Sandra Beaulieu - Art on Horseback Live Painting Demo Benefits Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Program in Maine

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Photo credit: Sun Journal reporter Daryn Slover

Photo credit: Sun Journal reporter Daryn Slover

Rovandio and I performed a live painting demo at the Healing Through Horses Professional's Expo held in New Gloucester, ME. 100% of the money raised from the sale of this painting went to Healing Through Horses. It is a non-profit organization that offers equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP). 

This was a memorable experience for me, since it was the first time my mother and grandmother were able to watch me paint in person. I also used my new art easel that was creatively built by my husband. We only had 40 minutes to create a painting from start to finish, with all the extra distractions that come with performing. It was a challenge to figure out all the logistics and I couldn't have done it without the help and support of my friends Elisha Harvey, Holly Baily, Taylor Burdin, and Sarah Kach.

“In the zen of the moment, living, breathing art, brush stroke upon brush stroke, hoofbeat upon hoofbeat. The horse forms the artist, the artist forms the horse, flowing, living, breathing art.”
— Bethanne Ragaglia

Congratulations Holly Bailey for winning the online auction for this painting! 100% of the sale went to Healing Through Horses towards their program and updating their facilities. Holly is one of my close friends in Tallahassee, FL. We had a lovely presentation dinner at Backwoods Crossing for Holly and her family and friends. She is now the proud owner of an Art on Horseback painting.

Sandra Beaulieu - Art on Horseback Live Painting Demo Benefits Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation Ranch

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Photo credit: Kimberly Chason of chason photos & art

Photo credit: Kimberly Chason of chason photos & art

Rovandio and I performed a live painting demo at the "Have a Heart" fundraiser to benefit the Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation Ranch (Triple R) of Tallahassee, FL. All money raised from the auctioned painting went to the Triple R organization. Triple R is a 100% volunteer organization that rescues abused, neglected, troubled, and abandoned equines and rehabs, retrains, and re-homes (or retires) them "in an environment of well-being and trust". Click here to read more about them.

Congratulations to Kathryn Gladwell for placing the winning bid! I got to know Kathryn over the winter months in Tallahassee, FL and I am so pleased that this painting is in her hands. 

This was a special experience for me since it was the first time Rovandio and I have painted before a live audience. We only had 45 minutes to create a painting from start to finish, with all the extra distractions that come with performing. It was a challenge to figure out all the logistics and I couldn't have done it without the help and support of my close friend Marsha Sapp. Thank you Marsha!

“In the zen of the moment, living, breathing art, brush stroke upon brush stroke, hoofbeat upon hoofbeat. The horse forms the artist, the artist forms the horse, flowing, living, breathing art.”
— Bethanne Ragaglia
photo credit: kimberly chason of chason photos & art

photo credit: kimberly chason of chason photos & art

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How to Ride Your Horse Bridleless - Helpful Tips & Techniques

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Taking off Douwe’s bridle during a performance. Photo credit: Laurie Sheppard

Taking off Douwe’s bridle during a performance. Photo credit: Laurie Sheppard

When I was young, I admired the girls that could leap on their horses bareback and ride around without a care in the world. I was too focused on my dressage training to let myself “play” with my horses. There was a part of me that really wanted that relationship with a horse.

The performances that brought me to tears were not the upper level dressage freestyles, but the routines performed bareback and/or bridleless. The idea that "less is more" really inspired me. When I bought Douwe (my Friesian gelding), I let myself have an open mind and no expectations. Once we developed a relationship I started riding him bridleless and he loved it. My horses have taught me so much that I would love to share my experiences with you.

Safety First!

For those of you who are like me, cautious and not overly risky, you will definitely need to prepare your horse, yourself, and your surroundings to start working bridleless. Make sure to wear a helmet and ride in a smaller, fully-enclosed space like a round pen. There are a few KEY things that need to be in place before you attempt your first ride without a bridle. They are:

  1. Independent Balance! To communicate clearly and effectively with your horse (with or without a bridle) you need to have good balance. You should be comfortable and confident at the walk, trot, and canter with NO STIRRUPS and with NO HANDS.

  2. A Trusting Relationship: I do not recommend riding an unfamiliar horse without a bridle or even your own horse if you do not already have a deep, long-standing relationship with them. If there have been circumstances in your past where your horse bolted, bucked, or reared and the two of you have not fully worked through those issues, I suggest you put more time into your relationship before beginning the bridleless process.

  3. A Solid WHOA! Make sure you practice the halt, a lot! Your horse needs to be responsive to your voice/seat cue (there is that clear communication) so that you can feel confident that your horse will stop whenever you ask. That is why I use treats when I ask Douwe to halt (he is a food-oriented fellow). I use my voice in the rolling r noise and he halts and gets a treat. This method is similar to clicker training except I am using my voice for the cue.

  4. Bitless or Halter: See if you can ride in a bitless bridle or just a halter before you take the bridle off completely. Take as much time as you need to feel comfortable with these other options.

What techniques can you use?

I have learned a few different ways to ride a horse bridleless. You will probably know right away which method will work for your horse depending on his individual reactions.

Whip Steering: This is the method I used with Douwe. He seems most responsive having a visual guide for the turns. I have been using two whips and recently dropped down to just one. This technique will not work if your horse is scared/nervous of whips. Here is a video of Douwe performing bridleless in our "Wings of Isis" routine. You can see how I use the wings to help him steer. I was so pleased with his overall performance! He was a good boy!

Neckrope

You can teach your horse to "whoa" from the pressure of a neck rope, also referred to as a “cordeo”. I have begun riding Rovandio bridleless using a neckrope because he needs more input from me to help with his balance. Douwe would prefer that I just left him alone and not use anything related to pressure. To begin with, I rode Rovandio with a neckrope at the same time I was riding with the bridle. I incorporated halts from my voice/seat with some pressure on the neckrope. Once he halted, I released the pressure and gave him a treat. You can use a variety of different "ropes", some horses react better to a stiffer rope and others something softer. Click here to watch an inspiring example of bridleless riding with a neckrope with Alizee Froment and Mistral. She starts off with a bitless bridle and then takes it off and does all the Grand Prix movements bridleless! Scroll down for examples of neckropes and where to buy them online.

Hand Signals

If you have an exceptionally obedient, sensitive horse you can teach them to move away from hand pressure. For example, you would rub/push your right hand forward onto the right side of the neck to ask him to turn left and vice versa. If your horse easily moves away from pressure this can be a good cue. Click here to watch Karen Rolf and her horse Monty use hand signals while riding bridleless. You will enjoy watching this video because it shows the horse doing the same movements at liberty, under saddle and bridleless.

Seat & Leg

If your horse is completely tuned into your seat and legs you can use these cues, along with your voice if needed. Some horses turn beautifully off the leg and weight aids, especially if they are well-balanced and highly trained. It will help you stay very mindful and consistent with your aids. It is important to have a clear reinback cue to help balance your horse off the forehand. Many of the western riders will use the legs towards the shoulders for reinback and that can translate into a half halt while you are in motion as well. Click here to watch an awesome video of Stacy Westfall riding bareback and bridleless using just her seat and leg. She performs their reining freestyle bareback and bridleless! Awesome job!

My neck rope is a simple cotton rope from the hardware store that I spray painted black to match Douwe’s coat. Photo Credit: Kimberly Chason

My neck rope is a simple cotton rope from the hardware store that I spray painted black to match Douwe’s coat. Photo Credit: Kimberly Chason

Where to Buy a Neckrope

Here are different examples of neckropes, also known as a “cordeo”, that you can use with your horse. You can also use a stirrup leather or simple rope from the hardware store to get started. I buy plain cotton rope from the hardware store and then spray it black to blend in with my horse’s coat.

Custom Leather Cordeo

This elegant cordeo is handmade in Denmark by Frida Josephine Nielsen. Not only is the center stone beautiful, it also keeps the cordeo centered on your horse by adding some additional weight. She has a variety of stones you can choose from.

Frida includes an adjustable strap and finishes it off with a square, Spanish cortezia buckle. You can choose whether you would prefer silver or brass for your buckles.

Riding with leather will give you a similar feel to your leather reins and it is also easy to keep clean. Her unique designs would be easy to incorporate with a costume.

Click here to view the different leather options from ChromaCrafts.

Yarn Neckrope with Adornments

If you prefer a soft and flexible feel, then yarn might be a good choice for you. Yarn has a subtle texture for the perfect grip and just a touch of give to ensure comfort against the skin. These are handmade by EQEquineArt on Etsy. She is also an equine bodyworker and incorporates crystals and gemstones to help your horse improve relaxation or energy.

These neckropes are also reminiscent of a mala; which is a wearable reflection of a personal journey, often used in mantra meditation they are a reminder of the connection to a deeper source. When you hold the cordeo (neckrope) to communicate with your horse you will be reminded of this sacred connection and privilege.


Click here to view more themes such as Boho, Winter, Autumn Equinox, and Starry Night to name a few.

Braided Cord Neckrope

If you want something simple, strong, and durable, check out these braided cord neckropes made by Beaux Equestrian. They are braided with 9-strands for thickness and added strength. She makes them in a wide variety of bright, vibrant, and unique colors so you are sure to stand out!

She also has a wide variety of sizes available ranging from Shetland/Pony to Full/XFull. They take extra pride in reusing and recycling their packaging to have less impact on the environment. If you follow them on Instagram (@beaux_equestrian) you can see some beautiful photos of their neckropes in action.

Click here to view their full range of size and color options on Etsy.

I hope you are able to enjoy a wonderful partnership and connection with your horse riding without a bridle. I also have a blog post about riding bareback if you would like to learn more and see my recommendations for bareback pads. Email me at beginthedance@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.

Sandra Beaulieu Performs at Elysium Sport Ponies Fall Fun Day with Douwe and Rovandio

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I had a wonderful time performing with the horses at Elysium Sport Ponies Fall Fun Day with Douwe, Rovandio and Lydia Rose Spencer. The weather went from hot and humid all week to cold and windy overnight so all the horses were a little on edge. Rovandio was well behaved considering this is just his third time performing away from home. He is going to the Equine Affaire, Inc. (Official) next month and that will be his big debut in front of a larger audience.

Lydia and I changed our routine slightly to incorporate her fan veils and our loooonnnng blue veil that we used with Douwe a few years ago. We changed our color scheme and our entrance music. We only practiced the week before because the filming for Falcyyr has had us busy, out in the fields getting the horses ready for their group scene. We had some really nice moments in our routine and then other parts we goofed but overall I was happy. Rovy was anxious to get started at the beginning and wouldn't stand still but his focus was awesome once he got moving.

Riding Rovandio with Lydia Rose Spencer dancing. The long veil is harder to manage but it is beautiful in motion! Photo taken by Laurie Harvey's assistant Kaitlyn.

Riding Rovandio with Lydia Rose Spencer dancing. The long veil is harder to manage but it is beautiful in motion! Photo taken by Laurie Harvey's assistant Kaitlyn.

My routine with Douwe and Rovy came out pretty well, Douwe decided to add a new move where he took his front feet off the pedestal and left his hind feet up....not something we practice!!! He is only allowed to get off the pedestal by backing up but he lost his balance and came off the front. But it was really cute because he paused long enough for me to ride around him and give him a loving pat on the haunches. Douwe got on the pedestal with all 4 feet for the first time in this routine and he also did a nice lay down in front of the audience. Rovy was a superstar when I left him on the pedestal to do some in-hand work with Douwe. He stayed there for the end of the routine and never moved a muscle! He is so reliable, I love both of them so much!

Douwe and Rovandio working together in their routine. Douwe was a little lazy for the canterwork but they had some nice transitions together. See the video at the bottom. Photo taken by Laurie Harvey's assistant Kaitlyn.

Douwe and Rovandio working together in their routine. Douwe was a little lazy for the canterwork but they had some nice transitions together. See the video at the bottom. Photo taken by Laurie Harvey's assistant Kaitlyn.

Douwe was really good in his wings routine, relaxed and slow enough for me to push him a little bit. I was concerned that the wind and the weird noises from the roof would make him a little on edge but he was chilled out after working him at liberty. We performed bridleless again and he also did his flying changes pretty well. His rein back had a little more energy to it this time and his slow spin was even.

Douwe bridleless with his wings. Photo taken by Laurie Harvey's assistant Kaitlyn.

Douwe bridleless with his wings. Photo taken by Laurie Harvey's assistant Kaitlyn.

Please follow Elysium Sport Ponies on Facebook for upcoming events:
https://www.facebook.com/ElysiumSportPonies
To see more photos from this event click here to see my PHOTO GALLERY.

Here is a highlight video of my routine with Rovandio and Douwe together. Thank you Kaylee Clark for videotaping for me!
 

Related posts

Friesian Horse Performs at Liberty with Andalusian ridden by Sandra Beaulieu

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"Follow your dreams.
They know the way."
                                            -Kobi Yamada

This video show highlights from our routine at the 2014 Fall Fun Day held at Elysium Sport Ponies in Dover-Foxcroft, ME. I am riding Rovandio bitless and bareback, with Douwe at liberty. The boys were very good and Douwe got on the pedestal with all 4 feet for the first time performing. He also performed a nice lay down at the end of the routine, while Rovandio stayed perfectly still on the pedestal. Each horse has their own strengths and these two complement each other very well. Enjoy!

Wearing this special shirt tells the world that you LOVE horses and you BELIEVE that riding is a Dance, not a push/pull sport that views the horse as a machine. YOU are a dancer at heart and wearing this shirt will INSPIRE others and remind you why you love the dance. 

Sandra Beaulieu Painting on Horseback

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"In the zen of the moment
living, breathing art
brush stroke upon brush stroke
hoofbeat upon hoofbeat.
The horse forms the artist
the artist forms the horse
flowing, living, breathing art."
                              -Bethanne Ragaglia

Two years ago I was inspired with an idea... a way to combine my two passions, dressage & art. I wondered if it was possible to create a painting from the back of a horse. Hard work, creativity and patience brought my dream into reality! It is so amazing to see the results of a vision come to life. I hope that my journey will inspire others to follow their dreams. This video was made by a small group of amazing interns at the Innovation Center run by the University of Maine. Thank you to Matthew Bullard, Christine Le, Courtney Norman and Jacob Pelkey for their hard work and enthusiasm!

Related Art on Horseback Videos:

Painting for Have a Heart Fundraiser to benefit Triple R Horse Rescue: To learn more about this painting, click here.

Creating a commissioned painting, "Nicole's Dream". To request a commission, email: beginthedance@gmail.com

Originals and more information available at ArtonHorseback.com

(or click the image below)