The History of the Friesian Horse

As one of the world's oldest equine breeds, the Friesian is native to the northern province of Friesland in The Netherlands, where it is deemed a national treasure. With powerful muscles beneath its lustrous black lacquered coat, and a gentle disposition that endears the animal to those of the two legged kind, the Friesian has enchanted Europeans for centuries. Experts suspect that the Friesian's most influential ancestor was the prehistoric Equus robustus, an enormous horse that once roamed the region now known as the Netherlands.

The monks where well known for their horse breeding in the middle ages, and reputedly crossed the draft type Equus robustus descendents with lighter horse breeds. The result was the Friesian, a horse with incredible strength and agility, coupled with a willing, kind, yet lively disposition. These skilful monks created not only one of Europe's first pure horse breeds but also one of the world's first warmbloods.

The Romans were among the first to acknowledge the Friesian as a powerful working horse. Despite being ugly in their eyes, the strength, docility and endurance was proved when carrying the German Knights to the Crusaders. Later the Friesian became better looking, contact with the eastern horses improved the Friesian, as did the infusion of the Andalusian blood when the Spanish occupied The Netherlands during the
Eighty Years' War. The descendents of this heavy horse were valued as saddle horses by the medieval nobility and are portrayed by many of the Old Dutch Master-Painters.

In turn the Friesian was used to improve other breeds such as the Oldenburg that was mainly founded on Friesian blood (and in later years Oldenburg blood was used to re-establish the Friesian breed). The New Forest, Dale, Fell Ponies, the Morgan Horse and from there the Standardbred, Orlov Trotter, Swedish Warmblood, Kladruber and the Norwegian Dole Gudbrandsdal were all influenced by the Friesian. Through its derivative, the Old English Black, the Friesian also influenced England's Great Horse, now known as the Shire.

Description

The Friesian Horse is always jet-black with a long flowing mane and tail, often to the ground. He carries his noble head on a crested neck. His action is flamboyant and eye-catching. He can be driven, ridden, jumped, likes working on the land or preforming in the circus. He is one of the most versatile breeds of the world.

The Friesian is a harmoniously and evenly built horse with a noble head and bright intelligent eyes, small attentive ears, slightly inclining towards each other. A neck that is not to short, slightly bent, a strong back, ending in a croup that is not too short and should not be too
slanted. A powerful shoulder that should be long enough and slanting. With long enough ribs that are well-arched, strong legs and feet, a well-developed upper arm and a good position. Smooth, square, elegant and grand gaits, accentuated by sufficient growth of hair on the lower foot, a nice crest and a nice long tail. In short, a horse with a luxuriant and proud appearance, which is full of temperament and willing to work and is honest. The height at the shoulder at three years of age of 1.60 metre is considered ideal.

The walk should be straight, powerful and supple with sufficient power from the hindquarters, the hindquarters should be swung forward with power. The trot should have a roomy forward action, feet lifted highly, with good power from the hindquarters, the trot should be light footed with a floating movement and enough flexion in the hock. The canter is cheerful and sustained with enough power from the hindquarters and flexion in the hock.

The Friesian Around The World

The Friesian's use varies in very many ways, as a coach horse, a horse in harness for riding, for dressage (hitched up or under saddle) as a circus horse and a horse for pleasure. The original Friesian gig, a delightful two wheeled carriage from the second half of the eighteenth century with its typical rococo adornments is traditionally closely connected with the breed. This beautiful combination considerably enhances its baroque appearance.

The Friesian Horse used to appear in all West Europe, but from about 1900 only in Friesland. Friesland is still the center of breeding but at present their popularity is increasing every year, there are now Friesians in Scotland, France, Germany, America, Yugoslavia, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, South Africa, Luxembourg, Ireland, Austria, Australia, and New Zealand. Nowadays the Friesian is popular in harness and often in the show-ring. The Friesian can be found in the circus, because of its striking carriage and willingness to adapt itself, is also found under saddle, competing in dressage up to international levels, but its first function remains supreme. It is a cheerful, loyal, very sensitive all-rounder with a unique pleasant character.

The FPS

Since 1879 the Friesian Horse has been registered by the Royal Society"Het Friesch Paarden-Stamboek" (FPS). It is the oldest horse studbook of The Netherlands, at present a total of some 5000 Friesian horses are registered in it. Separate registers are kept for fillies and colts, for
mares, stallions and geldings. The fillies and colts are tattooed on the underside of the tongue to prevent confusion. When full grown at the age of three, if there is sufficient quality it can be entered in the Studbook. On approval the horses are branded with the FPS brands.

In short, the primary aim of the FPS is to promote the Friesian Horse and to breed horses with fine exteriors yet maintain the typical racial features that are capable of high performances in both sports (show-driving, driving, dressage under saddle, mixed) and recreation. This should be done by careful selection within the breed.

Firstly, "breeding horses with fine exteriors" is not the only purpose of the FPS, as Friesian's are not only brought especially for show-driving
and driving, there are many breeders, horse lovers and leisure sports people who take to the Friesian horse. It is remarkable that even in years when in many studbooks the number of members and horses dropped, the FPS showed an increase and still does.

The breeding of Friesian horses has a relative narrow basis with only three lines, (ie) the Tetman line, the Age line and the Ritske line. The Age line is available in Australia through Lyckle'B', while the influential Ritske line is available in Australia through Maurits Friso.
The question what the original Friesian horse looked like and how it developed is difficult to answer. During the middle ages they were found from Norway to Spain and in Western Europe the indigenous horses were used by the Knights. Heavy baroque horses can be seen on old pictures and paintings. This image changed when many Friesian horses were used for
trotting races.

After 1920 hard times began for the Friesian horses (there were only three stallions in 1917) when they were mainly used in agriculture. It's relatively short legs and high weight (650-700kg) were two fundamental changes that were bred into the breed. After 1970 the tractor superseded the horse almost entirely in farm labour.

From this time onwards the horse
was increasingly used as is described in sports and recreation. Some members, who like to see the Friesian as a farm horse and want to continue breeding it, are of course free to do so, especially if the breeder aims to improve the weak points of the breed. The breeding purpose is to breed a "Modern Friesian" horse, which still have the typical characteristics of the breed.