Friesian.... Why?

Gloi said:
I haven't met one yet that didn't have serious health or temperament problems.
The first two were imported stallions. One found dead in a flood of blood in his stable from a burst aorta as a 4yo. He was a sweet horse though. Sadly he'd been used and passed the problem to his offspring one of which died shortly after being broken in as it was being hacked up the lane.
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Mine was perfectly healthy. She was also a saint to handle and I could honestly trust her with a child, despite her size. I do think the older bloodlines have better temperaments. She was PTS aged 25+ with laminitis, probably due to cushings which the vet refused to treat, despite her test being in the grey area. She had never been sick or sorry up until that point, but she was just chucked in a field before I got her.
 
I have to admit, I used to care for a couple and I didn’t like them at all.
They were rude, bolshy and obnoxious (and not for lack of appropriate management/care).

Obviously can’t tar a whole breed with the same brush but that’s my experience!
 
meleeka said:
Mine was perfectly healthy. She was also a saint to handle and I could honestly trust her with a child, despite her size. I do think the older bloodlines have better temperaments. She was PTS aged 25+ with laminitis, probably due to cushings which the vet refused to treat, despite her test being in the grey area. She had never been sick or sorry up until that point, but she was just chucked in a field before I got her.
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I think the trouble is you're playing Russian roulette. More so than you usually are with horses. My friend's horse died of the same connective tissue disorder that killed the ones Gloi wrote about. It affects the aorta and/or oesaphagus. Some lines have it, some don't, but when my friend researched it last year after losing her horse, it seems that no one knows which horses are at risk, nor have Friesian breed associations or anyone put much research/effort into tracing it, much less trying to develop a genetic test.
 
Someone who lives up the road from me has a stunning friesian broodmare. As far as I know, she doesn’t have any health problems, the people who own her are just like to have a loyds bank horse in the field 😂 (I should add that they are good owners and take excellent care of her, they just don’t ride)

She has a lovely temperament and I think she was a hacking horse before she became a broodmare.

They actually offered her foal to us to buy about 3 years ago now, at that point he was (if memory serves) about 4. He was a stunner and was perfect health-wise as far as I knew. However, he was a total mummy’s boy and seemed like an anxious lad if you tried to ask anything of him. As I said, the owners were definitely not riders, and they were scared of the riding-away bit. I was novicey at that point and my parents hadn’t done much for 20 years, so we politely declined.

I think he’s recently been sold to a pro, and I have no doubt that the owners have vetted the buyer to distraction 🤣
 
I rode the lovely Fugli at Ant’s Nest in South Africa. I expected to hate him as I am used to thoroughbreds. He was so comfortable; sure footed; amazing trot and was up at the front when going at speed. Also kept his head up when going downhill which is always a bonus!
 
I think they look stunning but there’s only Iceys for me.

However, someone I came across had a Friesian that had to be put down because of an illness that can affect Friesians specifically. She opted to have a different breed next time (Norwegian Dole, also very hairy and beautiful, but slightly heavier draft horse).
 
Janique said:
I have met a woman lately, she told me her horse was a Gypstian !

I never heard it before, it's a cross between a Irish Gypsy Cob and a Friesian !

He looks nice, very big, jet black and lot's of bone, she does a bit of everything with him.

Wil take photo next time, i see him.
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I have never heard of that being the name. That would be my Frisco! He has a fresian look and movement but his body really is looking cob like. Hoping that cob comes through on his personality.
 
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