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Why are these horses called "
Friesians"?
The Netherlands is a small European country which borders the North sea - which separates England from continental Europe. Thus, the Netherlands is located east of England and west of Germany. The Netherlands is divided into provinces (similar to the US being divided into states) and the most famous of these is South Holland (which we call Holland), where the country capital of Amsterdam is located. A large rural province with a long border along the sea, is Friesland. Friesian horses originated in Friesland centuries ago and are bred there today. Historically, the
Friesian horses were a mainstay for Friesian farmers,
providing numerous services
to their owners. These services included plowing the fields,
driving the carriages, pulling the sleds, and serving
as a strong, reliable mount. The very solid relationship
between the Friesian people and the Friesian horse remains
to this day; Netherlanders ("the Dutch")
own and breed some of the finest Friesians in existence.
The image above is a photo of a statue which celebrates
the Friesian
horse. The statue is located in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland.
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What is the history of the
Friesian horse?
The story is that Friesians date back to the middle ages where they,
by virtue of their strength and robust nature, carried armored
knights. Whether that is true or not, it is certain that
the Friesian breed dates back for centuries. The line
was so popular that cross-breeding became rampant in
the 1800’s.
Alarmed, the Dutch hastened to outline a Friesian
Registry of Friesian horses in the late 1870’s. This
registry was created to set rigorous breeding standards and
thus preserve this magnificent breed. Still, due to this
significant dilution of the breed, Friesians were nearly
bred out of existence by 1917. Pure-blooded, and top quality
Friesians are now on a comeback, thanks to the Friesian
people and their loving and conscientious attention
to saving and restoring the breed.
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What are the typical physical characteristics
of these horses?
Friesians are noted by their black color (including the long,
thick mane and tail) and feathered feet. The pure black color is a mandatory
characteristic to achieve a top quality status, so do not look for a "Friesian of a
different color"! Most Friesians are between 15-1 and 16-0 hands tall. Friesians have
historically had a very sturdy, broad physique, perfect for pulling agricultural equipment
and carriages. More recently, Friesians have been bred to be taller and finer and thus
more adaptable as sport horses. Friesians carry themselves proudly, with a high head
carriage and a forthright/bold knee-action. As such, they are lovely as carriage horses.
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What is a typical price for a
Friesian?
As with many purebred and desirable animals, the price for a
Friesian from a quality breeder will surpass that of a different
caliber horse. As a general rule of thumb, prices will
range from $10,000 and up, depending on the
horse’s breeding, degree of training, judged rating, and gender. Another
factor in pricing is the simple principle of supply and demand.
Friesians continue to gain in
popularity, yet there are not that many available for sale
(the general estimate is that there are about 35,000 to 40,000
purebred Friesians worldwide, with only 4,000 to 5,000
in the USA).
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What do these words mean: "keuring",
"premie", "ster (star)"?
Each of these terms is Dutch, and relates to the rigorous judging
process performed by registry representatives. The judging event is called a
"keuring". Judges are typically flown in from the Netherlands and review the candidate
horses according to a stringent grading criteria. Each horse is judged carefully, one at a
time. The grading centers around the horse’s conformation and movement through the
walk and trot. A horse generally attends a keuring as a weanling, and again as a 3 year
old. However, a horse may attend at any time.
The best quality horses are "premium" quality, noted as "premie"
for short. The very top class are 1st premie, followed by 2nd and
then 3rd premie. A horse can be judged less than premie, but still be
considered acceptable as breeding quality and thus, like the premies, is placed in the
studbook (shown as "stb" and/or "stamboek" on the papers).
When a horse is 3 or more years old, s/he may be judged additionally for a
"ster" (pronounced "star") classification. A horse may be a ster
regardless of gender (yes, even geldings may be ster). A horse who has been rated ster is
considered a superlative example of the breed.
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What does it mean for a mare to have a "model"
or "preferent" rating?
The absolute top quality 1st premie mares, seven years and older, may
be judged for not only movement and conformation, but
for performance (driving, dressage, riding) as well.
Should the mare pass these tests (which are covered
over the course of two years) adequately, AND if she
passes a stricter conformation/movement keuring test
known as the "Provisional Model" keuring class, AND if
she has proven that she
can
produce and nurse a foal, she will be awarded a "model" rating.
Obviously, model mares are also star, but only
the very very best star mares would be capable of achieving
the strict model rating. There are less than a dozen model mares in the
US; this is an extremely difficult rating to achieve.
A mare may achieve preferent rating based on the quality
of her offspring. If four of her babies receive a star rating,
the mare then is declared preferent. Since this rating
is only given to mares who have proven themselves, the rating
is considered very prestigious - more prestigious than even
a 1st premie star rating. Note that it is possible
for a mare to produce star quality offspring even
if she herself is not a star.
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What makes a stallion an "approved"
stallion?
An "approved" stallion has been approved for breeding
purposes. It is extremely difficult for a stallion to achieve this
status. By some estimates, less than 1% of all Dutch Registered
("FPS") stallions are approved. Currently there
are fewer than 100 approved stallions worldwide, and fewer
than 20 approved stallions reside in the USA. To achieve
an "approved" rating,
the stallion must first reach conditional approval based
on his own merits. At this time he may be used for
breeding purposes. He cannot be fully approved until his
offspring have also been judged and highly rated. Should
the offspring not be positively rated, the conditional approval
will be revoked. Obviously, this is an extremely rigorous
and time-consuming process; only the very, very best stallions
are approved Dutch Registered stallions.
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Do Friesians make good dressage/sport
horses?
As mentioned above, Friesians were primarily used for
agricultural purposes until the 1970’s or so. During this time they were quite stocky
and not well-positioned as sport horses. Since the 1970’s, the desire has grown
significantly for finer, taller and more agile Friesians. Presently there are a number of
Friesians who are doing quite well in dressage competitions. This participation continues
to grow rapidly. Friesians, due to their heavy physique, are not well-suited for intense
jumping. Some folks do light jumping with them, though.
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How can I find a list of breeders?
If you are searching for a FPS registered Friesian, you should
look into the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA). This organization is
dedicated to the breed and has a wealth of information, including a list of breeders, on
their web site (www.fhana.com).
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Is there a way I can easily see a
Friesian?
Given that there are not that many pure-bred Friesians in the
USA, it can be tough to see one in person. If you are fortunate enough to live close to a
breeder, you could call and set up an appointment to visit. You may also be able to see a
Friesian as a profiled breed at certain horse shows (take care that you look for FPS registered horses). FHANA also has videotapes of Friesian events available for sale.
Finally, the quickest and cheapest way to see a Friesian is to rent a commercial movie
where one may be included. Most Friesian fans know that the movies "Ladyhawke"
and "Mask of Zorro" have wonderful Friesians in cameo appearances. The movie
"Bedazzled" has a quick spot of Wander, father to our first Tanbark Acres
baby - Coriander.
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If I want to learn much more, where do I
go?
As mentioned above, the central information source for FPS registered Friesians is the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA),
at www.fhana.com. Of course, there is a great deal of
information on the internet. Check out our Links page!
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And by the way, what are "Friesian Moustaches"?
We are glad you asked! In Friesland during the winter, the horses are kept inside so they do not tear up the delicate, soggy pastures. Since the horses are not grazing, their upper lips are protected and hair begins to grow there. And boy, does it grow! It becomes long and curly and the "best" moustaches will rival the one on the famous painter Salvador Dali! Since in America the horses are often outside during the winter where grazing will naturally "trim" the moustache, we may not see moustaches quite as often. Still, moustaches are a charming breed characteristic. [back to top]
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