Friesian Crosses?

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PercyMum

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Hi all

No knowledge of Friesians at all apart from they look very pretty, pull carriages and have their ears up your nose. This is a completely uneducated view and I have read alot saying that they are super horses to have around.

A friend is looking at a Freisian x Cleveland Bay, which I thought would either be super (athletic with stamina??) or a total nightmare (massively stubborn with ears up your nose??!!). I'm just curious really.

Personally, I am a TB/TBx person but since every horse (bar 2) that I have bought have been an unmitigated medical disaster, I thought I would see what others thoughts were!!
 
I simply love a friesian x, never seen or owned a CB x Friesian, but I imagine it would lend itself quite nicely. Now, If you like a TB x this may tickle your fancy... Friesian x TB:


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And later when she had had a massage, you can see a lower head carriage (yes she is BTV but this was occasionally encouraged to allow her to stretch her muscles)
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In my opinion, friesian x's are the undersung sports horses, they have such huge tallent if it is the right cross... Yes they do have a tendency to high head carriage, its more natural to them, but it also becomes a vicious circle the higher they carry it the easier it becomes for them to carry it that way and the harder to carry it lower because of the development of the muscles... loosen that all up and the carriage droops by feet (literally). I would never hesitate to have the right friesian x

Just to add as i didnt fully answer your question, im actually quite amazed that they do not feature more as a sports horse, the correct x is incredibly talented athletic, and yes has excellent stamina. Certainly the ones Ive seen (although mostly tb x) would make perfect event horses, but equally could have specialised in sj or dressage.
 
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I dont think they are the best picture to sell him ;) they make him look a bit weak in the back and his neck... typical F neck! However, I can absolutely see what you see in him (and I have an generally appy dislike) I think that the photo is very discieving and that side on, standing straight you would probably have a similar (if more gangly, younger picture of what I saw when I first saw ebony - aged 7). Even now, you can see the 'power house' backside as I have taken to calling them. I like him Fides, and if I were in the market and had the land, I would most certainly be asking for more pictures and taking a closer look. He is a bit more chunky than my tb x girlie, but he is very handsome and even with the not so great photograph, there is a lot to like I think. :)
 
Oooh, QB that is one gorgeous horse - is that your dear departed Ebony?

I have to say, Friesians always look stunning to me but I have always lumped them in as 'warmbloods', which I never get on with. I'm going with my friend to see this horse and hope its nice. The Cleveland Bays are lovely horses so I would have thought the mix could be a nice sturdy, athletic little horse.
 
PercyMum said:
Oooh, QB that is one gorgeous horse - is that your dear departed Ebony?

I have to say, Friesians always look stunning to me but I have always lumped them in as 'warmbloods', which I never get on with. I'm going with my friend to see this horse and hope its nice. The Cleveland Bays are lovely horses so I would have thought the mix could be a nice sturdy, athletic little horse.
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They can be a little quirky, I had my work cut out with ebony (yes it is her) as she was 7 and as green as if she had just been backed but with a brain that thought she knew everything. The three key things when working with these horses (and its been the same for most F x horses I know of) they are highly intelligent, they do not respond well to force or 'dominance', they need to be set up to suceed, their egos stroked, and dont be afraid of putting them out to pasture to let them digest things for a few days, what I mean by this:

They respond well to kindness and understanding, you absolutely cant beast such horses, you cant hit them on the bum to make them go into a stable or lorry. this will cause and emotional meltdown. when faced with something that freaks them out, allow them to stand, assess, breath out and relax, then ask and they will respond positively.

Whenever, you ask them to do something, stroke their ego, ask them to do something they can do well and praise them, (for example I would always ask for ebony to just walk on the bit) then, you will feel them say.... what now????!!!! and they will attack and learn anything new with gusto.

If they go into meltdown when schooling (particularly) to the point where they cant do what you are asking them to do, as for that simple stroke the ego thing, then praise and call it a day, chuck them out in the field and give them a day or two... the next session they will nail it first off and never ever have to go over it again.

they are a little bit tricksy, but nearly all of those i have known have been the same, and such a joy to be around. so genteel and loving - serene is a word I would use. and to ride them is a feeling i cant quite describe, its like being given a precious gift, and used correctly their traits and high intelligence can be a strong and incredibly effective tool
 
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noodle_ said:
i emailed that a while back as i quite liked it

sweet itch.............wouldnt touch it tbh as nice as it is
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I've had a horse with sweet itch before and just hogged his mane, Cooper'sed him and it cleared up, never to return... Did the owner say it was bad? Never mentioned it to me. He's only round the corner from me and she only wants £600 for him
 
Fides said:
I've had a horse with sweet itch before and just hogged his mane, Cooper'sed him and it cleared up, never to return... Did the owner say it was bad? Never mentioned it to me. He's only round the corner from me and she only wants £600 for him
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I did look back at him and think he could just about escape with a hog, built up his neck would carry it ok I think, I will keep my fingers crossed for you that it isnt too bad... he looks a really lovely chap and I would say, even with the SI worth 600, but then Im a Friesian x sucker :D
 
Queenbee said:
I did look back at him and think he could just about escape with a hog, built up his neck would carry it ok I think, I will keep my fingers crossed for you that it isnt too bad... he looks a really lovely chap and I would say, even with the SI worth 600, but then Im a Friesian x sucker :D
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I only moved my two to my new place today so going to get settled for a week or so first and then go and see him. I'm trading my car in for a cheap 4x4 (as our road is soooo potholed) so hopefully there will be a few £££ left over for (another) horse...

Edit - it looks like his mane takes after the friesian rather than the appy side so should grow back no bother? My welshie rubbed his whole mane out last spring and it is about a foot long now!
 
Yes, it does look more F than A mane wise, I think that personally I wouldn't discount it for SI, there are many cases where a change in environment triggers either the clearing up or the onset of the condition, so you could end up never having to deal with it. either way, the progression in actually managing it is huge and hopefully (for his comfort) with the correct rugs and management could live life with minimal issue. How do the signs put it? "approach with caution" however, i suspect the caution is less to do with SI and more to do with walking away six hundred pounds lighter :D
 
Queenbee said:
i suspect the caution is less to do with SI and more to do with walking away six hundred pounds lighter :D
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Ha ha yeah :) Where I am there is no standing water and the fields are quite dry so I should imagine the fly problem isn't as bad as it is where I was. Having one with SI already (and managed with no recurrence) I am not going to discount him.

I may go and see him and he is a complete twit anyway and not want him for that reason...

OP - awfully sorry to hijack your thread but free bumps for you ;)
 
Fides said:
Ha ha yeah :) Where I am there is no standing water and the fields are quite dry so I should imagine the fly problem isn't as bad as it is where I was. Having one with SI already (and managed with no recurrence) I am not going to discount him.

I may go and see him and he is a complete twit anyway and not want him for that reason...

OP - awfully sorry to hijack your thread but free bumps for you ;)
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Ooh, exciting (yes op sorry to hijack) if you do go and see him, I'd love to hear what you thought of him.

Back to op's original topic, obviously I simply adore a good Friesian x, to the point that if money was no option, it has long since been my dream (obviously I'd have to have a windfall) to buy three really decent tb mares and put them in foal to a cracking 'sports type' Friesian stallion. I would keep all three foals, back them and bring them on myself, keep one to ride for me and find two cracking young riders to enjoy them. I'd love to do that. :). Yep, if i was ever to breed a horse it would be Friesian x tb
 
My babies are both 1/4 fresian, (Dad was fresian x cob) they & all their siblings I have met have been absolute pets, very easy & sensible temperaments & lovely movement from a variety of different mares, from TB's to WBs to chunky cobs.

My little boy is exceptionally beautiful, (think Black Beauty :D) & my filly floats across the ground so yes I quite like fresian crosses :D
 
Everyone like different things but if you asked me for my idea of a hellish cross it would be a Fresian / CB .
Why would you do that except as an experiment in breeding a different sort of driving horse.
 
I have never had one but have been known to drool over pictures of friesian x tb youngsters for sale. I believe there is a stud up in Cumbria, think the owner is on here, or was?
 
I've owned a CB x TB. She was lovely, very sweet and biddable - her only fault was a little stubborn at times but for the most part, very willing. I currently own a pure bred friesian (rising 4). He's a lovely chap and the modern 'sports' type. Very sweet natured, very pretty but a little stubborn at times. I am finding him slightly different from other types of horses I've owned. Very willing to please, VERY intelligent - but he's a definite candidate for tactful and diplomatic handling - they do seem to be a little different from other types of horse,(a bit like the difference between a border collie and a labrador....) but he's enormously rewarding.
For your benefit OP, I'm imagining a cross between the two of them...I personally would go for it (I like my flatwork and a bit of hacking) - I guess it all depends on what you want to do with him/her....
 
Friesians are naturally "upheaded" so you shouldn't try and get them to work long and low as it will put them onto their forehand. Obviously you want them to stretch and relax. I made this mistake with an upheaded breed, I was trying to ride him like the TBXs I had previously.

The Friesians have been crossed with Saddlebreds to make them lighter in build and more suitable as riding horses (or so I was told by someone from the USA) as origianlly they were regarded as strong driving types.
 
I've had a few 'up headed' horses (notably a very big and sticky up Gelderlander) and have successfully managed to compete them to advanced dressage (Steph and Mr President spring to mind). I've also seen plenty of Friesians competing at GP. OK, they may not win every time out against big moving WB's, but they give a very good account of themselves. By the time you've got them more advanced, that uphill way of going they have can become an advantage.
 
PollyP99 said:
Was wondering what this x would look like and came across these two ads, bit of a price drop? Is this the one op?

http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/classifieds/580655-friesian-x-cleveland-bay-mare-worksop.html

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/misty-15...and-bay-5-years-mare-nottingham/Horses/333426
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Yep, that's the one. I thought she looked quite nice.

Goldenstar said:
Bad in traffic , big no no for me very very difficult to find a home for one of those .
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Would be for me too but she would only be hacking in open forest with no roadwork. And at 5 surely this behaviour could be altered within reason? Only worry I guess would be out competing.
 
My mare used to be described a s 'not good in traffic' - when she was backed she had a chap come behind her on his motorbike and hit the deck and skid past her.... You almost wouldn't believe it but this happened again a week later, so she had no great love for traffic, especially motorbikes. Time and patience was all it took, in the end we could ride through town, past the fairground rides in full swing and on the main busy roads. :)
 
Queenbee said:
My mare used to be described a s 'not good in traffic' - when she was backed she had a chap come behind her on his motorbike and hit the deck and skid past her.... You almost wouldn't believe it but this happened again a week later, so she had no great love for traffic, especially motorbikes. Time and patience was all it took, in the end we could ride through town, past the fairground rides in full swing and on the main busy roads. :)
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Yep, I think most things are fixable with time and patience but I guess it would also be how extreme the problems were. I have also found that mares tend to be more open to changing their mind about things than geldings!
 
I have seen some frankly hideous looking freisan crosses online mostly in the US but I suppose thats the same with most horses it depends on the cross and the parents and they were quite erm odd combinations ie. freisans x QH. There was a stunning looking 3/4 freisan x Knabstrupper doing the rounds on FB a while back.
 
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