What is a Friesian Horse?

When the hit fantasy movie Ladyhawke came out in 1985, not all American filmgoers went weak at the knees for either Michelle Pfeiffer or Rutger Hauer. We were too busy drooling over the black stallion Othello, who played Goliath. It was America's beginning of the love affair with the Friesian horse. Friesians had been imported into America since 1625, but the public did not pay attention to them until Othello's vivacious performance in Ladyhawke.

Momma, Buy Me That

If the name Friesian sounds familiar, then perhaps you are thinking of the breed of dairy cattle that was developed in the same region in the Netherlands. The equine version is a draft horse with attitude. They are not heavily muscled like Clydesdales or other power-pullers in the draft horse world. They are built in between the slim elegance of a thoroughbred and the massive physique of a Suffolk Punch.

Friesians have thick, wavy manes and tails and feathering around their fetlocks that covers their hooves. They usually carry their heads up and ears forward when they are ridden or pulling a carriage. Even when relaxing, they tend to keep their heads higher than most other breeds.

Friesians are touted as an all-black breed, but other colors do occur, even in purebreds. These colors include red chestnut and dark bay. Unfortunately, the other colors can't be registered. The only white marking allowed is a small dot (called a star) on the forehead.

Influential Breed

It is unknown exactly how old the Friesian breed is, but evidence is very strong that it was developed in the Middle Ages as not only an excellent all-around workhorse, but as a horse fit for an armored knight or a noble in all of his heavy regalia. Friesians became in demand all over Europe.

As a result of this demand, Friesians are thought to have been the root stock for a number of European breeds, including the Orlov trotter, the Fell pony, the Dole Gunbdrandsdal and the tallest breed of horse in the world, the Shire.

This demand crossed the Atlantic Ocean and sent Friesians to the American colonies. It is thought that the legendary foundation sire of the Morgan breed, Figure, may have had Friesian somewhere in his pedigree. Both breeds share a lot of similarities, including keeping their heads held high and being excellent all-around horses. Crosses between Friesians and Morgans are called Moreisians and are considered their own breed.

The Modern Friesian

Both Friesians and Morgans share another trait. Both originally were far more muscular and boxy in shape than they are today. There is more of a need for a riding than for a driving horse. Also, horses with less muscular frames tend to eat less. The Friesian is in demand for not only acting in movies, but for pulling hearses, for competative carriage driving, and for most areas of horse sports, particulalry dressage.

Friesians can be challenging to care and find tack for since they are much larger and broader than other breeds. Health problems that crop up in Friesians include dwarfism, pasture dermatitis ("grease heel") and osteochondritis dessicans.

References

"The Official Horse Breeds Standards Guide." Fran Lynhaug. Voyageur Press; 2009.

"Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Breeds of North America." Judith Dutson. Storey Publishing; 2005.

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds." Bonnie Hendricks. University of Oklahoma Press, 1995.

"The Ultimate Horse Book." Elwyn Hartley Edwards. Dorling Kindersley; 1991.

"Simon & Schuster's Guide to Horses and Ponies of the World." Maurizio Bonginanni. Simon & Schuster, 1988.

Friesian Horse Society. "History of the Friesian Horse." http://www.friesianhorsesociety.com/page/page/4642169.htm

Friesian Crazy. "Care & Health." http://friesian-crazy.tripod.com/health.html