Friesian Owners

CrazyFriesian said:
Try doing a search on the forum for them. There are lots of threads about them. :)

I am biased. :) Generally they are a very friendly breed and will turn a hoof to most things - not big jumpers tho. Depends what you want them for. :)
Click to expand...

Great for funerals!!!:D

Only messing... they are quite flashy to look at..and black is much easier to keep clean than a grey ?:o
 
vikkibeth said:
I am more of a stay on the ground rider anyway!
In general are they fairly laid back when it comes to hacks etc or can they be spooky and strong?
Click to expand...

As with all breeds, it depends... :) In GENERAL terms they are very laid back, although there are some lines that are sharper than others. Brandus lines have a name for being very kind, gentle and easy to deal with.

I would go and have a look and assess on merit. You wont know until you see.

I know with mine I was waiting for the teenage tantrums around 4/5 and it hasn't happened... yet. :D

They do take longer to mature though as they were developed as a draft breed. They are certainly VERY comfortable. Have a search on here and you will find LOTS of discussions about them as a breed, references to different bloodlines etc.
 
As a breed I wouldn't class them as novice horses, they can be hot to handle and very bargey, as they can be very smart, if you don't know how to nip it in the bud, they are very loyal though and tend to bond to one person, also very food orientated!! They are now being bred primarily for the show ring and purely to do the high stepping show ring trot before they finish growing, and also to more closely resemble warmbloods, so often have pretty unsuitable conformation to carry a rider tending to have weak backs and backends - good ones are hard to come by and are not cheap!!
They do also have alot of genetic issues due to inbreeding, if you are wanting to go down the breeding route in future - just be aware, good insurance is a must - mesenteric colic seems to be the biggest killer along with aortic rupture, but I do love my lot and have enjoyed owning them, they do look beautiful too!!!:D

Also make sure when you buy to get a full 5-stage vetting with x-rays as they are prone to joint problems like OCD, you can limit joint damage by not breaking until they are 4yrs, although one of mine is only getting backed now as a 6yr old as he just wasn't physically mature enough, they don't finish maturing physically or mentally until they are 8!! Not stuffing full of hard feed is also a major thing and no rugs, if you have shelter in your field, as they really don't need them - they are very hardy, although have seen people putting full rugs on even in summer just because it was going to rain!!!:O - also increases the chances of colic!!! Unfortunately most are broken in at 2 so have knackered legs, and most that come from holland need to be turned away then re-started as they are usually broken in a hurry then passed off as novice horses as they are so quiet so buyer beware is really true so doing your homework is really important!!
I have listed the genetic problems on my website - just so people are aware - has already saved one horse so well worth it, although not popular with the breed society or other breeders but I don't care!!:D - www.mealrigg-stud.co.uk
Good luck anyway and let us know how you get on and wether you buy!!!:D
 
They are a wonderful breed, and like all breeds there are good and bad friesians but generally they are considered very kind and gentle horses. An older, well schooled, well mannered friesian would be fine for a novice rider, but as with any other breed, a very young, green horse probably wouldnt be a good idea!!

A correctly trained friesian who has been taught its basic manners shouldnt be rude or bargy, that is not a "breed problem", that is purely down to how they are raised. They are very people orientated and love their people very much so you do have to teach them ground manners from a young age and be firm with them if they do try to overstep their bounds as youngsters, like with any other horse. But, any horse that has been well handled and trained from a young age should be fine and that is not something that I would want people to be put of the breed by as it is simply not true for all friesians at all!

Researching lines is very important, there are some stallions known for producing "hot" offspring which can be either a good or a bad thing depending on what you're wanting from the horse. Certain stallions are known to have unpredictable/nervous temperments which they have passed on to foals, which is NOT something I would want to see in a stallion at all.

The FPS and national breed clubs are doing a wonderful job of trying to promote the breed as a versatile riding horse and friesians are successfully competing at very high levels in dressage and many compete successfully in eventing and showjumping. And of course, they are wonderful riding horses for less ambitious riders :D There are different "types" of friesian, both are wonderful in their own right and you'd need to look at what you like before choosing a horse. The baroque type are very beautiful, but they tend to be shorter and much heavier and are more built towards the carriage work rather than being a riding horse. The FPS have encouraged breeders to aim more towards a riding type horse so the sports/modern type of friesian has been developed in more recent years. These are the ones most often seen competing at the higher levels, they are taller and a little more refined than the baroque ones. Each type has their pros and cons, so research is a good idea!! There are, of course, many many poorly bred examples of each type of friesian, so its best to really look around and not just go for the first friesian you find, or the cheapest of course!! FPS registered is the best bet too IMO, and from an approved stallion is highly recommended as these stallions have to undergo rigourous testing on their performance, temperment, conformation and health and only keep their approved status if they consistently produce quality foals so you know that you are getting a well bred horse if it is by an approved stallion. There arent any in the UK unfortunately, so if you do go for a B-book reg friesian then I would very strongly recommend that it be from a STER graded stallion so at least you know it meets the FPS requirements to get a grading :)

They are a wonderful breed though, the negative comments are mostly completely unjustified, they are just like any other breed and need careful research before jumping in and buying one :D
 
My friesian X is a very friendly, highly sensitive but loyal and hardworking little chap. He's as honest and genuine as they come and tries his absolute heart and soul out in everything he's asked to do (has driven, hunted, dressage, hunter trials and show jumped up to newcomers) BUT he is very easily upset, and teaching him new things has to be done very slowly, or he gets himself really very upset :p:rolleyes: He's my horse of a lifetime, and I wouldn't swap him for the world :)

Oh yes, he's anything but bargey :p, but I think that's just a Lenny thing :p he'd be too worried to barge anyone or anything anywhere :rolleyes: He's a jumpy little fella, bless his cottons ;)

J&C
 
You must check out the Friesian Horse Association at http://www.fhagbi.co.uk/

They have a great forum and lots of advice on their pages.
As with all horses and humans, personalities vary and aliments too, you need to do some research, but there will be plenty of advice and offers of help on the fhagbi site. I'd be wary of any horses not registered with them.

I'm in Norfolk but come from Northampton! :D
 
monikirk said:
You must check out the Friesian Horse Association at http://www.fhagbi.co.uk/

They have a great forum and lots of advice on their pages.
As with all horses and humans, personalities vary and aliments too, you need to do some research, but there will be plenty of advice and offers of help on the fhagbi site. I'd be wary of any horses not registered with them.

I'm in Norfolk but come from Northampton! :D
Click to expand...


Thank you, I understand each ones going to be different but its also very interesting to see what the breed is like on a whole. Have already had a bit of a peek at FHA but will certainly study it harder!

lol Yay for Northampton......:rolleyes:
 
I am an owner and hobby breeder. I've also spent quite a bit of time doing research into the bloodlines and have visited Holland a few times to visit studs and go to the central keuring in Holland.

Regarding the inbreeding that Alexart mentioned, friesians are not any more inbred than some of the popular welsh lines and in a lot of cases considerably less so. So far as I know though the FPS is the only breed society who publishes the inbreeding % on the papers which, for me, is fantastic.

In general, they are as a breed very calm and reasonable, not sharp and very very people friendly.

If you are looking to buy then yes the ideal would always be to go for offspring from a Ster graded mare and an approved stallion in holland and ideally you would be looking that the horse you are buying is graded and approve - however they are expensive. If you do buy something that is by a UK based stallion out of an ugraded mare then look further back in the bloodlines - for example we have an older mare who has never been graded so on the face of it she wouldn't look as good as some others - she has however produced a daughter who has gone on to get a Ster grade, a colt foal who was awarded 2nd premie and a filly grandaughter who was awarded 2nd premie so you will need to take circumstances into consideration.

I have found friesian youngsters very very easy to deal with, none of mine have been bolshy or bargy, in fact I can walk my 2yo colt just about anywhere, in a rope halter with no fuss. My 2yo filly I can go and take out of the field at any time, away from her field mates and off we go for a walk - again with no fuss. The only one we have had bolshy problems with is our older mare - she was 14 when we bought her and used to living out doing her own thing 24/7 so we just needed to get a few things sorted, nothing was a huge issue though :)

As for them not being suitable for a novice owner/rider - I would say that the right one would be :)

I sold a 2yo to a novice owner, he has just come back to her from being backed and apart from a few confidence issues she hasn't had any problems with him at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top