The Friesian Mind and Spirit
Friesian Personalities
Friesians are one of the most highly sought-after, expensive breeds. They are often seen competing in Dressage, Carriage Driving, Parades, Renaissance Fairs, and on the big screen in movies such as Ladyhawke and Alexander. They each have their own individual personality that can be described many ways. They are brilliant horses and highly regarded for their beauty, sensitivity, mind, personal attachment to their owners, and their ability to learn. Those are all qualities that make them precious and far above average.
You've probably noticed you don't see a lot of mature well-trained Friesians for sale. There is a reason for that, they are too special to let go! We've heard so many longtime Friesian owners express how their horse is truly a family member.
There is a great variety of personality types within the breed, which allows many types of owners to find the right match depending on their goals and riding levels. Some terms that are common to describe Friesians are majestic, willing, flashy, playful, mischievous, and occasionally some of the less flattering terms of lazy, hot, stubborn, spooky, or "thick" in their responses. Some can be bolters if they get insecure, which can be unnerving. One thing that is consistent about all of them is they are very smart. Because of this, you must be consistent. Friesians are willing and enjoy learning, they can have very busy minds and need a committed handler that can redirect them to the right focus and mindset. We'll help you understand your horse. They may even take a little time to settle in with new owners, as they are learning a new language (if they are imported they likely don't know English) and starting a new relationship.
We absolutely love Friesians and have a passion to address the training gaps in the breed we have seen. Because of their beauty and desirability, people buy them as their fairy-tale horse of their dreams (which they are) but also unaware that, in some cases, shortcuts were taken in their foundational training that need to be corrected. It's important to be an educated buyer.
You have probably noticed that Friesians are marketed as a puppy dog kind of horse you can put your grandmother one, but that isn't entirely true. Most Friesians have a lot of "go" and they are sensitive horses. Make sure they are the right breed for you and you are ready for the commitment. Just like with some dog breeds where people love how they look but weren't prepared for the personality, the same can happen here. A Friesian can end up being a Border Collie in a studio apartment if you make a wrong choice. So our goal is to give you the information to make an informed decision.
Those unfortunate shortcuts for the sake of getting top dollar in the least amount of time often means they have been launched into a program of side reins, collection, and more advanced expectations before they have any foundational conditioning or ground training. This isn't the standard, but understanding this scenario exists helps ask the right questions. By asking too much of their underdeveloped pole, neck, and back muscles, horses can develop poorly in these areas, and they are in pain for years as a result of this. Being such stoic horses, Friesians don't easily reveal the amount of pain they can be in. Months of aggressive bad training can take years to undo, not to mention the pain your horse is in. If you are still in the shopping stage of looking for your Friesian, research the training the horse has already received. Tracking their history and where they came from is a good place to start. Doing that will help you outline the right plan once you take your Friesian home.
Friesians can be "pushy" until they are clear on your boundary, they are able to read our level of confidence with them and when they perceive we are a pushover, they will in turn push on us. Once you establish yourself as the lead horse, you'll be fine. So laying a riding foundation begins first with a ground foundation. Ground training will set the tone for the entire relationship with your horse.
Breed influences
The original foundational Friesians can be traced back to a cold-blooded Native forest horse. The remains of such a horse had been unearthed in the Friesian area of North Holland. During times of war, Friesians were influenced and refined with barb blood and then later with battle speed and agility in mind, Andalusian blood was added. The Friesian in its turn has provided the foundation for many European breeds. Some samples of which are believed to be influenced by the Friesian breed are: The Oldenburg, The Shire, Fell ponies, Old English Blacks, Dutch Warmbloods, to name a few. Here in America Friesians are thought to have been the ancestors of the Morgan horse.
Conformation and Build Types
There are three basic variations of the Friesian horse you'll find. Lightweight or Sport build, Medium weight or Baroque, and Heavyweight or Draft. Though not always distinguishable, many Friesians you see today are considered a medium weight horse. If you look through the Stallion book, you'll see much heavier draft build stallions at earlier times, with the build lightening over the years to accommodate the performance horse that is more desirable. During the judging, judges do not discriminate against any certain type but strive to keep the all styles of Friesians alive and well represented. It's true that in recent years, we have seen a higher number of sport build horses becoming more desirable due to their ability to successfully compete at higher levels of dressage. Friesians are now seen at Grand Prix levels competing and scoring above Warmbloods.
For expanded information please visit these sites:
The Kentucky Horse Park International Museum of the Horse
