Friesian horse

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Friesian horse
Friesian Stallion.jpg
Friesian horse
Other namesBelgian Black (UK)
Country of originNetherlands
Traits
Height
  • 15 to 17  hands (60 to 68 inches, 152 to 173 cm)
ColourBlack
Distinguishing featuresBlack, powerfully muscled, agile with elegant action, thick mane and tail, feather on lower legs.
Breed standards

The Friesian (Fries paard in Dutch; Frysk hynder in West Frisian) 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.

Contents

Breed characteristics

A Friesian being shown in-hand Friese.jpg
A Friesian being shown in-hand
Closeup of the head Fris.jpg
Closeup of the head

The breed has powerful overall conformation and good bone structure, with what is sometimes called a Baroque body type. Friesians have long arched necks, well-chiseled short-ears, and Spanish-type heads. They have sloping shoulders, compact muscular bodies with sloping hindquarters and a low-set tail. Limbs are short and strong, with feathering—long hair on the lower legs. A Friesian horse also has a long, thick mane and tail, often wavy. The breed is known for a brisk, high-stepping trot.

The Friesian is considered willing, active, and energetic, but also gentle and docile. A Friesian tends to have great presence and to carry itself with elegance. [1]

Today, there are two distinct conformation types—the "baroque" type, which has the more robust build of the classical Friesian, and the modern, "sport horse" type, which is finer-boned. Both types are common, though the modern type is currently more popular in the show ring than is the baroque Friesian. However, conformation type is considered less important than correct movement. [2]

Size

The Friesian stands on average about 15.3  hands (63 inches, 160 cm), although it may vary from 14.2 to 17 hands (58 to 68 inches, 147 to 173 cm) at the withers, and mares or geldings must be at least 15.2 hands (62 inches, 157 cm) to qualify for a "star-designation" pedigree. [3] [ better source needed ]

Colour

Friesians rarely have white markings of any kind; most registries allow only a small star on the forehead for purebred registration.

Though Friesian horses are characteristically black, occasionally chestnut colouring appears, as some bloodlines do carry the "red" ("e") gene. [4] In the 1930s, chestnuts and bays were seen. [5] The chestnut colour is generally not acceptable for stallions, though it is sometimes allowed for mares and geldings. [4] [6] A chestnut-coloured Friesian that competes is penalised. Discoloration from old injuries or a black coat fading from the sun is not penalised. [4]

In 1990, the Friesch Paarden Stamboek began to attempt breeding out the chestnut colour, and today stallions undergo genetic testing. If testing indicates the presence of the chestnut or "red" gene, even if heterozygous and masked by black colour, the horse is not accepted for registration with the FPS. [7] In 2014 there were eight stallion lines known to still carry the chestnut gene. [7]

The American Friesian Association, which is not affiliated with the FPS, allows horses with white markings and/or chestnut colour to be registered if purebred parentage can be proven. [8]

Genetic disorders

There are four genetic disorders acknowledged by the industry that may affect horses of Friesian breeding: dwarfism, hydrocephalus, a tendency for aortic rupture, and megaesophagus. There are genetic tests for the first two conditions. The Friesian is also among several breeds that may develop equine polysaccharide storage myopathy. [9] Approximately 0.25% of Friesians are affected by dwarfism, which results in horses with a normal-sized head, a broader chest than normal, an abnormally long back and very short limbs. It is a recessive condition. [10] [ failed verification ] Additionally, the breed has a higher-than-usual rate of digestive system disorders, and a greater tendency to have insect bite hypersensitivity. [11] Like other feathered draught breeds, they are prone to a skin condition called verrucous pastern dermatopathy and may be generally prone to having a compromised immune system. [12] Friesian mares have a very high 54% rate of retained placenta after foaling. Some normal-sized Friesians also have a propensity toward tendon and ligament laxity which may or may not be associated with dwarfism. The relatively small gene pool and inbreeding are thought to be factors behind most of these disorders. [11]

History

17th century portrait of Dutchman Pieter Schout riding a Friesian style horse Ruiterportret van Pieter Schout drost van Hagestein, RP-P-OB-67.480.jpg
17th century portrait of Dutchman Pieter Schout riding a Friesian style horse

The Friesian originates in the province of Friesland in the northern Netherlands, where there is evidence of thousands of years of horse populations.

As far back in history as the 4th century there are mentions of Friesian troops which rode their own horses. One of the most well-known sources of this was by an English writer named Anthony Dent [13] who wrote about the Friesian mounted troops in Carlisle. Dent, amongst others, wrote that the Friesian horse was the ancestor of both the British Shire horse and Fell pony, however, this is speculation.

It was not until the 11th century, that there were illustrations of what appeared to be Friesians. Many of the illustrations found depict knights riding horses which resemble the breed, with one of the most famous examples being William the Conqueror. [14] [15]

These ancestors of the modern Friesians were used in medieval times to carry knights to battle. In the 12th and 13th centuries, some eastern horses of crusaders were mated with Friesian stock. During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Netherlands were briefly linked with Spain, there was less demand for heavy war horses, as battle arms changed and became lighter. Andalusian horses were bred with Friesians, producing a lighter horse more suitable for work as an urban carriage horse.

Historian Ann Hyland wrote of the Friesian breed:

The Emperor Charles (reigned 1516–56) continued Spanish expansion into the Netherlands, which had its Frisian warhorse, noted by Vegetius and used on the continent and in Britain in Roman times. Like the Andalusian, the Frisian bred true to type. Even with infusions of Spanish blood during the sixteenth century, it retained its indigenous characteristics, taking the best from both breeds. The Frisian is mentioned in 16th and 17th century works as a courageous horse eminently suitable for war, lacking the volatility of some breeds or the phlegm of very heavy ones. Generally black, the Frisian was around 15hh with strong, cobby conformation, but with a deal more elegance and quality. The noted gait was a smooth trot coming from powerful quarters. Nowadays, though breed definition is retained, the size has markedly increased, as has that of most breeds due to improved rearing and dietary methods. [16]

The breed was especially popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, when they were in demand not only as harness horses and for agricultural work, but also for the trotting races so popular then. In the 1800s, the Friesian was bred to be lighter and faster for trotting, but this led to what some owners and breeders regarded as inferior stock, so a movement to return to pureblood stock took place at the end of the 19th century.

Statue in Leeuwarden honouring the 100th anniversary of the modern Friesian studbook 20190227 Het Friese Paard door Auke Hettema Leeuwarden.jpg
Statue in Leeuwarden honouring the 100th anniversary of the modern Friesian studbook

A studbook society was founded in 1879 by Frisian farmers and landowners who had gathered to found the Fries Rundvee Stamboek (FRS) [13] :25 The Paardenstamboek (horse stud book) was published in 1880 and initially registered both Friesian horses and a group of heavy warmblood breeds, including Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburgers, collectively known as "Bovenlanders". [17] At the time, the Friesian horse was declining in numbers, and was being replaced by the more fashionable Bovenlanders, both directly, and by crossbreeding Bovenlander stallions on Friesian mares. This had already virtually exterminated the pure Friesian in significant parts of the province in 1879, which made the inclusion of Bovenlanders necessary. While the work of the society led to a revival of the breed in the late 19th century, it also resulted in the sale and disappearance of many of the best stallions from the breeding area, and Friesian horse populations dwindled. By the early 20th century, the number of available breeding stallions was down to three. [18] [ better source needed ] Therefore, in 1906, the two parts of the registry were joined, and the studbook was renamed the Friesch Paarden Stamboek (FPS) in 1907." [17]

In 1913 a society, Het Friesch Paard, was founded to protect and promote the breed. By 1915 it had convinced FPS to split registration into two groups. By 1943, the breeders of non-Friesian horses left the FPS completely to form a separate association, which later became the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands (KWPN). [17]

Displacement by mechanical farm equipment on dairy farms also was a threat to the survival of Friesian horse. The last draught function performed by Friesians on a significant scale was on farms that raised dairy cattle. World War II slowed the process of displacement, allowing the population and popularity of the breed to rebound. Important in the initial stage of the recovery of the breed was due to the family owned Circus Strassburger, who, having fled Nazi Germany for the Low Countries, discovered the show qualities of the breed and demonstrated its abilities outside of its local breeding area during and after the Nazi occupation [19]

Uses

As use in agricultural pursuits declined, the Friesian became popular for recreational uses. [20] Today, about seven percent of the horses in the Netherlands are Friesians. [12]

The Friesian horse today is used both in harness and under saddle, particularly in the discipline of dressage. In harness, they are used for competitive and recreational driving. A traditional carriage seen in some events designed for Friesian horses is a high-wheeled cart called a sjees . [21] [22] :82 Friesians are also used to pull vintage carriages at ceremonial events and parades. [23]

Because of their color and striking appearance, Friesian horses are a popular breed in movies and television, particularly in historic and fantasy dramas. They are viewed as calm in the face of the activity associated with filmmaking, but also elegant on-camera. [23]

Registration of breeding

A Friesian horse is defined as a horse that meets the breed description as described in the breeding goal and of which both parents are registered in one of the classes (of the main section) of the KFPS. —KFPS [24]

Koninklijke Vereniging 'Het Friesch Paarden-Stamboek' (KFPS), which means "Royal Association, The Friesian Horse Studbook", is the original Friesian studbook founded in 1879 in the Netherlands and is the world-recognized official studbook for the Friesian horse breed. [25] [26] KFPS has licensed about 30 organizations around the world as authorized representatives to uphold its breeding program standards, record registrations and arrange horse evaluations. [25] Most KFPS-registered horses are in the Netherlands, Germany and North America. [25]

KFPS studbook breeding is strictly controlled, and breeding a KFPS-registered and approved stallion to any non-KFPS mares or to any other breed of horse is strongly discouraged. [25] [26] Other registries exist for Friesians and Friesian crossbreeds, but KFPS does not permit dual registration. [25]

For a stallion to be approved as breeding stock it must pass a rigorous approval process. Horses are judged at an inspection, or keuring, by Dutch judges, who decide whether the horse is worthy of breeding. [27] [28]

There are multiple registries within KFPS. The two main registries are the studbook for approved stallions, and the foalbook for horses from the mating of an approved stallion and a mare in the foalbook. [25] There are two auxiliary registries: [25]

There are a few special status awards that can be obtained during evaluation events, such as a star predicate which is awarded to a mare, gelding, or unapproved stallion that meets minimum standards of conformation, movement, and minimum height; and a sport predicate is awarded to horses that have achieved certain performance goals in dressage or driving competitions. [29]

KFPS-registered horses born prior to 1997 had tongue tattoos; horses born after have a microchip implant in the upper left neck. The tattoo or chip numbers are recorded on the registration papers. [25] Names given to foals born in a certain year must begin with a fixed letter as determined by KFPS. Parentage is verified with DNA testing, and mares are DNA tested for hydrocephalus and dwarfism unless their sire and dam had both tested as non-carriers. [24]

See also

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.

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">Dølehest</span> Breed of horse

The Dole Gudbrandsdal, Dølahest, or Dole is a draft- and harness-type horse from Norway. The Dole Trotter is alternately considered a subtype of the Dole Gudbrandsdal and a separate breed; it is also considered a part of the coldblood trotter type. The Dole Gudbrandsdal is a small draft horse, known for its pulling power and agility, while the Dole Trotter is a smaller, faster horse used for harness racing; the two types are commonly interbred. Both types are strictly critiqued before entry into the studbook, which has over time resulted in an improvement in the breed type. The Dole is originally from the Gudbrandsdal Valley, and is probably descended in part from the Friesian horse. Over time, the breed has had Thoroughbred, Arabian, and other breeds added in, especially during the creation of the Dole Trotter in the 19th century. The first studbook was created in 1941, and the current breed association was formed in 1947. Although originally used mainly as a pack horse, today, the heavier Dole type is used mainly for agricultural purposes. The Dole Gudbrandsdal been crossed with other breeds to develop horses for harness racing and riding.

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

A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands, 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 are some of the most successful competition horses developed in postwar Europe.

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

The Finnhorse or Finnish Horse is a horse breed with both riding horse and draught horse influences and characteristics, and is the only breed developed fully in Finland. In English it is sometimes called the Finnish Universal, as the Finns consider the breed capable of fulfilling all of Finland's horse needs, including agricultural and forestry work, harness racing, and riding. In 2007, the breed was declared the official national horse breed of Finland.

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

The Irish Draught horse is the national horse breed of Ireland which developed primarily for farm use. Today, they are especially popular for crossing with Thoroughbreds and warmbloods, producing the popular Irish Sport Horses which excel at the highest levels of eventing and show jumping.

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

The Belgian Warmblood or Belgisch Warmbloedpaard is a Belgian breed of warmblood sport horse. It is bred principally for show-jumping, but is also suitable for dressage and for three-day eventing. It is one of three Belgian warmblood breeds or stud-books, the others being the Zangersheide and the Belgian Sport Horse – to which last it is quite similar.

<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">Gelderlander</span> Breed of horse

The Gelderlander is a Dutch breed of warmblood horse. It was bred in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands as a carriage horse capable also of farm work. It declined in popularity in the mid-twentieth century. In 1965 it was one of the foundation breeds of the Dutch Warmblood or KWPN, the other being the heavier Groninger horse from the north. It is registered in a division of the Royal Dutch Warmblood Horse Studbook, which also has divisions for the Dutch Warmblood and for the Dutch Harness Horse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friesian Sporthorse</span> Breed of horse

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. The term "Friesian Sport Horse" is a generic term to describe any Friesian-cross horse.

<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.

Studbook selection is a process used in certain breeds of horses to select breeding stock. It allows a breed registry to direct the evolution of the breed towards the ideal by eliminating unhealthy or undesirable animals from the population. The removal of individuals from a population is called culling, and does not suggest killing the animal in question. Typically, culls are castrated or they and their offspring are unable to be registered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger</span> Breed of horse

The Alt-Oldenburger and Ostfriesen are representatives of a group of horse breeds primarily from continental Europe called heavy warmbloods. The breed has two names because the same horse was bred in two regions in the most north-western part of Germany: East Frisia and the former grand duchy of Oldenburg. The name "Alt-Oldenburger" - alt meaning "old" - simply distinguishes this horse from its descendant, the modern Oldenburg, which is bred for sport.

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

The Frederiksborger is Denmark's oldest horse breed. They were tremendously popular throughout the Renaissance and Baroque periods and were considered luxury items. Today, the breed is rare, but has a loyal following. Stallions and mares undergo studbook inspections before being allowed to breed. They are most often chestnut with white markings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish Horse</span> Belgian breed of draught horse

The Flemish Horse, also known as Belgian Horse (US) or Flanders Horse, Dutch: Vlaams Paard, French: Cheval Flamand, is a Belgian breed of draught horse originating in Flanders, Belgium.

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

The Dutch Miniature or Nederlands Minipaard is a Dutch breed of small or miniature horse. It has been selectively bred to display in miniature the physical characteristics of a full-sized horse, and may stand no taller than 106 cm.

The Baroque Pinto is a Dutch horse breed of Baroque type founded in the 1950s and 1960s, using the Friesian horse, Dutch Warmblood (KWPN), German Warmblood, and other European warmblood breeds for its foundation stock. Some consider it to be a type of Friesian cross or Friesian Sporthorse, while others consider it to be its own breed.

<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.

References

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