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Nothing sparks off a heated debate online more that a discussion of what equipment is best suited to the photography of horses. "What is the best lens for horse photography" is a classic!
Everybody has a strong opinion, and most aren’t shy about sharing it That seems to be a thing with photographers.
One particular social media group regularly tells anybody who asks that any lens shorter than 100mm should never be used to photograph horses because they distort the horse too much. While this can be true, the group is dominated by with people who shoot portraits and western riding. There are many situations in which shorter lenses are useful and some in which I would always have one on my shoulder.
In truth, you can use a lot of lenses for horse photography in its myriad different forms; the real key is finding the right one for each situation.
Rather than list every lens and every equestrian photography discipline, this guide will focus on types of lens and the scenarios in which that focal length is useful and appropriate.
