The Friesian Horse

Yes, it's no wonder the Friesian horse is so enormously popular with so many people. Friesian horses are versatile and sought after as both riding and carriage horses. They make great recreation horses as well as competitive horses in the show ring and at international competitions, not to mention their popularity within the film industry ( movies like Zorro, Lady Hawk, etc, etc.)!

You find Friesian horses all over the world: in royal stables, in riding schools, in stud farms, and privately owned by enthusiasts of the breed who fell in love with these horses for their character, build and the unique qualities of the Friesian horses.

The Friesian Horse has a few characteristics that are different from other breeds. To be entered in the Friesian Horse studbook, the horse must be exclusively black with exception of maybe a very small white star on the forehead. Other characteristics are a heavy mane- crest and a good sized forelock, a long thick tail and generous feather on the legs. Typical of the Friesian breed is their trot with high knee action. They are also known for their sweet nature and pleasant characters. The Friesian Horse is uncomplicated and willing, they adjust quickly to climate changes and feel at home almost anywhere in the world.

The Royal Society " The Friesian Horse-Studbook" (FPS) attends to studbook administration and protects the interest of the Friesian breed. The FPS has its own Internet site, at http://www.fps-studbook.com/. In North America the FPS is represented by The Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA). The FHANA also has its own Internet site at http://www.fhana.com/.

In case you are not very familiar with The Friesian Horse, and you consider the purchase of a Friesian horse, we strongly advice you to carefully study the home pages of the FPS and FHANA for they provide very useful and valuable information.

The FPS describes the ideal Friesian horse as followed: The head not too long and sufficiently wide. Small alert ears, from which the tips point toward each other. The eyes big and shining. The bridge of the nose preferably concave or straight. Large nostrils, closed lips and a good bite between upper and lower teeth. A prominent and dry head. Smooth transition to the neck. The neck long enough so it can be carried in a good frame. The connection between the head and the neck should not be to heavy with sufficient room in the throat area. The neck with mane-crest slightly arched. The neck should not be too short and a muscular under-neck is undesired. The withers should be well developed and continue a gradual descend to the back. The withers should not be too flat. The back not too long with a strong muscular development.

A slightly weak back is permitted. Wide and strong through the loins with a smooth line continuing to the croup. The croup not too short, slightly sloping down, wide enough and well developed, not too round or too pointed (narrow seat-bones). The tail positioned not too low. Especially the hamstring muscles should be well developed and long.

The shoulder needs to be long enough and well positioned. The shoulder blades wide enough apart, so that they together with the breastbone and a good musculature form a strong chest. The chest not too wide nor too narrow. The ribs long enough and well curved, supplying room for hart and lungs. Barrel round is not desired. The stomach keeping it's depth to the back. The front legs well positioned. Looking at the front legs straight on, they should be completely straight with a hoof width between them. From the side-view the front legs must be in a straight line all the way down to the ankle and from the ankle through the pastern form a 45degree angle with the ground .The cannon bone in the front leg not too long but with enough room in the forearm. The pastern long enough and elastic. Well sized hooves that are sound. Seen from the back, the hind legs should be straight. From the side view they should be well developed, strong, with sound strong hooves. The cannon bone in the hind leg slightly larger then those in the front leg, with a gaskin that is long enough and well developed. The joints in both front and hind legs should be well developed, dry and operating smoothly. The angle in the hock should be approximately 150 degrees, while the pastern in the hind legs should make an angle to the ground close to 55 degrees.

The walk should be straight. Powerful, springy and generous coming out of the shoulder with enough thrust from the hind-quarters. The hind-quarters need to be properly engaged. The trot needs to have a long ground-covering motion, lofty and with strong drive from the hind-quarters. The trot should be springy with a suspension and enough flexion in the hock. An active and powerful canter with the hind-quarters well engaged and powerful, showing bend in the hocks. For three year old horses, 160 cm measured at the withers is considered ideal. The Royal Association "The Friesian Horses-Studbook" administers the registers of a number of purebred Friesian horses. The purebred Friesian foals are entered in the foalbook-register after passing the selection test which takes place in the fall of their birth year. Nowadays, foals are equipped with a uniquely coded micro chip which safeguards their identification.

When the horses reach the age of two and a half, they can be entered in the Studbook and further enter examinations by the jury of the Studbook to try and obtain classifications such as Star, model, etc.

Every year, in the fall, a jury from the FPS in The comes to North America and offers selection tests in several places in North America, for the Friesian Studbook.

The FPS is a closed Studbook which means that Friesian horses from which the heritage (partly) is unknown can not be entered in the Studbook.

The FPS supplies every horse entered in the studbook with a yellow laminated studbook paper that would be hard to falsify. Every horse is also supplied, by the studbook, with a medical passport, in which all medical details and vaccinations need to be entered and for which the owner bears responsibility.