The Friesian Horse
Noble, grand, athletic, strong, willing, good tempered--these are all accurate descriptions of the Friesian horse. The breed is said to have been developed by monks in Friesland, a northern province in the Netherlands. The Friesian horse evolved through the cross breeding of warm bloods and draft horses.
During the Middle Ages, the Friesian horse was popular because the breed was well suited for war. These horses were large and strong. They could support a knight in armor. After the Middle Ages, the breed became desirable as carriage horses. Their characteristic steppage gait, all black color, long manes and fetlocks made for a grand presence. In recent years, Friesians have become very popular in dressage and other areas of competition.By the end of World War I, the breed was almost lost. There were only three stallions and a few mares. The Friesian breed and heritage were considered a national treasure of the Netherlands. The Friesch Paarden-Stamboek, the registry in Holland, was organized, and crossbreeding was forbidden. Accordingly, the Friesian horse has flourished in Europe. Moreover, under the strict control of the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA), the Friesian breed has become popular here in North America.
Friesian horses have been very popular in the cinema. Ladyhawk brought attention to the breed ten years ago. Magnificent carriage scenes with Friesian horses are seen in movie adaptation of Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibilities.
The Stambook
Only authorized Friesian stallions can be bred, and these stallions can only be bred to registered Friesian mares. The offspring are generally judged in the fall of the year of their birth by Dutch judges who travel throughout North America. The judging is referred to as a "keuring", and these are held at various farms across the continent. Foals, mares, and geldings are assigned by the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) to be judged at the keuring most convenient for the horse owner. Microchips are implanted under the skin of the neck of the foals for identification purposes. DNA testing is done for all mares on the basis of hair samples.
The judging of a foal by the judges is based on conformation (40%) and movement (60%). The babies are then registered in the Foal Book. The judges award 1st, 2nd, or 3rd premiums only to deserving foals. At 3 years of age, mares and geldings are judged again for registration in the official studbook of the Registry, the "Stamboek." If a horse qualifies, the mare or gelding is branded by the judges with an "F" on the neck. A star ("ster") can be awarded for particular quality, and this horse is branded with an "S" adjacent to the "F" brand. At 7 years, a particularly fine mare can be considered for model mare, although very few qualify. Outstanding young colts who are considered candidates to become an authorized stallion attend stallion school, a grueling program from which few "graduate." Those that make the grade receive temporary authorization. These young stallions are then allowed to breed and are subsequently rejudged at 8 years on the basis of their athletic accomplishments and the quality of their offspring. Less than 5% of the original stallion candidates succeed in becoming an authorized Friesian stallion.