Friesian Horses

The temperament of the Friesian horse is loyal, willing, docile and cheerful. Friesians are very people oriented, tactile, highly intelligent and incurably curious.

Friesian Horses’ strength and willingness makes them suitable for use as farm workhorses. Their exceptional looks and proud bearing makes them excellent for carriage driving and harness. Their agility and temperament produce great dressage and riding horses…but they do not jump, hunt or do very well at endurance.

Friesian horses have a long life span: 30-35 years, and sometimes even older. Stallions in their 20s often provide the highest sperm count in their careers.

Water Babies

It has been said that Friesian horses, being native to Friesland, which is surrounded by water, are by nature water babies. I have not found my mares all that keen to get their feathers wet or muddy, but because of their willing nature, they will always cross a stream if asked politely. My Friesian mare Belle, has on occasion chosen to jump instead of wade through…her powerful dressage hind quarters propelling her from halt to flight in a surprisingly elegant leap.

Some of my other Friesian mares, less fussy and down to earth, walk through just about everything. They will even swim - if they have to.

Though Cookies

Friesian horses are an extremely hardy horse; they can work and maintain good condition on moderate rations. They do not require any special care, apart from lots of human contact and attention. The Friesian horse thrives on regular turnout and will happily live outside year round. They will wear rugs patiently if their owners are cold, otherwise they grow thick winter coats that they shed come spring.

When spooked, Friesian horses tend to react like cats; they freeze on the spot and puff themselves up to look bigger. They have obviously not yet read the literature that insists that horses’ natural reaction to danger is to take flight. Friesians do not tend to bolt but they can sometimes spin slowly in a circle always coming back around to face the danger.

Late Bloomers

Friesian horses take longer to mature than other horses, due to their larger bone structure. Most Friesians are not fully developed until they reach the age of six years. It is advisable to wait until your horse has reached its full height and development before starting intensive training. Belle was only backed for the first time at the age of six.

Friesian horses are easy to ride. They form a strong bond with their owner, but they can be ridden by a variety of people without being ruined. They were never bred with jumping in mind therefore do not have the appropriate build for it. Friesian horses have a slow heart rate and do not get a second wind. They are unsuited to speed or endurance disciplines.

The Friesian horse is extremely versatile it can excel in most other disciplines. They are excellent Western, English, drive and trail horses. They also make great as circus horses.

I could not now even contemplate living without them, they have enriched my life beyond my wildest expectations.

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The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire. ~Sharon Ralls Lemon

The Friesian is a breed apart, one of the oldest European breeds and native to the Netherlands. Their impressive stature, stunningly luxuriant mane and the extra-long tail has captured our imagination for centuries . These features combined with the feathers and the low set of the tail to emphasise the breed's powerful and elastic gait.

The Friesian (also Frisian) horse breed originates from Friesland, one of the northern Dutch provinces bordered by the tempestuous North Sea. This vast land, large areas reclaimed from the sea, is the home of this proud but docile breed. It is a land of water, sky, open green pastures and determined people.

Friesland (Fryslân) is part of the bigger region known as Frisia. Its name in the Frisian language is Fryslân. Friesland has 643,000 inhabitants (2005) and its capital is Leeuwarden (Ljouwert), with 91,817 inhabitants, in the centre of the province. Friesland further distinguishes itself from the other eleven provinces through having its own language, which is also spoken in a minor part of the province of Groningen, to the east has only five percent.

The Friesian Horse's aristocratic appearance is accentuated by the big expressive eyes, that can look right into your heart. A finely-chiseled head is carried high on an elegant and muscular curved neck. The head is small and either straight or slightly concave with small hyper-mobile ears. They have strong, muscular legs with good bone structure, resulting in an enduring and sure footed horse.