Art on Horseback - First Day Painting on Horseback!

What an exciting day! In 2012 I was inspired with an idea- a way to combine my two passions, dressage & art, into one. The first painting from horseback day I wanted to get Rovandio, a Lipizzan/Andalusian gelding owned by my mother-in-law, used to the hanging canvas, the table of paints, and the idea of going back and forth in front of the canvas. In addition to basic walk, trot, and canter I also use the piaffe and rein-back to work on the canvas. Rovandio is well-suited for this project because he is compact, smooth to ride, and sensitive. My Friesian gelding, Douwe's stride is too big and he isn't fine-tuned enough for me to do this.

I will be starting my first real painting soon and will be taking plenty of photos & video of the process to share with everyone. I am so excited to bring my vision into reality!

Practicing my brushstrokes while Rovandio does the piaffe.

Working on my technique with Rovandio at the Spanish walk.

Done for our first day!!! Can't wait for my next painting session!

Rovandio and Douwe Perform Together at Safe Haven Farm

To dance is to be out of yourself.
Larger, more beautiful, more powerful.
~Agnes De Mille
 

I am so pleased to share this video because it was Rovandio's first time performing away from home and the first time for all three of us to perform a liberty routine! Rovy was SUCH a good boy, relaxed, focused and loved the audience. Douwe did really well but had a few moments where he decided to do his own thing! But that is the challenge with liberty training and performing, I have to follow Douwe's lead as much as create the routine myself and be ready to adjust at a moment's notice. I can't wait to try it again! Enjoy!

Sandra Beaulieu Performs at Safe Haven Farm with Douwe and Rovandio

Rovandio & Douwe. Photo taken by Kim Stone.

What a wonderful first outing of the year! Douwe, Rovandio and I traveled to Safe Haven Farm in Durham, ME for their annual open house. There was a full schedule of great horses and riders from the area including jumping demos, sidesaddle dressage, cowboy mounted shooting, jousting, and much more. I rode Rovandio with my good friend Lydia Rose dancing in our first routine and then did a liberty ride with Douwe and Rovandio. This was Rovandio's first overnight trip away from home and he was wonderful. He was a little nervous and unsettled in his stall but when he got out in front of the audience he was 100% focused and relaxed. Last year the demos were in the large outside arena but the weather forced the riders and audience into the smaller indoor. We practice in a fairly small indoor arena at home anyway so the space wasn't an issue. The only hard part was that there was no warm-up and I only had a couple minutes to get on Rovy, do a few rounds of trot and canter and then start. I wasn't able to practice any of our harder movements so we could have done a much better job in the routine. But I was SOOO pleased at how relaxed Rovy was and how much he loved performing. There was absolutely NO tension in him at all, he knew what we were supposed to be doing and he watched Lydia dancing as well.

Good boy Douwe! Photo taken by Annette Begin Masselli.

In my second routine I rode Rovandio with Douwe at liberty in the arena. This was the first time I have shown any of our liberty training in public. I have had such a fun winter working these two horses together and every day they come up with new moves and teach me how to stay in the moment. Rovy was so relaxed that I was able to use my bareback pad on him (I am also riding him in a Dr. Cook Bitless Bridle). I prefer riding him in the bareback pad because I can feel his movements and keep his back swinging. Douwe was a really good boy except that he wanted to roll so he was a bit distracted...in hindsight I should have just let him roll at the beginning and then he might have focused better! But I knew that he would be happy to lay down so I was able to put that into the routine even though I hadn't planned on it. Most of the moves I hoped to show involved Douwe going on the pedestal which he usually LOVES to do but today he wanted to roll instead. Haha so you never know what you are going to get!! I want to thank Jennifer Poulin-Novaria for having her open house each spring and giving local riders the opportunity to perform for the local community.

Rovandio's First Time off the Farm!

Rovandio (aka Rovy) is owned by my mother-in-law, Bethanne Ragaglia. She has owned him since he was young and never needed to trailer him anywhere. This year (2014) I wanted to start taking him to shows with my Friesian gelding, Douwe, and using him for exhibitions. I wanted to make sure that he wouldn't be overwhelmed by the trailer or develop anxiety over the trailering process. My good friend, Elisha Harvey, trailered Douwe and Rovy to her barn, Elysium Sport Ponies, a few miles down the road from where Douwe and Rovy live, for me to see how Rovy would react to being off the property. With grass in his hay net and Douwe by his side we made the short trek to Elysium.

Rovy was a little excited when he unloaded but settled in like he had lived there forever! I was amazed at how well-behaved he was. I wasn't planning to do much with the horses, other than to let them free in the ring and take the time to relax, but within 5 minutes they were ready to do something. We practiced our routine where I ride Rovy and Douwe is at liberty. Elisha and Bethanne took some photos for me; her indoor ring has a lot of light so we were able to get some good shots. It was such a wonderful experience!

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Silver Lining Herbs Kidney Support Supplement

I wanted to share a wonderful product that I have been giving Douwe to help with his kidney issues. When I discovered that Douwe was experiencing discomfort related to his kidneys, I went searching online for supplements that might help with detox and kidney support. I was fortunate to find Silver Lining Herbs and their Kidney Support #37 supplement. This company produces high quality herbal supplements with years of experience and a long list of veterinarian recommendations. Here is the product description from the website:

Kidneys are another area where today's horses are put under extreme stress with a chemical environment. The kidneys primary function is to cleanse the blood and produce urine, which excrete wastes; due to the critical and body-encompassing nature of this job, improvement in kidney function will help restore and relieve a wide range of systems and symptoms. #37 Kidney Support helps maintain optimal kidney function, and may be beneficial in:

• General bladder and kidney issues
• Bone issues, such as calcium deposits, spurs, navicular etc
• Behavior issues such as general crankiness, poor haulers, general discomfort
• Performance issues such as avoiding hard stops and turns
• Fluid retention, "stocking up" in lower legs
• Looking at sides, abnormally frequent lying down, acting colicky but won't roll
• Mineral buildup in kidneys
• Muscle degeneration
• Soreness in back, joints or feet, or tight muscles
• Tendon, ligament or joint issues
• Toe pointing
• Won't relax, especially while being ridden

Active Ingredients: A proprietary blend of Marshmallow, Uva Ursi, Barberry, Garlic, Kelp, Parsley, Dandelion, Chamomile, Hydrangea and Juniper.

I bought the 60 day supply bag and am currently going through bag #2. Douwe's second saliva test showed that his kidneys are healing and that he is not experiencing discomfort anymore. When I contacted the company they recommended 1-2 bags but said that most horses do not need to stay on the supplement, it is meant to detox and heal the kidneys but isn't always needed once the process is complete. I have definitely noticed a big difference in Douwe's attitude and how he feels under saddle. I highly recommend this company and specifically this product.

Sandra & Douwe Cast in a new Film, FALCYYR!

I am excited to announce that Douwe and I have been cast in another Maine film called FALCYYR. My character is Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. Filming will begin this May in Standish, ME. I met the director, Ahura Diliiza on the set of Frost Bite, a film directed by Alan Dillingham. I was cast as a news reporter in a scene with Ahura, in which he played one of the main characters. Douwe will also be in some of the scenes that will be filmed during the summer months. I am looking forward to practicing my acting skills, learning some sword fighting, wearing some great costumes and of course...riding my beautiful horse in another film!

Plot Outline (taken from the Falcyyr Facebook page):
Five women are chosen by the Fates at the request of Odin (the Great All-Father of the Nordic gods) to be trained, empowered and transformed into legendary beings known as Valkyrie. These four women are chosen from different time periods and backgrounds as the gods are not limited by time and space. Each of them are plucked moments before the time of their demise and given a choice to serve Asgard and therefore the world of Earth, or be placed back within the grasp of oblivion. Once transformed they will save the earth from an aggressive alien race that views humanity as a source of food.

Please take a moment to like the Falcyyr movie page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Falcyyr/245021428904719

You can also visit their website with photos and blog posts from last year's filming. http://falcyyrmovie.com/

The director Ahura, shown in the photo, will be playing Thor the God of Thunder in this film. They have done some filing over the past few years and hope to finish by fall of this year, 2014.

Sandra Beaulieu Dressage - 365 Days of Tao, Daily Meditations

I received the book, 365 Days of Tao, Daily Meditations, as a gift from my mother-in-law, Bethanne Ragaglia. I thought today's meditation was appropriate for dressage riders; it talks about devotion.

"If we have devotion- total faith and commitment to our spiritual path- our determination will naturally build momentum. Fewer and fewer obstructions will come before us. Our path becomes like a crooked one made straight. No matter what tries to keep us from our purpose, we will not be deterred.

Proper devotion lies not simply in a headlong course. It also requires fortitude. Our bodies, our hearts, and our spirits must be totally concentrated upon what we want. Only by uniting all our inner elements can we have full devotion.

If we see our path clearly and our personalities are completely unified, then there is no distinction between the outer world and the inner one. Nothing is faraway anymore, nothing is not open to us. That is why it is said that the world is like a single point. So strong is devotion that there is nothing that is not part of it." ~Deng Ming-Dao

“To truly master the art of dressage requires a lifetime of devotion, hard work, and time in the saddle. It also asks that we be humble, aware, and listen to the horse.”

— Sandra Beaulieu

What do you think of this excerpt? Does this relate to anything in your life requiring devotion? Share with the Begin the Dance "tribe" and leave a comment below!

2011 Equine Affaire - Begin the Dance with Sandra Beaulieu - Face Painting

I thought it would be a great addition to my booth to offer artistic face painting. I was really busy on Friday and Saturday; I painted a total of 165 faces over the weekend! Luckily it wasn't too busy on Sunday so I was able to take a break and visit nearby booths. I really like painting on skin because it has a texture that makes it easy to blend the paints. I started each day painting my own face using a hand held mirror. That attracted attention as people would stop and watch, commenting on how difficult it must be to paint the image backwards. I had a lot of fun and it was well worth the effort to see all the kids' smiling faces! :)

Dressage horse with polo wraps.

This young girl wanted the same horse I had on my face.

Jumpers are fun because the kids can pick out what color they want on the poles.

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The last day I got all fancy and did a quadrille on my face.

Check Out My Art on Horseback:

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"Spirit Horse" Recycled Fleece Hoodie - Featured in Horse Illustrated - December 2010 Issue

Of all the products that I submit to magazines like Dressage Today and Horse Illustrated, the hoodie gets chosen consistently. The quality of the hoodie is obvious when you put one on. When you wear them and wash them and wear them again they maintain their fit and feel. I have been wearing my hoodie daily, if not at the barn and around town, I wear it around the house and to bed if it is chilly!

Spirit Horse Recycled Fleece Hoodie

These hoodies are made of recycled polyester and organic cotton. They are SUPER SOFT and addictive to wear to the barn, to school, to town, basically everywhere!

"Spirit Horse" Hoodie Featured in Dressage Today 2010 Holiday Gift Guide

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Yippee! The November issue of Dressage Today features my "Spirit Horse" Recycled Fleece Hoodie in their 2010 Gift Guide. They did a super job making the article fun to read and the pictures look great. Here is a copy of the first page.

Click on this link to view a larger version of both pages and read the entire article.

Spirit Horse Recycled Fleece Hoodie

These hoodies are made of recycled polyester and organic cotton. They are SUPER SOFT and addictive to wear to the barn, to school, to town, basically everywhere!