Friesian Horse

Increased spending and leisure time presented new opportunities for the Friesian horse – recreational purposes. This race proved to be ideal in all types of disciplines including their willingness in the Dressage and the development of the Friesian horse show.
However the sudden new demand caused a problem in breeding as there was only a gene pool of 500 brood mares and ten stallions worldwide and the need to ensure fertility and retaining the breed characteristics.

Thanks to the strict policy of tuition and the stud book collaboration with farmers regarding the choice of stallion in order to safeguard the integrity of the breed and the use of blood lines the industry worked tirelessly to improve the breed and create a modern versatile horse.

Although the requirements vary with age, the Friesian horse has kept the same morphology. There are certain aspects that are difficult to describe but they have to do with the nobility, pride, and the Horses confirmation.

Important features are the endearing look of dark eyes, arched neck, the thick and long black mane and tail wavy hair wavy and abundant fetlock hair.

The color black represents the most predominant feature of the breed and the only detail that is supported is white on the forehead and preferably a star only.

The head should be neither large nor long, but denote nobility and expression; the ears are medium size with their tips going slightly inwards. The neck arched and must be long enough without showing excessive mass and thickness.

The appeal to height at shoulder should be between L.58 and L.65 m. to be considered appropriate. The group prefers that height and the horse confirmation is very important and should be properly balanced and shaped to be resilient and faultless as the whole picture.

In recent years, the herd of the Friesian horse has focused much attention on quality of movement or “airs above the ground”. It is important that the Friesian horse has a good, broad and elastic movement, and a high trot to cover ground.
The latest phase in the history of Western Frisian shows what man can do when it decides to act and now in most countries of Western Europe, including Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria, and also in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and Japan, Friesians horses are bred today.
Selection in the Netherlands is done through a very rigorous process of assessment. We elect the best sires who undergo intensive testing for fifty days, in the Centre of the Friesian Horse in Drachten.

The few that remain that meet the highest standards and are then eligible as suitable for further testing as breeding stallions. However, registration is not final before passing a further three years during which time the stallion ability to transmit his characteristics to his off spring is tested.

Therefore, the most sought after are those who have their Certificate of Registration or Stud Book Association KFPS in Drachten, the document is striped green and yellow cross, with the stamp and authorized signature KFPS.

The Friesian horse can be seen frequently in equestrian exhibitions, including harness classes with the traditional Friesian high wheel cart. In Holland, the occupants wear a traditional costume and the Frisian being a first class riding horse with a clear aptitude for dressage and a great reputation as a teaching horse in riding colleges.

The Friesian horse captivates during the trot because of his high knee action.

The horsehair of the tail and neck are very thick and abundant, sometimes it is shown braided or wavy and of the head, we can say that is quite long and equipped with small ears, which are always upright and elegant and the horse must exhibit great docility and excellent temperament.

As for the character they are very quiet and have great presence, thus making it an ideal all purpose animal often seen in use in the circus as a result of his rich black glossy coat, his impressive size and majesty.

Formerly a German war horse the breed has been improved through various crossings, especially to the Andalusian horses and the breed has world wide acceptance noted for their jet black colour although sometimes they can be dark brown.