friesians they are horses

D

dawn4321

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 June 2007
Messages
55
Visit site
why is it that friesians are not reconized in showing .i own a friesian mare 4 years i do a little bit of dressage with her but my main hobby is showing,if i new now what i did not no before i would not have brought my friesian. i have been to 3 showing shows now just d...oing the fun stuff like best conditioned and trying out riding club horse.well the judges did not want to know in the best conditioned they placed me last and i said to the judge is there anything i can inprove my friesian on and she said know she in very good condition its just that a friesian is not a show horse.well i felt upset after all its only a fun class. then i went to the trailblaizers qualifiers got somewhere in the turnout class i thought great ill take her in the riding club horse ,the judge said you carnt take her in that she is a friesian she is a driving horse.now again ive had the same.why this is stupid my horse can do the same as any other horse. im really put off now with the judges remarks and decided to sell my horse for driving.im disgusted that even at local level that judges dont want to even look at friesians,yes i could take her in foriegn breed classes but you have to travel miles to get there and for one class its not worth it.the friesian is being put down and i dont think this is right.
 
TBH I wouldn't sell my horse just because she wasn't getting me anywhere in showing (and trust me, we don't get anywhere, she's too naughty in the ring!)
but I guess that's your decision, I hope she finds a home where she's very much appreciated.
There are a few friesians where I show locally who compete in equitation and the like, so maybe its just the judges you have come across?
K x
 
hi i brought her for showing but did not realize judges was so against them its silly ive herd that people show them but in warwickshire judges just do not want to know.
them ,besides dressage what else could i do.
 
I've seen them in equitation and novelty classes - there is also one here who jumps! But here there is also a foreign breeds class at most local shows. I know its silly, I agree - we went to the HOYS qualifiers to do the Show Hunter class - didn't get placed (which is fine, we didn't expect it we just wanted our mare to get the experience of a large show and big class) but the judge didn't even look at her, and when he rode her, he rode her round once and got off - nothing like the 4/5 circuits he did on the rest in all paces. After the class we got told that they don't like chestnuts and it was obvious.
K x
 
*whispers* horses are for enjoyment, not winning prizes :o

Anyway, if your horse is registered with the FHAGBI
http://www.fhagbi.co.uk/index.php
Then you can find specialist friesian shows for your horse.
However, a horse I sold to Scotland shows very successfully county level and above again other breeds of horse. It could be a case of particular judges being disagreeable.
 
Well if you were into showing maybe you should have done some research? Poor mare has been bought, moved home and now is being sold because you took a punt on a flashy horse and it didn't pay off.

You could do dressage, some fun classes like best mane and tail (freisians normally have amazing tails) a bit of low level jumping perhaps? Could you try some Le Trek? A bit of mini XC? Cross jump or whatever it's called where its a cross between XC and SJ. Prettiest mare classes are sometimes held at local shows too.

Then again, maybe she would be better off in a home that will appreciate her for what she is. If you want to show big, take her further to the big shows. If you want to show at local level for fun, then IMO that's what it should be about.
 
I don't undertstand :( Surely there are freisian breed shows. Maybe get in touch with the society? But a hunter is a hunter, a rding horse is a riding horse etc, and freisians wre bred as driving horses orginally (they do very well in drving classes and look beautiful, though I must say I am TB person) I agree with somethingorother, why by a freisian to do 'showing', unless you wanted to do speailist showing, also they are not native to this country, and not terribly common so there wouldn't be the numbers to warrant a special class for them at local/most shows.
 
somethingorother said:
Well if you were into showing maybe you should have done some research? Poor mare has been bought, moved home and now is being sold because you took a punt on a flashy horse and it didn't pay off.
...
Then again, maybe she would be better off in a home that will appreciate her for what she is. If you want to show big, take her further to the big shows. If you want to show at local level for fun, then IMO that's what it should be about.
Click to expand...

This ^
If you don't care enough to do a bit of research, that you obviously don't care that much. Move on, there are plenty of disciplines and classes friesians can be successful in, even if they are classed as 'novelty'.
It isn't fair that your mistake could mean that what is probably a lovely mare has to be sold on because you didn't do a bit of googling!
 
I agree that certain breeds are more 'suited' to certain things but a riding horse or a hunter refer to types.

OK a Fresian may not be typical of the 'type' but if it has the required characteristics then I don't think it should be penalised just because of it's breed? Or have I missed the point?

OP - what level of shows are you going to and what do you want to do? Does your horse jump at all?

If happy to do local classes then something like riding club horse would be an option? Just really need to show that your horse is a bit of an 'allrounder'?

Will keep thinking . . .
 
the love of my life was a friesian.
sold off the dressage barn I was working in to a hunter/jumper barn.
He was the best horse I ever rode.
If your mare is close o that wonderful - dump the showing and do what she can do,
 
Not sure I really understand either - isn't showing (at local level anyway) meant to be a bit of fun? Y'know a day out for you and your horse? Does it really matter if you're winning or not, shouldn't you love your horse unconditionally?
I would just take her out, show her off to everyone, be really proud of her work hard and keep at it. Some judge someday will appreciate her talent and if not, you should.
K x
 
One of teh horses in the sports horse class I did was a friesian - was placed 3rd. They might not be traditional sports horses (I have no idea if they are or not lol) but this one was very fit and regularly competed at dressage and showjumping...
 
zalacca said:
One of teh horses in the sports horse class I did was a friesian - was placed 3rd. They might not be traditional sports horses (I have no idea if they are or not lol) but this one was very fit and regularly competed at dressage and showjumping...
Click to expand...

Are you sure it wasn't what's called a friesian sports horse? Some, like the Arabo-Friesian look a lot like friesians (e.g. the main image on the below site) but are registered as sports horses, meaning they would be allowed in classes and do well. There is a friesian sport horse studbook, trying to make fsh's a registered breed, in which case fsh's could compete in a wider range of classes and disciplines, while there ancestors cannot.

http://www.arabofriesian.co.uk/
 
Last edited:
If your main hobby was showing, then you should have bought a show horse.

You only need to know the basics of showing to realise that fresians are not close to any of the common horse showing classes.

And if your main hobby is showing, then you are really going to have to learn that some judges won't like your horse. It's part and parcel of the sport, whether your horse is a fresian, show hunter or anything else.
 
Nathan-And-Hayke said:
Are you sure it wasn't what's called a friesian sports horse? Some, like the Arabo-Friesian look a lot like friesians (e.g. the main image on the below site) but are registered as sports horses, meaning they would be allowed in classes and do well. There is a friesian sport horse studbook, trying to make fsh's a registered breed, in which case fsh's could compete in a wider range of classes and disciplines, while there ancestors cannot.

http://www.arabofriesian.co.uk/
Click to expand...

I have no idea tbh, I had to go straight into the championship after the class and they left. He was stunning and I thought they would win (I was shocked to be placed first, was called twice lol). I did hear her telling the judge they did much better at dressage than jumping but that was it. This was in trailblazer showing btw, they certainly didn't ask me about my mares (questionable) breeding although she does look full tb but isn't.

ETS - just got site loaded on different browser. I'm pretty certain he was a full fresian, she didn't mention him being a part bred anyway.
 
Last edited:
Were you not satisfied with the answers you got in Competition Riders? I'm just confused, why would anyone buy a Friesian specifically for showing in the UK? If you really want to show you should have bought a breed native to Britain or a hunter or something. I can't believe you're now selling her on because you aren't getting the comments and success that you expected.
 
May I just take the opportunity to say my friesian jumps affiliated! Why do people never think to get them off the ground from time to time?!

But yes, i agree that your horse would be better off with somebody who knows what they are getting and appreciates her for it.
 
I can't show my friesian, he has a slightly fallen crest after being gelded late, I don't like dressage but he can do lots of other things, have you tried cross country on yours? Or hunting? If they are fit they can do most jobs, even endurance and pleasure rides. I'm sure you could find lots of things that you both enjoy. I wouldn't send my boy off to start driving, he wouldn't have a clue!
Good luck, I hope you can keep your mare and enjoy her without getting down about the showing.
 
i do appriciate my horse and love her to bits we have decided not to sell her as she is 100 % my little lad of 8 years old rides her on his own and she looks after him.
i have shown her with success and have 2 wins and placed in certain classes with success.
im not out to win i do it for fun and always have.the horse as been out a few times and scores in her dressage is over 62% ,ive now decided to keep her as an dressage fun horse ,and not as a show horse.
but what gets me is judges that make comments by saying that this horse should not be in this class has its a driving horse.ok you get it everywhere but it is very often around my area.and it puts the dampers on things .only this week she will be at london royal in her own classes.
i just think they should be more recogonized as they are capable of doing everything that other horses can do.
she jumps which my son does with her ,i do the dressage .
maybe one day they will be recogonized like other foriegn breeds in my area.
 
I bought my friesian because i love how they look, im not ashamed to admit that. However, im hoping to train her up as a jumper/allrounder and so far all is going well. Her first attempts of jumping have gone very well, she is taking it like a duck to water.

Just because a friesian isnt traditionally aimed at what you want to do, doesnt mean you cant be successful. And even if you're not, you will have a beautiful horse to hack and enjoy :)

But i do have to agree with other who said that if you're buying with a specific goal (ie county level showing) then its a good idea to research which breed is best if you would plan to sell the horse if it was unsuitable. That seems entirely unfair on the horse who has done nothing wrong!
 
Is this a wind-up thread???

You can do with your Friesan whatever you would do with another horse - they are beautiful horses. From the number that seem to be used in films, they must be very trainable, I'm sure they could turn their hooves to anything.

I think they are stunning, and one day I will have one - once I've done my research!
 
i agree they can do what other horses can do and my friesian can do everything even play football with us in the field .she is now staying and not going anywhere she is to much like an human then an horse.if we sold her now she could go to anyone ,judges stupid comments are not her fault i know and not taking it out on her.and i did research her breed before i had her and was told that you could take them in an variety of classes but in the midlands they just dont want to know a foriegn breed ,around here theres only about 4 foriiegn breed classes at the shows a year.and its silly.ive had horses now for 30 years and this is the only horse that has apriciated its owners and looks after you.
i must have been having a bad moment when i said ill sell her this is only because of the judges telling me she should not be in the class and should not even be at the show.
yes ive been in many classes with my old horse and never got placed this does not bother me one bit ,winning or bring placed does not bother me.its just the stupid judges you just feel as though you have wasted your money even entering the class when they make comments like that.even if i was not placed i will always ask an judge how you can improve your horse ,just so i can do better the next time thats what judges are there for.
 
I have a Haflinger. He gets entered into all sorts of classes, sometimes he does well, sometimes not. Like all showing it all depends on what the judge likes, if they don't like / understand the breed they won't get placed, if they do you'll be fine.

If you buy any foreign or rare breed this will happen, judges will place horses they are familiar with above those they are not.
 
I agree with someothers inthat you should of researched before you bought the horse.

I understand thats not much help now, i think people have already covered it, fun classes in shows, sj, xc, le trec?
 
I think you may just have had bad experiences!

I used to show my old Friesian, he was hugely successful in Veteran classes and Foreign breed classes, as well as Hunter trials, dressage, side saddle and Private Driving. If you look at mainstream affiliated showing, then yes, there are very few clases that "fit" the Friesian. There are, however, Sports Horse classes, Foreign Breeds, Riding Club horse, and Equitation classes. If you want to do affiliated showing to a decent level, buy a horse that is either a Hack, Riding Horse, Cob, or Hunter!!!! The Friesian fits none of these classes.

Equifest and Royal London both run specific Friesian classes, as do shows like Warrington. Suffolk County are holding Foreign Bred classes next year for the first time, and many other County level shows hold a Foreign Breed class. I am a bit lost as to your whinge about there being no classes for them!!

Your best bet is to stop moaning, and get your horse out and about. That's exactly what I did, and we had a go at everything. My old boy excelled in everything he attempted, and my youngster (also a Friesian) is slowly learning to fill the boots of the old horse. However, if I wanted to return to proper affiliated showing, I would go and buy the right tool for the job.
 
OP, that's the showing world. It's the whole point of it. Welshies are wonderful ponies that can do anything, so are shetlands, so are shires/ clydes. But you wouldn't take any of those in a 'hunter' class and expect to win. You need a hunter type for that. Same as with other classes, they are specific. Just as a cleveland bay or tb wouldn't do well in a foreign breeds class. Maybe the judges should be polite, but saying that she shouldn't be in a class for a specific type of horse isn't out of order in my opinion. Of course, you can enter for fun, but you're unlikely to win. She sounds like a lovely character, i hope you can enjoy her for what she is and still get sme fun from some outings with her.
 
well i do enjoy her for what she does and no she not a hunter but would do a good days hunting.
but thanks everyone for your up front answers is has helped me alot no bad feelings ,but i would like to state i did do research on her and i have found that theres more classes for her to go other areas then there is here,just will have to travel further a field ,give me lorry a good service as getting old now bless it get brake down cover and start a fresh next year.
we dont want to go out and win we do show for fun and always will.
we only do county level with my kids pony when we can ,but again its just for fun and kids enjoy it.
thanks again keep you updated
 
I'm sorry, you have an 8 year old son and are still not mature enough to actually type 'fresian' into google before you go out and buy one? Of course the fresian is a driving horse (or barge horse as I prefer to call them), if you went into a riding horse class and a hackney got placed at the top you'd be annoyed... because it isn't a riding horse!! That is not what they are bred for!! Equally, if I wanted to do showing over here there is no way I'd buy a British native breed because there would be no classes for them. Seriously, the lack of common sense with some people astonishes me sometimes!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top