Meet Sandra's New Equine Partner...Nico the Friesian!

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Nico the Friesian studio shot

Photo of Nico taken by his owner Susan McClafferty of Mareish Media. Click here to see more photos on Instagram.

I am BEYOND excited to announce a new horse in my life. Meet Cobus Fan De Hill, also known as ‘Nico’. He is a seven year old, 17 hand Friesian gelding sired by Alwin 469 x Doaitsen 420. My talented, creative friend Susan McCLafferty of Mareish Media purchased him to sponsor my ongoing creative ventures. She is an incredible horsewoman and I am honored that she helped me find the horse of my dreams.

Nico was imported when he was four years old from the Netherlands and has been trained in dressage by Christine Johnston at Iron Horse Farm. She did a fabulous job with him, starting him slow and building a solid foundation. He has shown through Second Level dressage and I look forward to bringing him up through the levels. Can you tell I am in love already?

Please follow Nico the Friesian on Instagram! Click here!

Nico is a very special horse, he has a kind, soulful eye and he is incredibly smart and aware of his surroundings. He is a perfect gentleman and he wants to do a good job. He is sensitive but also calm in nature. I am so excited for our future together and I am hoping that we will create some unique performances to inspire others!

After losing my heart horse Douwe over three years ago I wasn’t sure that I would want another Friesian. I LOVE my boy Rovandio but he is 22 years old this year and starting to slow down in his later years. The stars have aligned and I feel that Nico was brought into my life at just the right time and now I have the knowledge to begin again on a new journey. Please follow Nico on Instagram to stay updated on our journey together.

The Best Holiday Gift ever! Owner Susan Mcclafferty hands off Nico the Friesian to trainer Sandra Beaulieu. Click here to Follow Nico on Instagram.

Creative Centerlines for your Dressage Musical Freestyle

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Make a strong first impression with your musical freestyle! Your entrance sets the stage, just like the opening scene of a movie or the start of a song, creating the mood and giving the judge a glimpse of what's to come. Whether you're at a beginner level or beyond, there are plenty of ways to grab attention from the start.

Douwe and Sandra enter for their First Level Musical Freestyle. Photo taken by Spotted Vision Photography.

Use Lyrics

Lyrics are becoming a popular choice for musical freestyles, but it’s important to pick songs that enhance your routine, not distract from it. Fun song openings or catchy jingles can set the tone and bring a smile to the audience.

For example, I once designed a freestyle using the iconic intro to James Brown’s "I Feel Good." It was instantly recognizable and helped make a great impression on both the judge and audience. The rest of the routine followed the same genre and received plenty of compliments.

For my client Carolena, we used “Lollipop” for her entrance. She nailed the halt and salute to the recognizable "pop" sound, adding charm to her Training Level freestyle. The routine continued with fun songs like “Sandman” and “Tweedle Dee.”

Consider iconic lines from movies like “Bond...James Bond” or Broadway hits like “He’s here, the Phantom of the Opera!” These memorable phrases make for great entrances.

The beauty of using lyrics is that the music doesn’t always need to match your horse’s stride. While it’s ideal, the entrance is all about making an impression and setting the stage. If the lyrics are right, go for it—even if the beats aren’t perfect!

Sandra and Rovandio showing a Second Level Freestyle. Photo credit Spotted Vision Photography.

Use Transitions

Transitions like walk to trot, trot to canter, or walk to canter are often overlooked, yet they can really elevate your freestyle. At lower levels, centerline options are limited, but using entrance music with clear transitions can boost your artistic scores and showcase your technical skills to the judge.

I rode a Third Level freestyle with my horse Rovandio many years ago and our violin music started slow and then added a distinct trot beat. I cued the music, began at the walk and then transitioned to the trot when the music changed.

Only try this if your horse is really consistent in upward transitions! If they tend to brace or come above the bit I wouldn’t risk it, just stay in your preferred gait.

Add a Lengthening/Extension

Impress the judge with a dramatic extended trot down the centerline! If your horse has a reliable and high-quality medium/extended trot this can be a really good option. Also using medium/extended canter can really ‘WoW’ the judges and set the stage for a powerful ride.

This entrance works well when you have are going all the way down the centerline to your first halt. Some riders prefer to halt around L or G to set up for their first movement closer to the judge.

Sandra used Outlander music for her Friesian gelding Douwe. Photo credit Spotted Vision Photography.

Add Sound Bites

You can add a little more sparkly and pizzazz with your opening salute by accenting with additional sound bites. This could sound like a gong, a magical chime, a drumroll, or perhaps the sound of people clapping. You can get creative and add sounds that will go along with your entrance music and the overall theme of the freestyle. Having a definite sound or accent for your salute elevates your freestyle and shows that you pay attention to detail.

You can search for sound bites on websites like www.audiojungle.net where you can purchase short music clips and search by instrument and genre. Use keywords like “Intro” to search through hundreds of short clips that people use for music videos, movies, and promo videos. They are generally short and already fade in/out so they would be very easy to incorporate in the editing process.

More Ideas…

  • I personally like the sound of an orchestra warming up if you are using classical music

  • Sound clip from a band playing live…sometimes they will address the audience to get everyone fired up

  • Drumroll that you hear at the start of a movie

  • Record your own voice over your entrance movie to create something unique and special

  • Sound clip from a motivational speech

Have Fun!

No matter what you decide, I hope you have fun in the process! Creating a musical freestyle is a rewarding process that takes patience, determination, and creativity. Let me know in the comments below what you used for your musical freestyle entrance I would love to know. You can also email me with questions/comments to beginthedance@gmail.com.

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Learn how to create a musical freestyle from start to finish or choose an e-Book with choreography ideas just for your level.
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Related Articles

Sandra Beaulieu & Friesian Douwe - "Outlander"-Inspired First Level Musical Freestyle

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We dance for laughter,
we dance for tears,
we dance for madness,
we dance for fears,
we dance for hopes,
we dance for screams,
we are the dancers,
we create the dreams.
                  -Albert Einstein

After a long hiatus from the dressage competition arena, I decided it would be fun to work on my USDF Freestyle Bronze Bar with Douwe and Rovandio. To earn this award, the rider needs two freestyle scores (above 65%) at First level, two scores at Second level, and two scores at Third level from recognized shows. Douwe earned both of our First Level scores and Rovandio earned both of our Second Level scores in one weekend! I am so proud of them, they seemed to enjoy themselves and I did too! If you watch the TV series Outlander you will recognize the music, the tempo and drama of the music really go with Douwe's stride. Enjoy!

Are you inspired to start working on your First Level musical freestyle?

My "how-to" e-book will take you through the creation process of your very own freestyle. 

  • 10 Fully Choreographed Test Patterns! Just Add Music!

  • 37 pages of choreography!  

  • 7 Online Resources to help you find freestyle music.

  • Creative freestyle questionnaire to help get your creative juices flowing!

  • Freestyle checklist to help you stay on track.

  • Blank arena diagram pages for you to take notes and draw your own choreography.

  • Rules to remember, arena & sound requirements, copyright laws and more!

I also offer CUSTOM FREESTYLE design and FREESTYLE WORKSHOPS. Click here to learn more. 

"Outlander" Inspired Routine - Bitless, Bridleless, and at Liberty

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I love watching the Outlander TV series and adore the soundtrack. The songs are dramatic, beautiful, and have a light-hearted quality that fits Douwe's personality really well. Douwe injured his knee a month before this event and I barely had a chance to ride him the week of the show. I brought Rovandio with us as a backup and ended up performing both of them and they felt great. I tend to be more creative on a deadline so I found myself putting together a brand new routine just days before the show, editing the music and pulling together a costume from my collection. I am so happy with how the routine turned out and Douwe really enjoyed himself. We even popped in a few tempi changes even though we haven't practiced those in months! The music gives me goosebumps to ride to and I am looking forward to the next time I can perform this routine. 

Article in "the Friesian" Magazine- My Top 7 Training Struggles with my Friesian Horse Douwe

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I wrote this article for "the Friesian" magazine that is created by the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA). They send out a quarterly magazine to their members and this was included in their January/February issue (2015). They were very gracious to let me share the article on my blog. I want to send out a big THANK YOU to the editor Laurie Bell for creating such a beautiful article layout with all the photos. This article is under copyright of FHANA and cannot be shared without their permission. There is a list of resources and links that I mention in the article located at the bottom of the post.

Please visit their website if you want more information about the Friesian Breed and their organization: http://www.fhana.com/

Included in this article:
Dr. Cook Bitless Bridle: http://www.bitlessbridle.com/
Falcyyr Film (Ahura Diliiza): https://www.facebook.com/falcyyr
Custom Tack Created by Lisa Oberman: http://elsuenoespanol.com/store/
Isaac Royal Academy of Equestrian Arts (Carolyn Rose): https://www.facebook.com/pages/Isaac-Royal-Training-Center-of-Classical-Dressage/321529202925
Heidi Herriot Trick Training: http://www.heidiherriott.com/
Lydia Rose Bellydance: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaRoseBellyDance?ref=br_tf
Custom Breeches Worn in Falcyyr made by Aanstadt-Das: https://www.facebook.com/aanstadtdasbreeches
Safe Haven Farm in Durham, ME: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Safe-Haven-Farm/272054486150539