Friesian
Horse History and, Friesian Horse Breed
Standard
Friesian Horse History
The Friesian horse is unique, truly a breed to be proud
of. It developed from a very old breed which was inherent to all of western
Europe. It's the only horse native to Holland. Historically speaking, the
Friesian horse has been influenced by eastern bloodlines and has often been
threatened with extinction.
The
armored knights found the Friesian Horse very desirable, having the
strength, courage and heart to carry great weight and still maneuver precisely,
in the face of the enemy. The Hungarian King Louis II used a
Friesian Stallion on the battlefield on June 15, 1526. The Friesian
was used as a war horse by Friesian Soldiers fighting with the Roman Armies,
and later was used by knights and traveled all the way to the Middle East
with the Crusaders.
The
suppleness and agility of the Friesian Horse became sought after in the
riding schools of Paris and Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries. In
the middle ages, it was mainly a knight's horse, but in the 18th and 19th
century the Friesian was especially famous as a trotting horse on short
distances. The Friesian was so adapted as a fast trotting coach horse
that it was, in fact, Friesians who invented trotting races over short
distances during the 18th century.
At one
time, the amount of registered Friesian Horses became even less than one
thousand and the fate of the breed was uncertain. In fact, the number
of Friesian Stallions reputedly was reduced to ONLY three, prior to World
War I. Thanks to the single-mindedness and dauntless
dedication of true Friesian horse lovers and Breeders in Friesland, a
northern province of Holland, one can still appreciate the many facets of
the Friesian horse today.
Breeding
is done under STRICT guidelines such as selection, performance testing and
classification to ensure the quality of the breed remains VERY high.
The "Friesch Paarden Stambook" (Friesian Horse Registry) dates
back to 1879. UNTIL 1943, BOTH purebred AND crossbred Friesian Horses
were registered.
The Friesian horse is enjoying a revival. He is a
noteworthy sight in the show ring. His shiny black coat, flying mane and
tail, and high action form an imposing image. The Friesian is, by nature, a
talented show horse.
Without a doubt, the black coat of the Friesian will
impress you at first sight. Bays and grays occurred earlier in the breed,
but now black is the only recognized color. A small white forehead star is
also allowed. Other obvious characteristics are the long, heavy mane and
tail and the Shire-like fetlock hair.
Driving one or more Friesian horses has become
increasingly popular in the past few years. Tough international competitions
are only for the few, but there are many who derive relaxation and pleasure
from driving Friesians for recreation. He who wants to perfect his driving
and test his skill against others, can do so at the many dressage driving
events.
The Friesian horse has a talent for dressage. The
foundation lies in his intelligence, willingness to learn, and readiness to
perform. His pleasant character and his gentleness make the Friesian an
attractive mount for competition as well as for recreational purposes. The
riding club "De Oorsprong" (the source), from Huis ter Heide near
St. Nicolaasga in Friesland, has been using only Friesian horses since 1937
in order to advertise their abilities as riding horses.
Now, at
the turn of the 21st century, the future of this ancient breed looks
relatively favorable, but in order to maintain the integrity of the breed,
it is important that the FPS rules, regulations and strict guidelines are
respected.
The
modern day Friesian has enjoyed it's share of publicity, regularly being
seen on the big screen in movies such as LadyHawke, Interview with a
Vampire, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Disney's Tall Tales and Mask of Zorro
Friesian
Horse Breed Standard
The head is relatively short and the
width is proportional to the length. The ears are small and alert with the
tips pointing slightly toward each other. The eyes are large and shining.
The nasal bone is slightly hollow or straight; nostrils are wide. The lips
are closed and the teeth meet properly. The jaw bones are not heavy and are
spread wide apart to allow the horse to breathe easily while at work. The
head is set gracefully on the neck with adequate space for the throat.
Overall, the head is dry and expressive and blends smoothly into the neck.
The neck is lightly arched at the crest. It is long
enough for the horse to bend properly and is adequately muscled. The neck is
set on high and the lower neckline does not bulge between the throat and the
chest.
The withers are well developed, prominent and, in
particular, blend gradually into the back.
The back is not too long and is well muscled. A
slightly low back is allowed.
The loin is wide, strong and well muscled and makes
a smooth transition into the croup.
The croup is of good length and slopes slightly
downward; it is wide and muscular. It neither forms a point nor is overly
rounded. The tail is not set on too low. The gluteal muscle is long and well
developed.
The shoulders are long and sloping and are set
widely enough apart to form a good chest, which is neither too wide nor too
narrow.
The ribs are long and curved, supplying ample space
for the heart and lungs, without being rotund. The belly maintains
sufficient depth towards the rear.
The legs - The forelegs are properly positioned and
when viewed from the front, are set parallel with a hoof width of space at
the ground. Viewed from the side, they are perpendicular down through the
fetlock joint. The cannon bone is not too long; the forearm, however, has
good length. The pastern is resilient, of good length and is at a 45 degree
angle to the ground. The hoofs are wide and sound.
