my breath when I see him. His presence is deep and humbling—like standing in front of something sacred.
I’ve been around horses all my life, but Paladin is different. He’s magical in a way I can’t quite explain. Sometimes I wonder if the horse I lost sent him to me—as if they passed the torch, knowing I would need this new kind of light to find my way forward. Maybe Paladin isn’t just a horse. Maybe he’s a piece of fate, stitched into my life with perfect timing.
I dream of a long, joyful future with him—riding, showing, growing old side by side. But more than that, I just want to keep breathing in this feeling he gives me: awe, peace, and the quiet certainty that some connections were written long before we ever arrived.
~Shana Rose
Here is a gallery of some of the many amazing portraits we captured on a beautiful late June evening!
Gowns include FlutterDresses and Leah Marie Couture.
