First mentions of Friesian breed horses are found in chronicles of the 13th century. But everyone wants their national breed of animals to trace its ancestry almost from the origin of life on the planet. Therefore, in Dutch sources you can find information that the first Friesian horses appeared in Friesland 3 thousand years ago. And the Romans who conquered the country appreciated the breed, taking it with them to the British Isles.
If you come down to earth, you will find that the Friesian horse was really in demand. But not during the times of the Romans, but in the Early and Middle Ages. At this time, Frisian horses could carry knights. They often served as war horses for bollards. In the Late Middle Ages a more powerful horse was needed and the Friesian horse almost became extinct the first time. But the breed was able to survive, increasing in size and changing its purpose from a knightly war horse to a draft horse with an extremely high wrist at the trot.
During the conquest of the Netherlands by Spain, Friesian horses were significantly influenced by Iberian breeds. Even today this influence is clearly visible in the Iberian profile of Frieze's head and the high rise of the neck.
Friesian horses are believed to have had a major influence on the British Fell and Dole pony breeds. Not during the time of the Romans, of course, but much later.These breeds are indeed similar to miniature Friesians, but with a wider range of colors.
With the development of the automobile industry, the Friesian horse ceased to be in demand for the second time and began to die out. Enthusiastic breeders managed to save and advertise the breed, but they had to begin reorienting the Friesian horse from a draft horse to a riding horse. But the Frises' ability to walk in harness remained. The Dutch are proud of their breed and even organize special holidays and private exhibitions in honor of it.
It is possible that this name is associated with the national Dutch breed.
Modern types of friezes
Dutch breeders did not set themselves the goal of necessarily preserving the type; they preferred to leave the characteristic features of the Friesian breed, but slightly change the exterior in order to be able to sell horses to amateurs.
Due to the fact that dressage today has been divided into two directions: “classical” and sports, Dutch breeders have focused their efforts on developing lines in the Friesian breed suitable for these types of dressage.
The “old” type was called Baroque - baroque. Similarly, they designate all horses that have a type suitable for the type of dressage of the Renaissance. Such horses are distinguished by their short stride, high, relatively short neck, very short but wide body, and small stature. A striking example of the Baroque breed is Andalusian horse.
The “sports” type requires freer movements, lighter frames and larger stature.
If you compare photos of the “old” and “sporting” types of Friesian horses, the difference will be clearly visible.
Baroque type.
Modern sports type.
“Baroque” is lower, “shaggier”, with a straighter shoulder. Typically, the height of an old-type horse is 147-160 cm. The height of a sports type is 160-170 cm. There are significantly fewer friezes on the pasterns. Sometimes only the “brushes” that are common to other breeds remain.
The young stallion is 164 cm tall and still has almost no friezes. The hair on his legs will not be very thick and long.
The Russian breeding horse farm "Kartsevo", which breeds the Friesian breed, initially purchased a sports type that allows it to perform modern elements of dressage. The video shows a pair of Friesian horses from Kartsevo during the show.
In modern driving, Friesians are unlikely to win against half-bred breeds, but in national closed competitions, Friesian horses are also used in carriages.
Common exterior features characteristic of all types:
- rough constitution;
- long body;
- long, often soft back;
- Spanish type head;
- long, arched neck;
- high neck exit;
- low withers, so much so that it seems as if the neck grows directly from the shoulder blades;
- wide chest;
- rounded ribs;
- often strongly sloping croup;
- thick long mane and bangs;
- friezes on legs;
- always black.
The main characteristics that make the Frieze a recognizable breed are its mane and long hair on its legs. There is a known case when, for the purpose of revenge, a Friesian horse had its mane and bangs cut off. The result was a simple black horse.
Frisian suits
This is something that is worth talking about separately. Previously, the Friesian breed had significantly more colors. There were even dappled Friezes.Today, the color requirements are very strict: stallions are only black without a single mark; mares are allowed a small star on their forehead.
We almost managed to get rid of other suits. But even today, red foals are sometimes born in the Friesian breed. These are purebred Friezes, but they are not allowed for further breeding. The fact is that the red color is recessive in relation to any other color and in the Friesian breed it is hidden under the crow. A red foal is always homozygous, otherwise even if the gene for the red color is present, it would be black.
Brown color is the darkest shade of red. Photos of “colored” Friesian horses.
Both options are brown.
Black Friezes are very photogenic and look great in a carriage, but at the end of the twentieth century it turned out that consumers began to tire of “big black stallions with a long mane.” Don't lose your profit. While preserving the breed's breeding core, experiments with crossbreeding began.
In the early 2000s, a photograph of a white Friesian horse made a splash on the RuNet. Firstly, it turned out to be not white, but light gray. The white one looks different. Secondly, it was not a Friesian horse, but an Arab-Friesian cross.
It is safe to say that the manufacturer from outside Arabian horses was of a gray suit, since the graying gene dominates over any other suit. The experiment was carried out deliberately and not to “refresh” the Friesian blood, but to obtain a completely different type of horse.
If you cross an Appaloosa with a Frieze, you can regain the lost forelock color.
Crossings with the Andalusian breed make it possible to obtain “colored” offspring, which in structure will be closer to the Friesian. And such crossings have been actively carried out since the 90s of the last century. Andalusian-Friesians are already such a large group that they are beginning to lay claim to the breed. Now this group of “colored Friezes” is called Warlander.
Given the variety of colors in the Andalusian breed, the Warlander can be of almost any color.
Scope of application
To be frank and without fanaticism, Frieze is best suited for “standing beautifully during a photo shoot.” For high level modern dressage he lacks quality of movement. He is too heavy for serious jumps and will quickly “tear off” his legs. The horses are good-natured and happy to cooperate with humans, but are only suitable for show jumping up to 1 m in height and amateur level dressage. Definitely good for the show.
A serious drawback of Friesians in Russian conditions is their luxurious long hair on their legs. In the damp Russian climate, friezes create conditions for the development of fungus on the skin.
The midge develops in a humid environment. If you dry other horses' "brushes" (the second name for friezes), which are sometimes missing, it is very easy. For the Friesian horse this is a whole procedure. Often the wool was cut off so that it was possible to treat “biting midges”.
The second pitfall: grazing in the fall on an unimproved pasture with burdocks. Combing burrs from the mane and tail of Frisians is not for the faint of heart.
Reviews
Conclusion
Statue commemorating the centenary of the modern Frisian Stud Book.
The Dutch very cleverly advertised their national breed, not really caring about its suitability for modern sports. Yes, they didn’t have such a task. Their target audience was romantic girls and girls dreaming of a “wild mustang” with a long mane. In general, this audience has already been reached and the passion for Friezes has subsided.
At the same time, if earlier in Russia these horses were very expensive, today, with the development of connections, it has become clear that the cost of “expensive” Frises in their homeland is 2-3 thousand euros, and the Dutch do not sell truly valuable horses.
But Frieze can be a good walking horse if you choose your horse carefully.
