The Frisian: everything you need to know about this breed of horse

 An emblematic horse of shows and movie scenes, the Frisian has been noticed thanks to its black dress and its proud "baroque" looks.

This great horse from the Netherlands is one of the oldest breeds in Europe. It has retained its primary characteristics during its evolution while having the ability to adapt to human needs.

History and origins of Frisian

The Frisian horse sees its history evolve in parallel with that of Man.

This breed originated in Friesland, a province in the north of the Netherlands. It was born thanks to the crossing of Celtic ponies and cold-blooded heavy continental horses during the invasion of the Batavian people in the northern lands of 500 BC. This crossing made it a calm horse and close to man, but also robust and adapted to the cold climate.

During the Spanish Occupation (16-17th century), Frisian gained elegance thanks to the Hispanic influence of crosses with horses of Andalusian and Castilian blood.

Since the 18th century, the Frisian is recognized for its versatility. With its rusticity, calm temperament, and noble gaits, this breed is found in all areas: wars, ceremonies, sports (including trotting races), leisure, or work.

At the same time, the K.F.P.S. (Koninklijke Vereniging Het Friesch Paarden-Stamboek) was created and set up the studbook of the breed in order to save and preserve its original characteristics. In France, it is the A. F.C.F (Association Française du Cheval Frison, created in 1982) which ensures compliance with the studbook of the Frisian breed of the K.F.P.S., in terms of breeding and competitions, being in connection with the Ifce (French Institute of Horse and Riding).

Morphological characteristics of Frisian

• Waist

The Frisian is a horse whose height varies between 1m55 and 1m65 at the withers. However, some horses can reach 1m75.

• Weight

Strong and robust thanks to these origins, the weight of the Frisian varies between 600 and 800 kg.

• Dress

A plain black dress is a characteristic of Frisian. Some white markings on the head only and a few gray hairs around the lips are sometimes tolerated.

With the crosses that occurred during the history of the breed, the presence of the gene of the alezan is still observable. The same applies to the "White Frisians", which are not considered purebred Frisians.

• Morphology

Forehand: powerful chest, long and inclined shoulders, long, arched and strong neckline, high and noble head bearing, expressive head with a straight profile with small ears and marked ganaches, very full and wavy hairs

Body: long and curved ribs, long and sturdy back, marked withers (sometimes protruding), strong and sometimes short limbs, solid feet with good plumpness, long and provided baleen

Hindquarters: powerful, long and oblique rump, very full tail

Two types of Frisians exist today, without being officially recognized in the studbook of the breed by the K.F.P.S.:

1. The "baroque" type (old type): well proportioned and with good bones, it is both robust and elegant, typical of the "coachbuilder" horse.
2. The "sport" type (modern type): more suitable for competitions (mainly dressage), it is less heavy, with a more powerful hindquarter, which allows it to develop higher gaits.

• Physical description and peculiarities of the breed

The peculiarities of the Frisian horse are as follows:

1. An ebony and plain black dress
2. A "baroque" body, strong and harmonious
3. A proud attitude and slender looks
4. horsehair provided, often long and undulating

It is a "late" horse because its development, both morphological and mental, matures around 5-6 years, unlike 3 years for the majority of other breeds.

Frisian skills

• Behavior / Character

The Frisian is a horse with a balanced temperament. Gentle, attentive, and generous, he is renowned for being close to the man and apt for learning. It is an intelligent and docile horse but with a playful and lively character, suitable for riders with a minimum of experience.

• Sports to which he is predisposed

The morphology of the Frisian and its behavior makes it a versatile horse.

Nowadays, Frisian is found:

1. In carriage thanks to its power and elegance of horse "coachbuilder"
2. In dressage (still not very popular for this discipline in France) thanks to its proud, raised, and flexible gaits and the amplitude of its trotting strides
3. For shows and cinema, thanks to its elegance and ability to learn
4. In leisure and for outdoor activities (TREC, hiking) thanks to its safe aplomb

Health of Frisian

• Life expectancy

It is estimated between 20 and 30 years. Sometimes + short than other horses

• Feeding

The diet of Frisian is common to that of other horses. A daily intake of good quality forage (hay or grass) is necessary to meet your fiber and carbohydrate needs. Food supplements can enrich the basic diet to cover the need for other nutrients and vitamins.

Frisian consumes an average of 40 L of water per day, or even more during hot weather. It is therefore necessary to provide him with water all day and in sufficient quantity to ensure his good health.

• General Health

In order to save the purity of the breed, the Frisian suffered the consequences of inbreeding:

pulmonary pathologies (small lungs) or cardiac (fragile heart), which leads to his inability to participate in endurance sports or jumps

certain postpartum (post-birth) or infertility complications

certain morphological malformations (dwarfism, rupture of the esophagus) or neurological disorders (hydrocephalus)

saddled horse disorder (common in horses with long backs)

Skin problems: summer dermatitis, facing the heat because of its black dress.

"Close" breeds

According to the AFCF, as humans have conquered, the Frisian has directly influenced breeds such as the Norwegian Dole, the Dale Pony, the Oldenburg, and the Shire.

Its genetic influence is therefore found in different types of equines around the world: pony, draft horse, or sport horse.

Frisian: uses

The Frisian, as we have seen, cannot participate in marathon-type competitions because of his lack of breath. On the other hand, he has all the skills required by the Haute Ecole. He excels in traditional harnesses, equestrian shows, circus disciplines, and dressage. The sport type, lighter, is also used for hiking and Techniques of Equestrian Racing (TREC).

Despite a certain weakness in its hocks and its short breath, it can, however, jump natural obstacles of low height. But Frisian is not used for the Show Jumping Competition (CSO) or for endurance, i.e. Long-distance races in the wilderness.

This splendid black horse whose origins date back to around the year 1,000 BC, is really very endearing. He does not leave cinema indifferent since he is found in many films. For example, in The Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro, a total of eleven Frisians were used to play the role of Tornado, not the Andalusians. As for Frederick the Great born in Arkansas (USA) in 2006, she is a majestic Frisian who makes the buzz, considered the most beautiful horse in the world.