Improve Your Ride with a Positive Attitude! 6 Tips to Help You Focus & Relax

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Horse are incredibly sensitive creatures, they rely on their instincts for their overall safety. If they sense an uncomfortable situation their "fight or flight" mentality comes into play.  Horses will teach you the incredible power of your emotions and how to harness your personal energy. If you arrive at the barn in a negative mood, frustrated or tired, the horse will sense that as weakness and feel uneasy. If you approach their stall in a great mood, confident, and looking forward to your ride then they will be more interested in their work. Put yourself in your horse's shoes...if your owner/rider was tense and frustrated you wouldn't be that excited to go trot and canter circles over and over again would you? It took me many years for this to really sink in. I spent so many rides in frustration at my inability to improve. I am a type-A, goal oriented person and learning to train a horse doesn't exactly go according to plan. I broke down in tears more times than I care to remember. I tried too hard and let myself think negatively about my skills. This blocked my ability to relax and really feel my horse. Timing comes when the rider can truly be "in the moment" with their horse. You must focus and read the horse's body language to react quickly and correctly. If you are constantly thinking negative thoughts such as, "I am never going to get this." "The other riders look good, why can't I do it?" "This is too hard, why won't my horse just do it!" "He always spooks in that corner." "I always get tight in the flying changes."

What you think about materializes into reality so be careful! If you constantly repeat any negative thoughts they will continue to be a problem in your riding. You must learn to take a negative thought and turn it into a positive one. For example: "I am never going to get this!" can turn into "This is hard but I am going to master it!" You are recognizing the difficulty but encouraging yourself to push on and believe that you can do it. We can only accomplish what we truly believe is possible.

3 Tips to Help You Focus:

  • Surround you and your horse in an imaginary bubble. Imagine that you and your horse are enclosed in a quiet, safe place. Almost like an invisible force field that protects you from outside, negative energy. I try to feel that my aura is merging with my horse's aura, creating a highly positive force field.
  • Close your eyes.  Don't allow your eyes to wander towards the on-lookers or the other riders if they intimidate you or make you feel inferior. That will only make you self-concious and your ride bad, the opposite result that you actually want! Try closing your eyes for a few strides, feel the horse moving with you, or focus on the horse's ears, notice if his attention is on you. The better you can filter out the unnecessary thoughts and distractions, the more sensitive you will be to the finer details of riding your horse.
  • Ride a pattern. Pick a dressage test that you and your horse are familiar with and ride through it. This gives you something to focus on and relays confidence to your horse because you are certain where you are going. Often times riders wander around the arena aimlessly and never really know if their horse is truly on the aids.

3 Tips to Help You Relax:

  • Have NO Expectations. I have found over the years that I ride better when I have NO expectations of how my ride will go. I am not focusing on a specific test for scores for an upcoming show...I am simply riding my horse, working on weaknesses and enjoying our strengths. Horses do not have an agenda and they certainly do not always agree with the rider every day. Try to be aware of how your horse is feeling and tailor your ride accordingly.
  • Take your time in warm-up.  Rushing your warm-up is a key to disaster! Your warm-up should be based on rhythm and relaxation. I always start with a free walk on a long rein to allow the horse and myself to warm up together. I like to feel my hips open, my legs relax and then feel the back of the horse swinging with a relaxed topline. Make sure your basics are intact, the energy is good, the swing through the back is there, and your horse is supple before you attempt the harder movements.
  • Smile! The simple act of smiling can also change your attitude. If you are becoming negative and over-focusing on a problem I suggest taking a walk break (very important for the horse as well if he is frustrated). Try to find something in your mind, in another horse/rider, or in your surroundings that you think is positive. Recognize it and smile, appreciate the positive and then pick up your reins and go back to your ride. This is also a great opportunity to breathe deeply and release tension in your back and shoulders.

I hope these suggestions help you Begin the Dance with your horse. If you have any other tips to help riders develop a positive attitude please leave a comment below! Or you can email me with any comments or questions at beginthedance@gmail.com. 

How to Develop Soft Elbows - Seven Tips for Horseback Riders

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I'd like to start this post with quotes from Nuno Oliveira, as I believe he says it best:

"In the trot, the hip has to trot, not the hand."

"One has to have an immobile hand with mobile fingers."

"Every rein aid must be preceded by an action of the torso. Otherwise you only address the horse's head."

"The hand should be a filter, not a plug or an open faucet."

-(Vol 3. 1998. "Notizen zum Unterricht von Nuno Oliveira"-  a compilation of notes that several of his students took after lessons and conversations with him.)

For more about Nuno Oliveria, CLICK HERE.

I believe the most important element of having a soft connection between your hand and the horse's mouth is the elbows. The rider's hands should be soft, the forearms relaxed, and the elbows bent and moving forward and backward in a fluid motion. 

Common Faults:

  • Moving the hands up and down instead of receiving the energy back into the elbow.
  • Pulling the hands towards the belly and rounding the upper back.
  • Holding the forearm muscles tightly with clenched hands.

Any of the common faults listed above will create resistance in the horse's mouth. All of these habits reveal an inefficiency in the use of the elbows. If you brace, the horse will brace. If you break the connection to the elbow, the horse will break his connection and come above or behind the vertical. I also find that the hands coming towards the belly creates a mental and physical block where, instead of keeping their seat moving within the horse's center of balance, the rider ends up pulling the seat towards the back of the saddle.

A simple solution is to practice riding with the hands approximately hip-width apart and keeping the elbows bent. This opens up a space for the seat to "go through" your hands and keep a correct position. Sometimes just changing your mind and imagining that the horse's top-line is a channel will help keep your hands in the correct position ("mind over matter").

Sandra Beaulieu and Rovandio showing a Second Level Musical Freestyle. Photo taken by Spotted Vision Photography. 

Sandra Beaulieu and Rovandio showing a Second Level Musical Freestyle. 
Photo taken by Spotted Vision Photography. 

I know how hard it is to have soft hands! For years I wanted to keep a tight, steady contact on the horse's mouth.  I would finish riding and my arms would be tired and sore from holding them tense throughout my ride.  It has taken over a decade of riding to develop softness and the feeling of lightness in my hands. Mentally I was trying too hard and the tension came from frustration. When I became more confident and relaxed in my riding I was able to feel softness in my reins. Our arms will also reveal a lot about our security and confidence as a rider. If you are tight on the reins that typically means that there is some insecurity or fear related to being out of control. Other times it just has to do with a lack of balance, and the arms will bounce or tighten up as a result.  Quiet hands will come from a quiet seat, quiet mind and relaxed elbows.

7 Tips to improve your elbows:

  1. Have a friend hold your rein so you can practice gently pulling and giving, focusing on the bend in your elbows.
  2. Take a lunge lesson so you can ride without holding the reins. Practice keeping your elbows bent and mimic the actions of the reins, pulling and giving, keeping the motion smooth and relaxed.
  3. Keep space between your hands, generally hip-width works the best. This will help keep your elbows by your side.
  4. Have someone place a hand on the back of your elbow so you can practice pushing back against them. This will help if you tend to lock your elbows.
  5. Record your ride and review photos and/or video, focusing on the use of your arms. Watch for negative habits and tension. Try different arm positions in the video so you can make a connection between what you feel and what you see.
  6. Imagine your elbows weigh 100 pounds but your hands are light, this will help them to stay bent correctly.
  7. Gently wrap an elastic band around your elbows behind your back. One of the fitness bands you would use at the gym works really well. When your elbows drift too far away from your body you will feel the resistance.

I hope this information helps bring more awareness to your riding and improves the connection you have with your horse. If you would like to work with me to improve your riding join my new coaching group online. 

Join Sandra's New Online Coaching Group!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP

Happy Holidays from Douwe, Rovandio and Sera!

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We did an informal photo shoot with Douwe, Rovandio and our dog Sera for a holiday card. They are a huge part of our family and we wanted to share the holiday spirit with them. 

Rovandio and Sera are good friends! 

Rovandio and Sera are good friends! 

Douwe and Sera posing with the pedestal.

Douwe and Sera posing with the pedestal.

Douwe was a good boy to share his favorite toy, his pedestal, with Sera. 

Douwe was a good boy to share his favorite toy, his pedestal, with Sera. 

Merry Christmas from Sera! She doesn't look too impressed in this photo but it's cute anyway!

Merry Christmas from Sera! She doesn't look too impressed in this photo but it's cute anyway!

Sandra Beaulieu Performs Demos at the 2014 Equine Affaire

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I am so pleased to report that both Douwe and Rovandio did AWESOME in their demos this year! I also had my own booth and was so thankful to have the BEST helpers during the event that not only made everything go smoothly but we had a BLAST, lots of laughs and memories! So here is a daily run through of what we did at the Equine Affaire 2014!

Thursday: Demo at the Youth Pavilion
I schooled both horses in the morning and was really happy that Rovandio had settled in okay and was eating and drinking a lot. This was his first time to the Equine Affaire and only his second time being away from home overnight. Both horses were energetic when I exercised them. Later in the day, Douwe was the featured horse in the Friesian breed spotlight in the Youth Pavilion. He performed many of his tricks including smile, Spanish walk, rear, and standing on the pedestal. He was wonderful! What a ham! Both horses were in the Breed Pavilion to represent the IALHA Booth (International Andalusian Lusitano Horse Assoc.) and the IFSHA (International Friesian Show Horse Assoc.) Booth. Rovy was very tired and mostly just chilled out in the stall but Douwe was a big HAM and smiled for the passing crowds for over two hours! He loved it! Click on a photo for a slideshow and hover over the image for a description.

Friday: the Andalusian Demo
Today was the big day for Rovandio! We had a four-minute time spot in the Andalusian Breed Demo all to ourselves. Originally we were supposed to perform with my friend Lydia who usually dances with us. I thought that would give Rovy more confidence in front of the audience and be more exciting with the veils and dancer. Unfortunately Lydia found out she couldn't make it only days before we left! So I changed songs and made up a simple routine to the song "Sway" from the movie Shall We Dance. I have always loved that song and it matched the Spanish-themed costume I had for Rovy. I tried really hard to get into the Mallory building in the off-hours to let Rovy look at the arena but the schedule was tight and it didn't work out. But, he went into that unfamiliar ring with the big crowd all by himself and was excellent! I was so happy with him and we had a lot of fun performing. We had so many wonderful comments from people about how we were really dancing together and how awesome it was to see a dressage horse being ridden bitless. We were riding in the Beta Bridle by Dr. Cook Bitless Bridle, who generously helped sponsor me at the Equine Affaire. Click on a photo for a slideshow and hover over the image for a description.

Saturday: the Friesian Demo
Douwe's big day! The Friesian Demo! I decided to use our pedestal as a way to help keep him focused if the audience made him nervous. It worked really well because when we first trotted around the arena he was tense and strong. After I had him step onto the pedestal he seemed to be more focused on me and his tricks rather than on spooking at the audience. He was expressive in his Spanish walk, reared a few times, and then I hopped off so that I could ask for the lay down. I am SO happy with him and how he performed throughout the event. Thank you Elisha Harvey for taking a video clip of the demo for me! Click on a photo below for a slideshow and hover over the image for a description.

Thank you to my sponsors!
Dr. Cook Bitless Bridle
They have supported me ever since I started riding Douwe and Rovandio in their bitless bridles. I have used their Beta bridles and the Padded English Leather bridles on both horses and like them both for different reasons. The Beta is easy to clean and is soft right out of the box. The leather bridle is awesome once the high-quality leather breaks in and has a lovely shine. I sell these bridles on my website in the TRAINING section. Click here to see the bridles.

El Sueno Espanol
Lisa Oberman has made two gorgeous bridle & breastcollar sets for me that I have used in two films that my horse has been in, one called Essential Realism and the other Falcyyr. You can read about these films in the Film & TV category on my blog. She is able to make custom bridles for me so I can keep riding them bitless in films and performances. She posts some gorgeous spanish saddles and tack on her Facebook page, click here to follow her.

Aanstadt-Das Deerskin Breeches
I have worn Sonya's deerskin breeches for many years and she recently made a custom pair for the film I am acting in called Falcyyr. To see photos of those breeches click here. I also wore a black pair of full seat deerskin leather breeches in my demos at the Equine Affaire. You can't really see them in most of the photos because I have big skirts on but the breeches kept me comfortable in the saddle. Click here to check out their website.

Thank you to my friends & family at the Equine Affaire!
Without the help of my friends/grooms Elisha Harvey, Sue French and Hannah French I think I would have gone crazy! There was so much to do with a booth and two horses at the event. Elisha does an excellent job trailering my horses to special events and she is also a dressage trainer and does cowboy mounted shooting at her stable Elysium Sport Ponies. Sue French operates Lincoln Pony Pals, lesson barn in Lincoln, ME and her daughter Hannah is an excellent rider and trainer. Having experienced help is so important! I am also very lucky that my mother Peggy and my mother-in-law Bethanne were able to come for the weekend. They helped sell products in my booth and Bethanne had a great time watching her horse Rovandio be in his first big demo at the Equine Affaire! And a big THANK YOU to Danielle Barrasso for letting me stable Douwe and Rovy in her aisle in the C-Barn. She also organized the Friesian Demo and helps me a lot at the event. Thank you to Brenda Hammer for organizing the IALHA booth and I had a great time chatting with her when Rovy was in the breed pavilion. Overall the event was a huge success and I had a great time!
 

Behind the Scenes on Falcyyr: Working in the Rain!

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As the winter weather approaches it is becoming more difficult to finish the scenes for the film. Ahura Diliiza, the director, needed a scene with my character Artemis and his character Thor. Both of our characters are training the Valkyrie in the film. It was a short scene that we did last Saturday but hard to do because of the weather. It was very cold and rainy. My costume is not exactly meant for cold weather either!!! After an entire day of preparation (makeup/hair starting at 10:30 in the morning) we only fit in about a half hour of filming before it was too dark and rainy outside. Such is the nature of filming!! Here are a few photos taken by Sinari Diliiza.

Keeping warm while they set up the camera for our scene. You can't see the rain but that is why they needed the umbrella. Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures

Thor yelling at the sky!!! Go away Rain!! It was pretty miserable outside. Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures

Progress through the scene, there is one part where I scold Thor and then make my Artemis crazy eyes. :) Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures

Behind the Scenes of Falcyyr: The Ride of the Valkyries!

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The costumes turned out beautifully and Ahura and his film crew handmade the amazing armor pieces for the head, arms and legs:

left to right: Myself, Kaylee Clark, Lydia Spencer, and Elisha Harvey wearing our costumes for the first time. Photo taken by Unicovia Pictures.

left to right: Myself, Kaylee Clark, Lydia Spencer, and Elisha Harvey wearing our costumes for the first time. Photo taken by Unicovia Pictures.

I love this photo of Rovandio getting tacked up for filming. His tack was made by Lisa Oberman of El Sueno Espanol. Photo taken by Unicovia Pictures.

I love this photo of Rovandio getting tacked up for filming. His tack was made by Lisa Oberman of El Sueno Espanol. Photo taken by Unicovia Pictures.

Filming a scene like this takes hours of preparation. The film crew arrived at my house around 10:30 AM and we were ready to head over to the barn around 1:00 PM. I had bathed Rovandio in the morning while Lydia Rose Spencer and Kaylee Clarke schooled their horses. Elisha Harvey trailered her horse, Thor, over to Isaac Royal Farm around 10:00 AM.

We were each playing stunt doubles for the other actresses so most of the shots would avoid close-ups of our faces. Lydia had wigs from the Isaac Royal Equestrian Theater for her and Kaylee's characters that have black hair.

I was playing Sinari Diliiza's character as Brunhilda, head of the Valkyrie. She is the main character in the movie. I chose to ride Rovandio because he is more reliable and manageable than Douwe in open fields, galloping with other horses.

Lydia Rose on Zeppelin, leading the way up the pine trail. Photo taken by Unicovia Pictures.

Lydia Rose on Zeppelin, leading the way up the pine trail. Photo taken by Unicovia Pictures.

It was damp and chilly when we took the horses out to the woods and Elisha's horse Thor was quite hyper! He is normally a very lazy horse, but today he was ready to go and not fond of the repetitive walking scenes. We started by walking down the trail past the cameras many, many times so they could film the horses from multiple angles. It was great for the other horses to start out slowly and work our way up to the galloping scene. We did some trotting shots and also cantering our favorite trail we call "the Pines". This field is on my property and is picturesque with planted pine trees all around the slightly uphill trail. The leaves were covering the ground so it was still beautiful even though the trees were a little sparse from all the rain and wind we had last week.

The director, Ahura, had us stay side by side, starting from a halt, then a few steps walk, trot and away we went! The horses were well-behaved, though Lydia's Friesian mount, Zeppelin, through in a buck.

It is hard to see us but this shot shows us galloping by Ahura as he films the close-ups. Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures.

It is hard to see us but this shot shows us galloping by Ahura as he films the close-ups. Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures.

After the horses were done with the galloping scene he needed to get close-ups of the real actresses on the horses for their lines. It was interesting to watch the horses' reactions...when Ahura would say, "Action" they would stand perfectly still and almost hold their breath! It only took a few tries to get the scene the way he wanted it.

Awesome photo of Sinari Diliiza on Rovandio. She was the actress that I played stunt rider for in the galloping scene. Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures.

Awesome photo of Sinari Diliiza on Rovandio. She was the actress that I played stunt rider for in the galloping scene. Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures.

The horses were very patient and seemed content to much on grass in between takes. It was a lot of fun and I think everyone enjoyed it!

Filming the close-ups. Left to right: Ahura Diliiza filming, Kaylee Clark on Gambit, Lydia Spencer on Zeppelin, Sinari Diliiza on Rovandio, Taus on Thor and Elisha Harvey hiding while holding the horse! Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures

Filming the close-ups. Left to right: Ahura Diliiza filming, Kaylee Clark on Gambit, Lydia Spencer on Zeppelin, Sinari Diliiza on Rovandio, Taus on Thor and Elisha Harvey hiding while holding the horse! Photo credit: Unicovia Pictures

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. 

Falcyyr Movie: Filming with Douwe & Rovandio

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So for our second day of filming (with the horses) we worked on the teaching scene. The director, Ahura Z. Diliiza, brought his filming crew to Isaac Royal Farm for the day. I bathed the horses first thing in the morning and then we had makeup/hair from 10:30-1:30 and filming from 2:00-6:00. It was a cold, windy day but the horses behaved very well and everything went smoothly. In the scene my character, Artemis, is instructing the main characters how to ride a horse. Douwe and Rovandio were very well behaved as the riders mounted and dismounted many times in the paddock area and out in the field. Sinari (who plays Brunhilda in the film, the leader of the Falcyyr) was able to ride Douwe by herself in the field and get some shots of her walking and trotting. With my help she was able to do some Spanish walk and even rear! She has had the most riding experience of the group and fulfilled her dream of riding a Friesian! The hardest part was the keep her from giggling when the camera was rolling! I was a little nervous when Sinari rode Douwe by herself in the field but Douwe had his game face on and stayed focused. He did an excellent job of posing for the camera and Ahura commented that he was a camera hog! We are filming a few more times with the horses and will hopefully get all the footage needed before the fall foliage is gone. To see more photos please visit the PHOTO GALLERY. A big thank you goes out to Lisa Oberman of El Sueno Espanol for designing and creating the beautiful bridle and breastcollar that Douwe is wearing. She designed it to match my costume and I think it looks amazing! I am also wearing custom deerskin breeches made by Aanstadt-Das Breeches that were made for the film. Click here to check out their Etsy listing for these specific movie breeches.

Check out more information about Falcyyr on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/falcyyr?ref=br_tf
Visit El Sueno Espanol on Facebook to see more of her gorgeous tack!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/El-Sue%C3%B1o-Espa%C3%B1ol/148004241927777
Visit Aanstadt-Das on Facebook to see more of their custom breeches!
https://www.facebook.com/aanstadtdasbreeches

Teaching Sinari how to ask for Spanish Walk...Douwe decided that he would like to do that instead of trot!

Teaching Sinari how to ask for Spanish Walk...Douwe decided that he would like to do that instead of trot!

Sinari had fun riding Douwe's rear while I asked from the ground. Douwe doesn't go up too high so it isn't as intimidating to ride.

Sinari had fun riding Douwe's rear while I asked from the ground. Douwe doesn't go up too high so it isn't as intimidating to ride.

Getting Douwe warmed up and used to his new bridle and breastcollar made by El Sueno Espanol.

Getting Douwe warmed up and used to his new bridle and breastcollar made by El Sueno Espanol.

Checking Sinari's stirrups. Isn't Douwe so cute!

Checking Sinari's stirrups. Isn't Douwe so cute!

Rovandio teaching his actress!!!

Rovandio teaching his actress!!!

First Day Filiming with Horses for FALCYYR

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We finally had our first day of filming at Isaac Royal Farm for the independent film Falcyyr. This was the first time that the director, Ahura Z. Diliiza, his wife Sinari, and the other actors have visited with the horses. The first scene that he wanted to work on was having my character, Artemis, introduce the Falcyyr to the herd of horses. The weather was up and down all day and ended up being SOOOO cold and windy when we headed out to the pasture. Our teeth were chattering and our hands were freezing but the show must go on! :) We had a hard time getting the herd to come to us at first, even though they usually gallop over to anyone that calls them. It was one of those crazy weather days and the horses were a bit spooky and hyper. And it didn't help that we suddenly appeared at the top of the hill in funny costumes! But the horses had a lot of fun galloping around us and showing off for the camera. Eventually, they came right up over the hill and approached us perfectly, lining up so that there was one horse per person. The sun came through the clouds and created a magical setting. It couldn't have been planned more perfectly! The horses obviously knew what would look the best on camera! :) We will be filming scenes with Douwe and Rovandio in the coming weeks and hopefully finish filming before it gets too cold!! My costume isn't meant for freezing temperatures!

Make sure to like Falcyyr on Facebook to see more photos & updates:
https://www.facebook.com/falcyyr

Thank you to Aanstadt-Das for donating my gorgeous breeches for this film. Please visit their website to view their amazing selection of custom deerskin breeches.
http://www.aanstadtdasbreeches.com/

My character, Artemis, introduces the Falcyyr to the herd of horses. This is Shen, a Lipizzan/TB gelding taking the role as the herd leader.

My character, Artemis, introduces the Falcyyr to the herd of horses. This is Shen, a Lipizzan/TB gelding taking the role as the herd leader.

My character calling the horses to us. We were in the beautiful fields of Isaac Royal Farm where I keep my horse Douwe. The views are spectacular!

My character calling the horses to us. We were in the beautiful fields of Isaac Royal Farm where I keep my horse Douwe. The views are spectacular!

The weather was touch and go but the sunrays that came through the clouds were gorgeous!

The weather was touch and go but the sunrays that came through the clouds were gorgeous!

Filming us at the top of the field overlooking the herd of horses below. The clouds were so beautiful!

Filming us at the top of the field overlooking the herd of horses below. The clouds were so beautiful!

In the beginning the director, Ahura Diliiza, had us run to the top of the hill before we called over the horses.

In the beginning the director, Ahura Diliiza, had us run to the top of the hill before we called over the horses.

First Art on Horseback Painting

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In 2012 I was inspired with an idea. Could I blend my riding skills and art skills together? Could I actually create a painting while I was riding a horse? It was in my mind for about two years before I tried it. It took that long to work out the logistics, how to hang the painting, what size to use, what types of brushes, tack for my horse, etc. I practiced with a few other canvases and this is my first official piece, "Prancing Water Horse":

This painting will always hold a special place in my heart. <3

This painting will always hold a special place in my heart. <3

This painting is made of two 36"x48" canvases to make a full 4'x6' canvas. The background was created with a paint roller at the trot and canter, using the movements of the horse to help mix the colors. I rubbed the paint onto the canvas directly with my hands and created the drips with a water bottle. I let the canvas dry and turned it upside-down before I painted the horse. My painting partner, Lipizzan/Andalusian gelding, Rovandio, and I had to work together in the collected movements so that I could paint while remaining in motion. We used piaffe, Spanish walk, collected canter, and rein-back. This painting is an expression of my passion for the art of riding. Please help me share my story so that I can help inspire others to turn their dreams into reality.

Art on Horseback

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)

Filming Update for Falcyyr

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I have been traveling to Standish, ME for filming just about every week so far this summer. Each session we work on a new scene and recently that has included some night scenes. The director, Ahura Diliiza, created a scene where my character (Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt) leads an initiation and celebration for the four main characters. We all had to learn a Gaia chant in a made up language along with dance choreography. Ahura composed the music/chant and it has a great beat to dance to. It took about 3 weeks of practice to perfect it as a group. We had some issues with the weather and a thunderstorm forced us to work inside with a green screen on one occassion. Here are some beautiful photographs during practice and filming courtesy of Unicovia Pictures. We just finished our last night scene for now and will be moving onto the next portion involving the other characters Thor and Athena.

Join the Falcyyr Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/falcyyr

In between takes...we have a little too much fun! There will be plenty of footage for the blooper reel! Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

In between takes...we have a little too much fun! There will be plenty of footage for the blooper reel! Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

Kazi fixes my makeup between takes. Every once in awhile I rub my chin and the design smudges....ahhh! Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

Kazi fixes my makeup between takes. Every once in awhile I rub my chin and the design smudges....ahhh! Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

Kazi taught us the choreography for the Gaia chant, here she is leading the group. And yes she is wearing one of my tee shirt! :) Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

Kazi taught us the choreography for the Gaia chant, here she is leading the group. And yes she is wearing one of my tee shirt! :) Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

Action shot during the Gaia chant dance. Not a flattering pose but at least you can see that we were really moving! :) Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

Action shot during the Gaia chant dance. Not a flattering pose but at least you can see that we were really moving! :) Photo courtesy of Unicovia Pictures.

Aanstadt-Das Custom Breeches for Falcyyr Film

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I want to thank Sonya Bergstrom of Aanstadt-Das Breeches for making these gorgeous deerskin breeches for me to wear in the film Falcyyr. These breeches really complete my costume for my part as Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. I have worn Sonya's breeches for many years and I LOVE the feel of a deerskin full seat. All of her materials are so comfortable and stretch in all directions. The deerskin is non-restrictive unlike other fullseat materials and it lasts forever. She sells her custom breeches on Etsy and has created a special listing for these movie breeches so you can buy your own pair!

Click here to see these breeches on Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/195930658/aanstadt-das-1k-falcyyrmovie-metallica?ref=listing-13

Click here to join Aanstadt-Das Breeches on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/aanstadtdasbreeches

Follow the film Falcyyr on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/falcyyr

Sandra Beaulieu Performs at Open House for Elysium Sport Ponies

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We had such a wonderful day at Elysium Sport Ponies open house this past Sunday on June 15th. Elysium is owned by Laurie & Elisha Harvey in Atkinson, ME. The facility includes an indoor arena with attached stalls. It is well set-up and clean with a lot of natural light in the stalls and the arena. Douwe and Rovandio really liked the open stalls so they could visit with each other and see everything that was going on. The demos started in the afternoon followed by a wonderful bar-b-que later in the day.

I rode Rovandio with Lydia Rose Spencer dancing and we did our "Music Box" routine. We added more color to our costumes and glitter to the pedestal to help it stand out more. Rovy was impatient to start but once the music began he was really focused. He loves to have a job! His flying changes were better today and he had a really high rear at the end.

For my final ride I rode Douwe in our "Wings of Isis" routine. Today was the first time I tried doing the routine without a bridle and he was fantastic! He even did his flying changes! Good boy! This was such a fun ride, he was with me the entire time, relaxed and enjoyed performing.

Rovandio and Douwe also did their "Liberty Dance" routine again and today Douwe really wanted to stay on the pedestal. At the Safe Haven demo he really wanted to roll and was distracted away from the pedestal but at Elysium that's all he wanted to do!! He is so funny!

You can see more photos from the event on the Elysium Sport Ponies Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ElysiumSportPonies

Awesome Website for Costume Corsets

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Would you like to dress up with your horse? Need a corset for your costume? I found this website last fall and have ordered at least 3 corsets from them already. Their steel boned corsets are really high quality and I love the way they look. The only downside to a steel-boned corset is they are impossible to get into by yourself! You need someone to help lace you in and it can be quite an ordeal! They also have corsets for every budget and sell different styles like steampunk (my favorite!) and burlesque. Check them out, I highly recommend this website!! Here are a few photos of the corsets I have purchased from them and incorporated into recent costumes. Elisha Harvey is also wearing a corset from their website (in the first photo).

Check out their website: http://www.corset-story.com/

First Day on Film Set for FALCYYR

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Today was my first day on set for the indie film FALCYYR. It took about 5 hours to complete hair, makeup, and put together the finishing touches to my costume. Ahura's wife Sinari did an excellent job with my hair and spent two hours curling it and braiding the top half. Kazi experimented with my makeup for a little while to come up with just the right look for my character. My costume looked amazing after the countless hours that Ahura put into redesigning my bow, quiver, bracers, half chaps, and corset. He also created my leather skirt and headdress from scratch! We will be doing more filming next week and the process should go a lot quicker next time. They were able to take some amazing photos during and after the filming so you can see what my costume looks like. It is pretty awesome! We worked on the scene where my character Artemis is introduced to the Valkyrie. We had a lot of fun and definitely got some awesome clips for a blooper reel! :)

Join their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Falcyyr/245021428904719?ref=br_tf

Ahura, the director, putting the final touches on my headdress. Photo Credit: Sinari Diliiza of Unicovia Pictures

Ahura, the director, putting the final touches on my headdress. Photo Credit: Sinari Diliiza of Unicovia Pictures

Costume for my part as Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. Photo Credit: Sinari Diliiza of Unicovia Pictures

Costume for my part as Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. Photo Credit: Sinari Diliiza of Unicovia Pictures

Costume for my part as Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. Photo Credit: Sinari Diliiza of Unicovia Pictures

Costume for my part as Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. Photo Credit: Sinari Diliiza of Unicovia Pictures

Amazing Oat Tarts made by Oats Any Time

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I had to share these amazing oat tarts made by my friend Lisa Giulianelli who owns Oats Any Time (OAT). I met Lisa through the Top Gun Entrepeneur Program this winter and she is so nice, positive and fun to be around.

O.A.T. Fruit Filled Crumb Tarts contain 12g of Protein, 45g of Whole Grains and are a good source of Soluble Fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, Magnesium & Selenium. These all aid in Healthy Hearts, Lower Cholesterol, and Weight Control and Help Prevent and Control Type II Diabetes. 

"My favorite is the apple cinnamon flavor!!" -Douwe

"My favorite is the apple cinnamon flavor!!" -Douwe

My personal favorites are the strawberry and blueberry flavors! I am hungry just thinking about them! One oat tart is like having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast!

Lisa uses only the highest quality nutritional ingredients; Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats grown with “pedigreed” seed stock and tested with an R5 ELISA gluten test to ensure the absence of gluten. Whole Almonds loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Pure Macadamia Nut Oil, both delicious and healthful, is 80% monounsaturated and free from trans-fat and cholesterol. “Nothing But Fruit” filling. 

I am addicted to these oat tarts and Douwe loves them too! Lisa gave me some extra tarts for Douwe...here he is eating one for the first time!

Top Gun Final Showcase in Portland

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After 5 months in the Top Gun Entrepeneur Program we ended with a final showcase held at the University of Southern Maine in Portland at the Abromson Center. Each business was given the option to present a 4 minute pitch to an audience including other business owners, investors, innovators, media and other professionals. After the 4 minute pitch we received 1 minute of feedback from a panelist assigned to us. I had been practicing my pitch for the past week and had it memorized but was still nervous about presenting to 300 people! The stage was really beautiful and there was a monitor on the floor so I could see what was displayed on my slideshow. I used the 4 minutes to share my new art project where I create a painting from the back of a horse. The Top Gun program encourages meaningfully unique ideas and I received so much positive feedback.

I would like to thank everyone involved in the Top Gun program including Jesse Moriarty and Jennifer Hooper for coordinating our Bangor group and connecting us with mentors. I had some wonderful mentors including Deb Neuman who has her own radio show Back to Business and Jeff Spaulding who gave me excellent legal advice. But I think the most valuable part of the program for me was meeting other business owners and sharing our struggles and our ideas together. The Bangor group included many wonderful businesses including Oats Any Time, Loyal Biscuit Co., Specialty Sweets, the Juice Cellar, Genotyping for America, and Twenty-Two Vodka. Please take a moment to check out their Facebook pages (click on their business name above).

Costume Update on the film FALCYYR

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I wanted to give everyone an update on the film FALCYYR that Douwe and I will be acting in this summer. Right now the director Ahura Z. Diliiza is working on my costume for my part as Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt. I bought a beautiful new corset and he is adding some armor to it as well as improving upon my bow, arrows, quiver and bracer from the film Essential Realism that we did last fall. I am also excited to announce that Lisa Oberman of El Sueno Espanol is making a custom bitless bridle and breastcollar for us to use in the film. Lisa made the beautiful bridle and breastcollar that I used in Essential Realism for Douwe, click here to see photos from that film shoot. The new set will be made of brown leather with gold medallions to match my new costume. I am also getting a custom pair of breeches from the fabulous Sonya Bergstrom of Aanstadt-Das Breeches. She is making something really special for me, I can't wait to show you photos when they arrive! Please check out her breeches on Etsy, click here. Filming will begin in a few weeks for me and then the scenes with the horses will be later in the summer.

Check out FALCYYR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Falcyyr/245021428904719

My new steampunk style corset. He will be adding some armor-like pieces and other details so I am more of a warrior goddess.

My new steampunk style corset. He will be adding some armor-like pieces and other details so I am more of a warrior goddess.

My newly improved bracers, quiver, arrows, bow and headdress.

My newly improved bracers, quiver, arrows, bow and headdress.

Director Ahura Z. Diliiza putting the final touches on my new bow.

Director Ahura Z. Diliiza putting the final touches on my new bow.

Handmade piece from one of the Valkyrie costumes.

Handmade piece from one of the Valkyrie costumes.