I like the photograph, yet I think it is a little flat. Try changing the WB (white balance) before converting to B/W (black and white). This is often overlooked as a way to bring out the best in a B/W photograph.
Without seeing the original color, I can't suggest channel changes, but it needs to "pop" more.
-Nick
Maybe like this? Again, without the original, I am limited.
Hello Todd,
i think, Nick is right with his oppinion. If you will allow, i do 3 steps on the image:
1 correct the tonal curve(histogramm) at the lights.
2 do a small gammabalance in to an s-correction
3 a little sharpen, so that only the hair of the horse will show more resolution, not changing the background.
Now, the horse will be shown more as the representative part of the image and not like hiding in it. ;-)
Really good edit, this one, Peter! Wow! Well done!
Now the horse really is a BLACK and WHITE horse, and not one of very dark grey, dark grey, grey, lighter grey, light grey, very light grey!
Todd, the original looks good to me. A couple things I notice that you may want to be aware of in the future; the sticks and limbs going in and out of the horse's nose, head and rear end are a bit distracting to me. Nice work overall tho.