- How tall can the Friesian Horses be?
-
Stallions must reach a minimum of 160 cms at the withers by the
age of 4 years old and mares must reach 150 cms at this age.
However the ideal height is between 158-165 cms. One must bear
in mind that friesians can grow until the age of 8 years and
they can over pass these heights which are indicated
- Which is the colour of Friesian Horses?
-
The friesian horse must always be black, white marks are not
desirable (due to transmission of the white gene ), white hair
is only allowed on the forehead in the form of a star above the
eye line and with a maximum of 3.2 cms in diameter.
- Can Friesian Horses be of another colour?
-
Yes they can, in fact there is a RED GENE in the
breed which is not desirable for breeders in the Netherlands. These red
friesians are called FOW FRIESIANS. There are certain bloodlines that
carry this gene and every now and then a small percentage of foals are
born with this fire red color.
- Which genetic defects can the Friesian
Horses have?
-
Apart from the Gene factor mentioned in color, there are so other genetic defects
which are transmitted in the breed and are being removed such
as: dwarfism, water head, cardiac deficiencies and high
inbreeding related problems, etc.
- What is the correct conformation of the Friesian Horse?
-
Head: from fine to long and baroque as well as short and
delicate, should be slightly convexed to look pretty and no
concaved faces allowed.
Ears: should be small and pointed slightly towards each
other, always alert.
Neck: long, slightly arched with good muscular
development which connects well at the withers. It may have a
slight crest. Swan necks, deer necks or inverted necks are not
desirable.
Back: must be strong and well developed, should be in
proportion to the front and hind quarters. Must be harmonious
between the shoulders, withers and hind quarters. A completely
straight back, slightly hunched or sway back or one with a deep
fall to the middle is a very grave deficiency and should be
ruled out completely for proper use.
Torso: must be
strong and compact. It is prohibited to mark your freisian with
a brand. A friesian horse with a brand cannot be shown in a keuring
and looses value completely as branding was ruled out a very
long time ago from the studbook.
Front legs: have to be perpendicular to the ground with a hoof space between them
from the front of the horse. Seen from the side they must be
perpendicular without exception.
Hind Legs: the hind legs must well developed and strong. They should have a
slight slant as seen from the side; the thighs must be well
toned and developed. The legs as seen from the back should be
parallel between them. The ankles must have an angle of 145º and
150º. The tail should be low set, but not too low or high set
Hooves: should be big and wide in the shape of a bell. The front hooves should be
wider than the hind ones as they carry more weight. The angle of
the hind hooves should be 55º and the front ones 60º when a
horse is shod. The hoof must be hard and abundant, one must be
aware that not all farriers are qualified to shoe a friesian
horse.
Mane and tail in general: must be black, thick, long and
abundant. It should never be fine, fragile, with split ends,
burns by the sun or broken at the root. It is forbidden to cut
the manes at the crest or shave the tail off, one must never cut
away the feathers on the feet which is common practice on the
Spanish horse.
- What is the temperament and character like of the friesian horse?
-
In general the Friesian horse is noble and loyal; they are
extremely faithful to their owners, willing, very respectful and
happy. That is why it is considered as one of the most noble in
the entire equine race. They are very people orientated,
extremely social and friendly. They are most likely to follow
around any person who they have an affinity with, but they
always choose one master whom they obey at all times. They are
highly intelligent with a great ability to retain knowledge
which is what makes training and breaking in of these horses so
easy. They are willing to work and want to please at all times.
Between the horse people, it is known that they are cold blooded
not because of their blood temperature but because they are calm
and easy to handle unlike warm blooded horses such as the
classic Arabian horse.
- What is the typical movement like of a Friesian Horse?
-
The first requirements are those of the soft and elastic leg
action without effort, good rhythm and balance and a good work
disposition. To have the high elevated movements which are
extended, as is natural in this race, the shoeing of the horse
and care of the feet is of utmost importance. This allows for
great support and suspension which helps the free movement of
the friesian horse to be the most spectacular amongst the races.
The paces of the Friesian horse are long, extended and free. The
trot is much extended, strong with a tendency to pull under the
hind quarters. The canter is soft, with pronounced suspension
that covers a lot of ground and the feeling that you are going
up hill, this makes the canter very comfortable
- What is the approximate price of a Friesian Horse in origin not considering the
margins added by foreign sellers
-
A friesian horse lightly broken and ridden with 3 years of age can cost
between 5.000 and 7.500 euros depending on the papers of the horse. A
foal around the age of 6 months can cost between 2.500 and 5.000 euros.
Of course this all depends on the papers of the horse as the price is
just an indicator; there are of course very expensive well papered
horses available. Friesian foals with excellent papers have a very high
price range starting from 5.000 euros. A breeder who sells a colt which
has approved stallion quality papers and potential may ask a very high
price in which once the approval is gained a royalty must be payed of
between 15.000 and 30.000 euros. Of course there are more expensive
horses who’s price is justified by their level of training and
potential.
- What
is the difference between an approved stallion and a VB breeding stallion
with a license for 20 mares a year?
-
A VB stallion with a license can only have a permit if he resides outside of
the Netherlands and can only cover/inseminate 20 mares per year and this
permit is renewable every year and can be revoked, however an approved
breeding stallion has a much larger limit which can be between 150-300
mares per year to mares found either in the Netherlands or those living
overseas. These stallions are put to the test every year and strict
controls especially on the judging of their offspring to see if they
should keep their status or not.
In the
USA and Mexico there are many disapproved stallions bought which are
achieving very high levels of dressage, however, their price is reduced
considerably in comparison to an approved studbook stallion.
In
Spain, Colombia and Ecuador for example there are no approved stallions.
There are only a few star stallions in Spain and Colombia, but not in
Ecuador. The Star Stallions have a higher category than the breed norm.
Approved stallions hold the title of Studbook Stallions where as "Veulenboek"
Stallions are the ones with the breeding license and are normally Star
or "Ster" Stallions. When breeding always ask for the paper of Origin
before inseminating so you know what category the stallion holds.
- What can you and can´t you use a friesian horse for?
-
Apart from all the normal things you can do with any horse,
Friesians have a great utility and great results in dressage,
farm work and the carriage. In no case should they be used for
jumping, racing and cross country racing, even though Hollywood
can sometimes ideally paint the Friesian as a horse of great
resistance and a heart of great strength.
- What is the best place and climate to keep a friesian horse?
-
One must remember that this breed comes from an oceanic climate
of cold forests and flat plains, this is their natural habitat,
but given that they have been cross bred and had genetic
transfers of other breeds such as the Spanish and Arab horse,
they can adapt to hotter climates, even more so if they are born
on those types of lands. The Friesian horse is not genetically
adaptable to high terrains and high altitudes. However when they
receive a cross breed of the Arab horse to re-fresh the blood
such as the Arabo Friesian, we find a more versatile horse which
is almost a 4WD.
- What do we have to keep in mind when a friesian horse goes to live in a new home
or another country, with other forms of care and feed?
-
In many countries across the Mediterranean like Spain and Italy, many people who
have horse are not aware that they must take care how they feed and care
for their new friesian horse. Many stables in these countries do not
feed horses in the adequate way they should be fed and they treat
friesian horses as they would a Spanish Horse. They feed them dried
yellow straw hay and oats ( cheap feed ) which cause serious damage to
the stomach to horses which are used to greed pastures, alfalfa and
better treatment. Apart from they use an instrument especially in Spain
for breaking in and all ridding work called the “Serreta” which is like
a torture device, an inverted metal saw that cuts into the nose. They
also use an antiquated ridding saddle which is 20 kgs heavy and deathly
for the horse’s spine. These practices are extended and undesirable in
places such as Spain. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW YOUR FRIESIAN TO SUFFER THIS
TREATMENT.
- What do you need to have in mind to choose the right Friesian horse for your
needs?
-
Before you decide to buy a friesian horse, you must ask yourself
what use you will give the horse and what level of experience
you have. Once you have asked and answered these questions, you
should ask for a second opinion and talk to people who have
experience in the matter. Buying a Friesian horse in place which
is not it´s natal country can equal in many cases paying more
than is necessary. Also sometimes when you go to the country of
origin, stud farm owners try to sell you what they want to sell
more than the one you want to buy. The best way to go about this
is to let yourself be guided by consultants who have no interest
in selling a horse in particular to you, but more so the horse
that is right for you and most importantly to find the right
person for the horse… THIS IS OUR PHILOSOPHY AND IT IS THE MOST FAIREST FOR THE
BUYER.
