This is absolutely stunning, Aisling. Honestly. Such a great job. It looks alive, I swear.

Andalusian sounds about right Though the long fringe looks somewhat Arabian...

I can see nothing wrong about the mane. And I especially love the dark coloring of the lips and nostrils.

Totally amazing. I want to give it a carrot, it looks so real

--
The next time you decide to stab me in the back, have the guts to do it to my face. (Malcolm Reynolds, in Joss Whedon's Firefly)

Many thanks, I'm glad you like it. Making the subjects of my pictures look alive is very important to me, so it means a lot to me when you think I succeeded.

It's also good to hear that the mane issue isn't too obvious. I'm really my worst critic most of the time.

Whoa. That is really good. Like fuxfell said, it looks incredibly realistic. I love white horses.

--
"To be an illusionist, you just get up in the morning and illuzh!" - Nebin the Gnome, D&D PHB PSA's

Honestly, Aisling, that horse is absolutely stunning.

I really looks alive - the fur, the wind in its mane, its eyes... very, very well done. It's true that the artist is always his or her worst critic, so let me assure you that for me (who does not know too much about horses), its mane looks simply brilliant, and that I really like it.

--
"This is True Love. You think this happens every day?" from William Goldman's The Princess Bride

Many thanks for your comment, I'm very happy you like it!

And I like white horses, too, they're beautiful. Even though it's not very funny to groom one after it wallowed in the mud, or managed to lie down in a pile of horse dung or something like that.

Thank you, Kaana!

Im glad to hear you think it looks alive. I tried a slightly different technique when shading the eyes, and I think it makes the light spots look a bit more like actual reflections instead of white blobs. Now all I have to do is adapting this technique to my people drawings.

Also, it's good that the mane looks good to you, too. It doesn't seem as much of an issue as I oringinally thought.

This absolutely is a step forward for you! I don't know what you got to complain about the mane, it looks really beautiful and quite realistic. I really like the way the light is shining trough the hair and the fur texture gives a lot to the picture, I'm glad you tried that! Next step would be to try and give poor horsy some of those long hairs around nose and eyes, you know what I mean
I totally forgot to bow because of the eyes ... Done that. The eye is just great, the skin around it and the light spot ...
You are getting better and better, as I told ya!

Thank you! So happy you like it ...

Actually, the fur texture initially was a attempt to improve the look of the picture - with the light source behind he horse, the fur looked somewhat dull due to the lack of light and shadow.
I then, more in an experiment than actually thinking it would help, created a little custom brush for the fur, which enabled me to paint the whole texture in about 15 minutes - I wish painting fancy effects would always go that fast.

Actually, I tried to draw these long hairs horses have around their eyes, but it looked odd. Really odd. So I left them out, and didn't even try to draw the whiskers. Perhaps I should give it a try ...

And I think I better tell you in person what exactly is bugging me about the mane. It isnt that bad, anyway.

Lol, that's the cast most of the time, isn't it? Being your own worst critic? But I think it's a good thing, because that's what makes you try to get better (did not want to say you need to get better, was just speaking generally )

And I'd say if your goal is to make your pictures look alive, this one is a full success. You've got some real talent, I envy you

--
The next time you decide to stab me in the back, have the guts to do it to my face. (Malcolm Reynolds, in Joss Whedon's Firefly)

Hm, than you have the next task to work on - whiskers
I'm glad you have overcome your period of frustration ... so I dare to ask: what are Bishop and his lovely pet doing? I'm really looking forward to see them here ...