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Author Topic: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?  (Read 11203 times)

Brijjy

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Mid Wales
Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« on: December 01, 2012, 08:19:56 pm »
I have long loved the look of these horses and would like one myself. Does anyone on here own/have experience of them?
Silly Spangled Appenzellers, Dutch bantams, Lavender Araucanas, a turkey called Alistair, Muscovy ducks and Jimmy the Fell pony. No pig left in the freezer, we ate him all!

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2012, 09:32:31 pm »
A lady at the livery stables we were at bought a 2yo Friesian youngster gelding from Holland. He matured to about 16.2-17 hands.
He was very stubborn and occasionally gave a hell of a kick, YO nearly had her leg broken - his legs were soooo long he caught her from inside his stable as she walked past even tho YO was nowhere near him!
However he was also bored out of his mind because his owner rarely rode him, instead leading him in hand around the roads in full hi viz (I mean to age 5 and beyond), She occasionally rode him in the school, but more often had an instructor in (she wanted to do dressage) - but the instructor seemed to be the only one riding him. His trot was as you would expect amazing but canter very weak - I guess that (like my Haflinger), trot is their thing due to the driving speciality,.
He was always rugged as she didnt want his black coat to go chestnut in the sun.....
So I guess my experience hasnt impressed me but it was more due to the owner than the horse. I think they are not a beginners horse as they are soooooooo strong and also I think like most 'driving' horses they really want and need a job to do, and to work.
My understanding is that there are 2 types - the tall dressage types like the one we had at the stables, and the more compact baroque type which are shorter and a picture of power.
They are stunning horses tho.
 
 

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2012, 01:43:17 pm »
I bred 3 part bred Friesians. The sire was used for driving, dressage and Cross country. My mare will be 24 in April and has been out on loan for 5 years now. Her dam was Highland cross. Sabrina is strong but has a heart of gold. She did show jumping, dressage, cross country and driving and always gave me 100 per cent. To date she is still winning. Her sister went on to become a Champion show cob and her brother won many awards doing endurance. I often see the Friesian Stud based near Inverness at shows with their stallion and youngstock as our shows have classes just for their breed. never yet seen one being naughty.A breed that does need a lot of respect but not for a novice owner I would not think.

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2012, 03:30:17 pm »
I should add to my post that there is a lady who has started doing endurance with her Friesian (stallion I think) up here in NE Scotland and he has been brilliant and they are doing great. As  a lot of the ride is done at a spanking trot for 20miles or more it's ideal for Friesians I think! So thats a much more positive experience.
I should also add that I love my Haflinger mare who is a total darling but if I asked for peoples views/experiences of the breed on horsey forums I would prob get 90% horror stories of bargy obstinate ponies :-)) As with other continental driving breeds, not all of the examples shipped into the UK are the best examples of their breed, whether confirmation or temperament wise, with Haffies the issue is also that they look like pretty palomino childrens ponies but are really chestnut coblets with all that entails!

Brijjy

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Mid Wales
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2012, 05:10:38 pm »
I will add that I'm not a novice, having had horses all my life. Mostly Welsh sec D's with the odd Hackney along the way. I was always the jockey for my dads unbroken youngsters. My last horse was a feisty Sec D who we had gelded at 8 years old but he never quite believed he wasn't a stallion anymore! I had heard that they didn't have a great amount of stamina as they have relatively small hearts for their size? I'm currently riding a Fell pony who is lovely but my daughter has fallen for him and wants to ride him. I would like something bigger to ride and also drive. Friesians do look so flashy. I'm a sucker for that action  :D
Silly Spangled Appenzellers, Dutch bantams, Lavender Araucanas, a turkey called Alistair, Muscovy ducks and Jimmy the Fell pony. No pig left in the freezer, we ate him all!

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2012, 06:01:48 pm »
My part bred Friesian had a fan club at shows. When in season she was know for doing half pass down the centre line in a dressage test then  buck us out of the arena, She could do the most wonderful trot and canter, loved jumping but her breeding came to the fore when being driven. She became a right show off and people would stop in their tracks when she was in the ring. She is a very honest mare, was born jet black but as her dam was grey so she is now at 23 almost white. Of all the horses I have had in my life she is the one who has meant the most. Bred by myself, produce by myself we had the most amazing time and it only came to an end when I had to stop riding due to a problem in my back. never would sell her but the two women who have her on loan love her to bits. She has taught them to jump and do dressage and can still win even at her age. Vets never believed she is the age she is when she gets her teeth done or injections.

ScotsGirl

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • Wiltshire
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2013, 09:50:06 pm »
I have a friend with a Friesien who is lovely, very laid back and for sale. The only thing is she can be prone to the occasional trip and I'm not sure if that is down to the rider or breed. Someone else was riding her and I don't think they had a problem.


I think she was owned by Sting previously. Anyway if interested pm me and I can give you owners details. She lives in Wiltshire.

ellied

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Fife
    • Facebook
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2013, 03:01:00 pm »
I've not owned one but the ones I've come across have been generally great horses, but very much prone to the previous owner's riding/handling issues ::)  They have strong personalities and require experienced handling so they don't get into bad habits as they are naturally quite sharp and sometimes they'd be bought for looks and "dressage" action but by folk that didn't really realise what they were getting into and found them too much ;)  So be prepared to take time and find one that hasn't been spoiled, like Arabs, PRE etc they do tend to get treated as accessories to a look rather than intelligent equines in some cases ::)

Other than that I'd say if you've been used to the Welsh D personality :) you won't be too far off for a Friesian.  If you were to post a few photos when/if you find one then I'd quite like looking too but they're way too much horse for me nowadays tho I'd love to drive a pair that someone else had put in all the work to ;)
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Garvie

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • Fraserburgh
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2013, 11:13:41 pm »
Hey there is a girl in Perthshire breeds them she has a website just search friesian scotland and u will find it I have been looking too she seems really good and can only find good comments about her

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2013, 07:20:49 pm »
Lorna Cummings at Crudie near Turriff breeds as well.

Brijjy

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Mid Wales
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2013, 09:09:35 pm »
Still loving them and doing lots of research at the moment. Thanks for all the info peeps.  :thumbsup:
Silly Spangled Appenzellers, Dutch bantams, Lavender Araucanas, a turkey called Alistair, Muscovy ducks and Jimmy the Fell pony. No pig left in the freezer, we ate him all!

Garvie

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • Fraserburgh
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2013, 08:16:36 pm »
Sabrina dose Lorna have a website or anything?

smiley bucket

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2013, 10:38:12 pm »
eeeeek each to their own i suppose :-J
They are to me a draft horse specially designed by God to deliver dead bods to burial grounds.  Cant understand the attraction as a riding horse with that awful upright front end, but then i have never understood why people want to ride Clydesdales either. 
They have an amazing following on the horse and hound forum though, i think they have the longest thread in the history of the interweb going on there.
 
Pay our politicians minimum wage and watch how fast things change.

holz306

  • Joined Jan 2012
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2013, 10:34:46 pm »
i'm not a fan of pure breds, and would advice you just to check the breeding carefully before purchasing.  Beautiful animals to look at, but they do need to be worked  :eyelashes:

Rosieb

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Anyone with experience of Friesian Horses?
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2013, 07:14:44 am »
Hi all
 
I don't know how I missed this one!
 
I have 4 Friesians along with a bunch of other horses and ponies - Welsh section D's, section B, cobs, Irish x, mini and standard shetlands ............
 
Friesians are the most beautiful, kind, quiet, loving horses they are strong and intelligent, along with cobs they are with out a doubt my favourite breed.
I use mine for endurance riding never done dressage with any of them, my 14 year old daughter loves to ride them.
 
I do sell Friesians but I'm very picky who they go to, I would never let a novice take any of my Friesians as the comment made about people buying them for their looks is quite correct, these are big powerful horses and although gentle they are often not for the novice owner and can easily fall in to the wrong hands.  They are not really the type of horse that should be kept as a pet or to stand in a field doing nothing they do take some caring for - but then to be fair that should be said for all horses  ;D
 
I would however defiantly recommend friesians for hacking, endurance, dressage .........
Hope that helps x

 

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