Friesian Horse
By: Emily Taylor
Origin:
As far back as 1000 BC, the Frieisan horse was developed in Friesland. Friesland is an island off the coast of the Netherlands. This breed is not a mix of any two breeds, but it did influence the development of several other breeds. The Friesan was brought to America in the late 17th century. However, the breed was completely lost due to cross breeding and was not re-imported until 1974.
Physical Characteristics:
Friesian horses are typically 15-17 hands tall and are known for their very long mane and tail. Some are never cut and grow to reach the ground. They are most commonly black but there is also a chestnut variation of the breed. Both color variations of the breed are treasured breeds. Also, on some Freisian horses there is a small white forehead star that can appear.
Care of the Freisian Horse:
Friesian horses typically require lots of grooming in certain areas. They tend to have feathers on their lower legs, and need to be cut regularly in order to keep looking neat. As for the tail and mane, both are usually kept long. However, their tails need to be tended to to make sure they are not too long. All of this upkeep is done fairly often because their hair grows relatively fast.
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Friesian Horse in it's typical black coat.
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Friesian horse in the more atypical chestnut color.
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Long tail and mane
Two Fun Facts:
1. The Friesian horse was in the United States before it became a country. They were imported in the 1600's by the Dutch when they had control of the New York region. They came from the Netherlands.
2. Friesian horses have a gentle disposition and are very willingly trained. This behavior allows Friesan horses to be used for either leisure or competition. Either of these, the horse is calm enough to train. For competition, these horses are typically not bred for jumping, but some owners train them to do so.
3. For the Freisian horse, crossbreeding is not encouraged. Some choose to breed them anyways, but the integrity of the breed is lost by combining it with others. The breed is not endangered, but it may become so if crossbreeding continues.
Sources
Lotz, Kristina. "7 Things You Didn't Know About The Friesian." IHeartHorses.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.
"Overview." Overview. KEPS, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.
Animal-World. "Friesian." Animal World. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.