Friesian Sporthorse

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Friesian Sporthorse
FriesianSporthorsestallion.jpg
Country of origindeveloped initially in Europe (primarily Germany and the Netherlands) but revitalization and development as a unique breed has been primarily in the United States and Canada
Traits
Distinguishing features Friesian crossbreds, minimum 25% Friesian. Can be nearly all colors and sizes, but maintaining a sport horse type. Light feathering is common, as well as thick manes and tails.

The Friesian Sporthorse is a Friesian crossbred of sport horse type. The ideal Friesian Sporthorse is specifically bred to excel in FEI-recognized sport horse disciplines. Thus, "sporthorse" refers to the phenotype, breeding, and intended use of these horses. [1] The term "Friesian Sport Horse" is a generic term to describe any Friesian-cross horse.

Contents

Characteristics

Friesian Sporthorses can come in a variety of colors and sizes, with no limitations on acceptable colors or markings. Their body type can range from a sport horse build to a heavier more Baroque build. A higher-set and more arched neck is also common among Friesian Sporthorses. They tend to have the gentle temperament and striking appearance of the Friesian, but with an increased athleticism, stamina, and hybrid vigor, when responsibly crossbred. [2] They are most commonly used for dressage and carriage driving, but have also been successful as jumpers and eventing horses, as well as for all-around riding. They are also valued as pleasure and trail horses.

History

People have been crossbreeding Friesians for more than a century. In 1879 the Friesian registry created two books for registration, one book for purebred Friesians, and another book for crossbreds. Crossbreeding had become so common by 1907 that the rules were again changed, combining the two books into one book again. This changed again in 1915, with concerns over the potential extinction of the purebred Friesian, and two books were again created. Eventually two separate Friesian registries were created, Dutch and German. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Today the Dutch Friesian registry (FPS, Friese Paarden Stamboek) and its American counterpart (FHANA, Friesian Horse Association North America) prohibit their registered horses from being used to create crossbred horses. [7] However, the German Friesian registry (FPZV, Friesenpferde Zuchtverband e. V.) and its American counterpart (FPZV USA) do allow their registered horses to be crossbred with other breeds, but they will not register the crossbred offspring. [8] Both the Dutch and German registries have recognized the severe risks of inbreeding this has created in the breed, [9] and have created policy committees to try to reduce these risks. [10]

In the last decade, the popularity of the Friesian crossbreds has increased, and additional registries have been formed specifically to register and recognize Friesian cross horses and Friesian Sporthorses as separate breeds. [3] [4] [5] [6]

The studbook for Friesian Sporthorses was founded in 2007 by the Friesian Sporthorse Association (FSA) and in 2008 the FSA trademarked the name "Friesian Sporthorse". The Friesian Sporthorse Association was initially founded in the United States, but shortly thereafter a branch was added in Australia, and the Friesian Sporthorse Association now registers Friesian Sporthorses worldwide. [6] [11]

Bloodlines

Different registries have different standards that define what is considered to be a Friesian Sporthorse. One registry regards Friesian Sporthorses as a breed, with strict breeding requirements in addition to performance recognition. In this case, Friesians are crossbred primarily with warmbloods and Thoroughbreds, although limited percentages of American Saddlebred, draft and Arabian breeding are also acceptable into lower books of the studbook. [12]

Other registries contend that "sporthorse" is a type, and rather than breed-specific requirements, they require that horses meet certain performance requirements before the registry will deem them a Friesian Sporthorse. [13] Either way, the goal is to produce animals suitable for the sport disciplines of dressage, eventing, show jumping, and combined driving. Most registries agree that Friesian Sporthorses also must be a minimum of 25% Friesian. [12] [14] Although the crossbreeding of Friesians with many different types and breeds is popular, it is worth noting that the resulting offspring are not always considered Friesian Sporthorses.

Friesian crossbreeds

Barock and Baroque Pinto

A Baroque Pinto is a pinto-colored horse of Baroque type with a large percentage of Friesian horse in its pedigree. The Barock Pinto Studbook is a Dutch organization specifically for the registration of such pinto-colored horses, requires a minimum of 37.5% Friesian blood, and their breed standard describes a Friesian crossbred with black and white markings. [15] There are several other organizations which register crossbred and non-black Friesian horses. [16] For example, the Friesian Sporthorse Association accepts pinto-colored Friesian crosses in a few of their studbooks, depending on pedigree. [17]

Georgian Grande

The Georgian Grande horse was introduced as a cross between the American Saddlebred and any of several draft breeds—including the Friesian—in order to "bring back the heavier boned, bigger Saddlebreds of the historic past, which were more robust and sensible". It was first developed in 1976 by horse breeder George "Bob" Wagner, Jr. from Piketon, Ohio and named after himself. [18] [19] Wagner co-founded the International Georgian Grande Horse Registry (IGGHR) in 1994 alongside his wife, Fredericka Wagner, and their daughter, Robin Wagner. IGGHR became a member of the United States Dressage Federation All Breeds' Council, as well as a member of the American Horse Council. [20]

In November 2018, six members of the Wagner family, including Fredericka, were arrested and charged with crimes related to the 2016 murders of eight members of the Rhoden family [19] — calling into question the future of the IGGHR registry, and the Georgian Grande.

Gypsian

Gypsians are the product of crossbreeding Friesians to Gypsy horses. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horse breed</span> Selectively bred populations of domesticated horses

A horse breed is a selectively bred population of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a broader sense to define landrace animals of a common phenotype located within a limited geographic region, or even feral "breeds" that are naturally selected. Depending on definition, hundreds of "breeds" exist today, developed for many different uses. Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general temperament: spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold bloods," such as draft horses and some ponies, suitable for slow, heavy work; and "warmbloods," developed from crosses between hot bloods and cold bloods, often focusing on creating breeds for specific riding purposes, particularly in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warmblood</span> Middle-weight horse types and breeds

Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds primarily originating in Europe and registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook policy, studbook selection, and the aim of breeding for equestrian sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Color breed</span> Groupings of horses whose registration is based primarily on their coat color

A color breed refers to groupings of horses whose registration is based primarily on their coat color, regardless of the horse's actual breed or breed type.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groninger</span> Dutch horse breed

The Groninger or Groningen is a Dutch horse breed developed for light draft and agricultural work. It is closely related to heavy warmblood breeds like the East Friesian and Alt-Oldenburger. The breed was nearly lost in the mid-20th century because a significant number of mares were used for crossbreeding to create the Dutch Warmblood, leaving few purebreds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friesian horse</span> Horse breed

The Friesian is a horse breed originating in Friesland in north Netherlands. The breed nearly became extinct on more than one occasion. It is classified as a light draught horse, and the modern day Friesian horse is used for riding and driving. The Friesian horse is most known for its all-black coat colour, its long flowing mane and tail, feathering on its legs, a high head carriage, and high stepping action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanoverian horse</span> German breed of warmblood horse

The Hanoverian or Hannoveraner is a German breed or stud-book of warmblood sport horse. As with other German warmblood breeds, eligibility for registration depends on performance rather than ancestry.

A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. A domestic animal of unknown ancestry, where the breed status of only one parent or grandparent is known, may also be called a crossbreed though the term "mixed breed" is technically more accurate. Outcrossing is a type of crossbreeding used within a purebred breed to increase the genetic diversity within the breed, particularly when there is a need to avoid inbreeding.

A breed registry, also known as a herdbook, studbook or register, in animal husbandry, the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders while they are young. The terms studbook and register are also used to refer to lists of male animals "standing at stud", that is, those animals actively breeding, as opposed to every known specimen of that breed. Such registries usually issue certificates for each recorded animal, called a pedigree, pedigreed animal documentation, or most commonly, an animal's "papers". Registration papers may consist of a simple certificate or a listing of ancestors in the animal's background, sometimes with a chart showing the lineage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selle Français</span> Breed of horse

The Selle Français (SF) is a breed of sport horse from France. An athletic horse with good gaits, it is usually bay or chestnut in color. The Selle Français was created in 1958 when several French riding horse breeds were merged into one stud book. The new breed was meant to serve as a unified sport horse during a period when horses were being replaced by mechanization and were transforming into an animal used mainly for sport and leisure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dutch Warmblood</span> Breed of horse

A Dutch Warmblood or KWPN is a horse breed of warmblood type registered with the Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands [Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland] (KWPN), which governs the breeding of competitive dressage and show jumping horses, as well as the show harness horse and Gelderlander, and a hunter studbook in North America. Developed through a breeding program that began in the 1960s, the Dutch Warmbloods are some of the most successful competition horses developed in postwar Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knabstrupper</span> Danish breed of horse, spotted

The Knabstrupper or Knabstrup is a Danish breed of warmblood horse. It is principally a riding horse, but is also used as a harness horse and as a circus animal. It is broadly similar to the Frederiksborger, but often has a spotted coat. In the past, injudicious breeding for this characteristic alone compromised its constitution and conformation. In the 2st century, it is considered to be an endangered breed, with a world-wide population estimated at little over 2,000 horses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Warmblood</span> Type of horse

The American Warmblood is a horse of warmblood type, intended primarily for the traditional sport horse disciplines of dressage, show jumping, eventing and combined driving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bavarian Warmblood</span> Breed of horse

The Bavarian Warmblood is a horse breed of southern Germany that developed from an older Bavarian heavy warmblood breed called the Rottaler. Since mechanization in the mid-20th century, the Bavarian Regional Horse Breeders' Society has concentrated on producing a riding horse for the Olympic disciplines and recreational riding based on other European warmblood bloodlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heavy warmblood</span> Group of horse breeds

The heavy warmbloods are a group of horse breeds primarily from continental Europe. The title includes the Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger ("Old-Oldenburger"), Groningen, and similar horses from Silesia, Saxony-Thuringia, and Bavaria. Breeds like the Hungarian Nonius, Kladruber, and Cleveland Bay are also often classed as "heavy warmbloods." They are the ancestors of the modern warmbloods, and are typically bred by preservation groups to fit the pre-World War I model of the all-purpose utility horse. Unlike the registries of the sport horses that followed them, many heavy warmblood registries maintain closed or partly closed studbooks. However, external evaluation and performance testing of the breeding stock is still a key element in these registries. Many of the heavy warmbloods are selected primarily for family-friendly temperaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dutch Harness Horse</span> Breed of horse

The Dutch Harness Horse, or Tuigpaard, is a warmblood breed of fine driving horse that has been developed in the Netherlands since the end of World War II. Their studbook is kept by the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland or KWPN. The breed is based on the native Groningen and Gelderland horses, which were formerly indispensable in agriculture and transportation services. Strict selection procedures and a clear breeding aim enabled breeders to produce a refined, high-stepping horse within a few decades. While with 40 sires and fewer than 2,000 broodmares the population is not large, Dutch Harness Horses are highly recognizable. In the past few years, a handful have come to North America, where they are used as sport horses and saddle seat horses alike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warlander</span> Horse breed

The Warlander is a horse of Baroque type, produced by crossing Friesian horses with horses of a purebred registered Iberian horse breed such as the Andalusian, Lusitano, or Menorquín.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Part-Arabian</span> Breed of horse

A part-Arabian, partbred Arabian or, less precisely, half-Arabian, is a horse with documented amounts of Arabian horse breeding but not a purebred. Because the Arabian is deemed to be a breed of purebred horse dating back many centuries, the modern breed registries recognized by the World Arabian Horse Organization generally have tightly closed stud books which exclude a horse from registration if it is found to contain any outside blood. However, Arabian breeding has also been used for centuries to add useful traits to countless other horse breeds. In the modern era, crossbreeding has been popular to combine the best traits of two different breeds, such as color, size, or ability to specialize in a particular equestrian discipline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arabo-Friesian</span> Recent breed of horse, selected since the 1960s

The Arabo-Friesian is a recent breed of horse, selected over several generations since the 1960s to obtain the morphology of the modern Friesian combined with the endurance qualities of the Arabian. The creation of this breed was strongly contested by some Dutch Friesian breeders, who went so far as to set fire to the stables where the first crosses were made.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Warmblood</span> British breed of horse

The British Warmblood is British inspection-based stud-book of sport horse. Like other warmblood stud-books it is commonly considered to be a breed. It derives from European sport horses including the Hanoverian, the Dutch Warmblood and the Danish Warmblood.

References

  1. Breed Standard
  2. USDF Connection, December/January 2009 issue, Volume 10, Number 8, "Breed of the Month: Friesian Sporthorse", pg 67
  3. 1 2 FHANA
  4. 1 2 Friesian horse society
  5. 1 2 NEFHC History page Archived 2007-11-08 at the Wayback Machine , accessed Nov 4, 2007
  6. 1 2 3 Friesian Sporthorse History
  7. KFPS (See framelinked sections on breeding regulations), Retrieved August 16, 2011
  8. FPZV, Zuchtbuchordnung 2009 Archived 2012-03-30 at the Wayback Machine , Retrieved August 16, 2011
  9. Sevinga, Vrijenhoek, Hesselink, Barkema, Groen (April 2004). "Effect of inbreeding on the incidence of retained placenta in Friesian horses", Journal of Animal Science, volume 82, number 4, pages 982-986. American Society of Animal Science
  10. KFPS (See framelinked section "Plan Breeding committee"), Retrieved August 16, 2011
  11. Warmbloods Today, July/August 2012 issue, "Friesian Sporthorses: An Emerging Breed for the 21st Century", pg 45-46
  12. 1 2 Friesian Sporthorse registration guidelines
  13. "Friesian Sport Horse & Heritage Horse General Registration Rules".
  14. "Friesian Sport Horse & Heritage Horse General Registration Rules".
  15. "Fokdoel" [Breeding goal]. Barock Pinto Studbook (in Dutch). Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  16. "Other Organizations That Register Friesians". FHANA. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  17. "What is the difference between a pinto Friesian Sporthorse and a Friesian/Paint cross?". Friesian Sporthorse Association. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  18. Wagner, Robin. "Brief History of the Georgian Grande". International Georgian Grande Horse Registry. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  19. 1 2 Sederstrom, Jill (29 March 2019). "Who Is Fredericka Wagner And Why Was Her Arrest Such A Shock To Piketon?". Oxygen: True Crime. NBCUniversal. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  20. "Georgian Grande Horse". HorseBreedsPictures.com. 26 December 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2023.