Equestrian B&W series

I am trying to show motion and form. These are just the first three photos in the series.

1 - others are too dark and the black border does not work at all with these images.

I do not like the way the hooves are cut of on #1, I prefer #3 but it is to dark

Olga

Personally I like 2&3. Yes I know that #2 is too dark. I strongly disagree that #3 is too dark.
About the only C&C that has helped me is strmrdr's comment about the black border. I will be posting the images without a black border shortly.