All Souls Night

The appluads for the pair leaving the arena faded out, following their music having stopped a miunute or so before, their program having ended.
But there didn't seem to be anything to replace them. The audience, as well as the riders that were watching, started looking about, turning their heads first this way, then that. Still, there was no sight of the next entrant...had there been a last minute withdrawl?
Even more strange than the missing participant were the random drifts of mist - or at least what seemed like mist, that were creeping into the showgrounds.
When the music started, low, but increasing in volume as the heartbeats ticked by, the swirls of mist - dancing and writhing almost on their own - were illuminated by the show's lights.
Appearing out of the dark, the big friesian stallion walked, his motions collected but every muscle quivering with pent up energy and power.
Seranthiem urged the giant into a slow high stepping half trot as the music picked up the pace.




Music: All Soul's Night by Loreena McKennitt

For the Dressage Exchange held at Dark Lakes Stable

Seranthiem riding 's Prince
Music: All Soul's Night by Loreena McKennitt
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I'm really proud of this. Not only did I manage to paint a non arabian looking like a non arabian but the result even looks muscely - sweet.
This is also a great experiement in lighting effects (both on the horse and background). Normally I'm very reluctant to use a lot of highlights, making my palette a bit limited. I made the horse and rider first, and the background seperately - so when I put them together I had to tone down. I might put up the horse and rider in a seperate deviation to show the difference.
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Reference:
horse and rider: Friesian 8

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challenge: