THE FRIESIAN
Shimmering black coat. Long, thick, flowing mane, tail and feathers.
Powerful, yet elegant movement. Power, grace, beauty & intelligence all
rolled into one big, black equine package. This is the Friesian.
The Friesian originates from the province of Freisland in the Northern
Netherlands, where it is regarded as a National Treasure. The Friesian is
one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe, with a long and varied history.
Some consider it ancient and claim the lineage can be traced back 3000
years.
They were originally bred as draft horses to work in farm & field and
transport goods. These horses were larger & stockier than the Friesian of
today, and could originally be found in a variety of colors from grey to bay
to chestnut. Over centuries they were selectively bred to produce only
black. Occasionally still, an odd chestnut Friesian foal will be born.
During the Middle Ages, Friesian horses were highly valued as war horses
throughout Europe since their size & strength enabled them to carry a knight
in full armor. After the Middle Ages came to an end, the breed almost died
out. According to legend, only two were left – a mare & a stallion. It is
said they were the foundation for preserving and bringing back the breed.
By the 16th and 17th centuries, there was no longer a need for heavy war
horses, since war weaponry and outfitting had changed. The Friesian then
found its popularity as a carriage horse. Andalusion blood was
 introduced
to lighten the breed and make it more suitable as an urban carriage horse.
Just prior to World War I, the Friesian was again on the verge of
extinction. Reportedly, there were only 3 Friesian stallions left. The
remaining Friesians were crossed with Oldenburgs to once again revive the
breed. During World War II, due to fuel shortages, the Friesian
again became popular as a working horse. In 1954 The Friesian was
honored by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, when she granted the Friesian
the right to use the term “Royal” in front of it’s name. In the mid 1960's,
the breed was again in danger of being lost, but breeders in Freisland,
persisted in promoting and preserving their National Treasure. In 1974
Europe began their first imports of Friesians to North America.
Today the Friesian is a very popular and sought after breed, world wide.
They excel as carriage horses, due not only to their strength & beauty, but
also there easy-going and adaptive nature. They are equally popular for
dressage, but some people keep them purely as pleasure & trail horses. They
are widely seen in parades and
other entertainment venues. They are probably Hollywood’s most sought after
horse. This is not only due to their beauty & elegance, but also to their
intelligence and temperament. The Friesian can be trained to exhibit a very
complex performance on the most subtle of cues. Friesians can be seen in "Ladyhawke”,
"Mask of Zorro”, "Interview with a Vampire”, “Indiana Jones & The Temple of
Doom” and “Eragon” (The Friesian in Eragon stayed at our farm for a
few days while participating in re-shot filming across the street.)
The typical Friesian is a friendly, easy-going gentleman with a clear sense
of humor. He may also tend to be a bit of worry-wart – but not typically
flighty. He is also very, very smart. Maybe even too smart. If he is not
kept in a regular work or training program, he will easily find ways to
entertain his always busy mind, and may get
 himself
in trouble. Friesians easily figure out how to manipulate their environment
& people. He is usually eager to learn and please, and retains lessons well.
However he may behave resentfully if he thinks he is not being treated
fairly. Friesians have a very strong sense of fair play. He is also a show
off. He is gorgeous (and a little egotistical), and knows it, and wants to
make sure every one around him knows it too.
He is a very easy keeper. The average weight is 1300 lbs – but may reach
over 1400 lbs. If a good balance of work routine and diet is not maintained
than obesity can quickly become a problem. His feet are large and hard with
deep frogs, thus prone to thrush, if not maintained properly. Of course the
color is (almost) always black with no white markings, all though a tiny
star is permissible – usually only a few hairs. He has a finely chiseled
head with an intelligent, expressive face and small ears set on a strong
shapely, upright neck. The chest is wide and well muscled. The back is long
and strong and the ribs
deep and well sprung. The hindquarters are powerful and well-rounded, with a
low set tail. The legs are thick, with good bone and heavy feathering,
sometimes reaching as far up as the knee joint. His elegant, yet well
muscled body is decorated with a very long, thick mane and tail, falling in
gentle waves. They are often braided to stay tangle free, then left loose &
flowing for shows. The ideal height is 15.3 hh, but may range from 14.2 to
17 hands. Mares must be at least 15.2 to qualify for a special 'ster”
rating, for breeding purposes.
The Friesian is a very strictly regulated breed with high standards. The
Friesian Registry (FPS) was founded in 1879, with one stallion. Today, all
registered Friesians can be traced back to that first registered stallion.
There are less than 1000 registered Friesians in North America and less than
50 approved Friesian stallions world-wide. Inspections called Kuerings are
held each fall, all over the world. These are big events that usually offer
luncheons and clinics as well as judged classes. Dutch judges travel from
the Netherlands to inspect and
 rate
the horses. They are judged 40% on conformation and 60% on movement. Foals
are shown running loose in the ring, along side their mothers, who are run
in hand. The mares & foal are dressed in fancy white halters. Professional
“runners & chasers” are also imported from the Netherlands and are available
for hire. They are both dressed in white. The runner trots the mare up as
fast as possible, while the chaser runs closely behind shaking a “jingle
jar” to encourage the foal to move out and show off his paces. The foal then
may receive a first, second or third premie (premium) placing in the foal
studbook. Third premie receives a white ribbon. This represents the top 50%
of inspected foals. Second premie, receives a red ribbon and represents the
top 35% of the foals. Only the top 5% of the Friesian foals will receive the
coveted orange ribbon for first premium. This of course leaves the other 50%
of inspected foals who receive no premie, which means they will not be
entered into the studbook.
After all the foals have been shown & inspected, they are all lined up to
receive their microchips. Every Friesian horse entered into the FPS Foal
Book since 1997 has been micro-chipped. It is injected into the left side of
the neck, mid way between the withers and the poll. Mares and
geldings will return as 2 & 3 year olds to be inspected for the adult
studbook. Horses of exceptional quality may receive the honored rating of
“Ster” (Star). Ster horses are among the top percentage of Friesians. That
is as distinguished as a gelding can get, since he serves no purpose as
breeding stock, but the mares may proceed to “Model” and “Preferent”.
Stallions have the most difficult time being approved for breeding stock.
Once they have passed their foal and
adult inspections with flying colors, they may then be eligible to attend
the Annual Stallion Inspection in the Netherlands. They will be tested on
their health, temperament, movement, conformation and skill under saddle. As
many as 60 stallions may be challenged at the show, but only 2 or 3 will be
approved as breeding stock. If the stallion later sires foals, showing a
line of inferior quality, his breeding privileges will be revoked.
Whether pulling a carriage, dancing in the dressage ring, strolling the
trails, or simply sharing a cuddle in the barn, the Friesian is truly a
special horse with a special history. They are a true pleasure to own or
train, and the magic of this “National Treasure” of the Netherlands has
captured the hearts of millions around the world!
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