It has long been popular as an all-around horse for riding, farm and harness work. In the past it was used in warfare, by medieval knights, and certainly by seventeenth-century calvary leaders, many of whom were painted riding these handsome balck horses by the great Dutch artists of the period. It is thought that in medieval times, Andalusian and Oriental blood was added to lighten it; its origins lay with early cold-bloods. In the nineteenth century its natural energy made it a good basis for Trotter stock. As this version was of little use in its principal form of work - on the farms - its numbers declined drastically. Just before World War I it was close to extinction, but judicious crossing with Oldenburg lead to its revival. During World War II, becasue of petrol shortages and other factors, it came into its own again. It was honoured in 1954 when Queen Juliana of the Netherlands granted its Breed Society the right to preface its name with the word 'Royal'.
Height: 15 hands.
Colour: The colour is always black, though a small star is occasionally found.
Confirmation: A finely chiselled, longish head with small ears and a shapely neck, with an exceptionally long mane. The back is strong and the ribs deep. The hindquarters are well-rounded. The tail, which, like the mane, carries much hair, is set low. The legs have good bone and are heavily covered with hair, sometimes up to the knee joint.
Uses: Its great 'presence', active manner of going, impressive colour, tracibility and natural balanced carriage, make it popular as a circus horse. It is also still used as a utility horse by farmers, but it is perhaps best known as a harness horse.
Kidd, Jane. (1984). The Observer's Book of Horses and Ponies. Threshold Books: London, Great Britian.
Qualities: excellent trotting horse, hoves not prone to disease
Temperament: docile, responsive
The Friesian Horse Association of North America
American Model Friesian Association
MTBar Friesians Breeders of FPS/FHANA registered Friesians in Buffalo, MN
Australian Friesian Horse Society
Dutch Site to Calculate Inbreed Percentages
Shirley Moraal Canadian Breeders/Importers of Friesians
The U.S Friesian Referral Service She offers top quality Dutch registerd horses all bred or owned by single horse owners and small breeders nationwide. There is no finders fee.
Friesian Horse Association of North America - a wonderful resource! I'm glad their page is up!
Equine Enterprises - advertisting "Euro", a Friesian Crossbred Stallion
The World Register for Fresian Derivative Sporthorses - a complete Friesian resource.
Midnight Valley Friesians, Inc. - a breeding facility dedicated to the Dutch tradition of fine Friesian breeding
Dutch Friesians - A Website with some BEAUTIFUL pictures of Friesians, and some of them are for sale!
All Friesian, All the Time - an excellent site, all you'll ever need in your search for Frieisian related topics.
Other Breeds for Sale - mainly Friesians! :)
Fresians for Sale - can you tell this is a popular breed?
Mulberry Lane Farms - home of Cassie - Champion Friesian Mare of North America
Model Horse Gallery: Friesians - If you can't own the real thing, maybe a model would be a good substitute? :)
Dark Horse Farms - Friesian breeders, with a GREAT page, with lots of information
Rialto Archive: Midievil Horses - an archive of discussions of Midievil horses. May be interesting to those wanting to know more about Fresian horse origins and uses.
Still can't find what you're looking for? Horse Web -- Wanted want ads might be the place to ask!
Nederlandsche Hippische Sportbond Waalsdorperlaan, 29a (Postbus 117) Wassenaar (Post den Haag)
The address for the Fresian Horse Studbook (FPS) registry is:
Postlaan 1a 9204 WT Drachten The Netherlands Tel: +31 5120 23888 Fax: +31 5120 32146
The address for the Friesian Horse Assiciation of North America is:
Friesian Horse Association of North America P.O. Box 11217 Lexington, KY 40574 USA
FHANA is the only official North American representative of the FPS (Friese Paard Stamboek), the royal Friesian studbook of the Netherlands. The FPS has registered the Friesian horse since 1879 and is the oldest studbook in the Netherlands.
The address for the Australian Friesian Horse Society is:
President Jenny Secreve Lot 124 Lord Street Henley Brook WA 6055 AustraliaNOTE: I am told that the contact information has changed to:
AFHS Secretary Mr. Hans Maes 61 2 6762 0943 (NSW, Australia)
The AFHS is the only reconized society in Australia by the FPS in The Netherlands. (My thanks to Denise Bruynen for this information.)
Some places in Canada that you might call or write for information:
Canadian Association of Animal Breeders Dr. Russell McDonald, Executive Director Donald Fortune, President Woodstock, Ontario N4S 8A3 519-539-9831, 537-5371 Canadian Livestock Records Corporation 2417 Holly Lane Ottawa, Ontario K1V 0M7
The address for the Friesian Horse Association of Sweden is:
Secretary Johan von Reis SFHF Hjalmstad 1436 S-387 91 BORGHOLM Sweden
The Nederlandsche Hippische Sportbond is the Dutch Equine Sports Association. The Dutch Friesian horse breeding Societies are: Special Thanks to T. Westerhof for the following addresses
The address for the Breeding association "It Fryske Greidhynder" is:
Oldeboorn e.o. Secretary Mr. J.J. v.d. Meulen It Noard 117 8512 AD Broek-Noord Tel.: +31 (0)513 412627The address for the Breeding association "It Fryske Hynder" is:
Sneek e.o. Secretary Mr. D. Rusticus Fok 10 8502 AH Joure Tel.: +31 (0)513 415964The address for the Breeding association "Ta it Bihâld" is:
Burgum e.o. Secretary Mr. H. Dielemans Deutechemstrjitte 16 9283 VA Surhuizum Tel.: +31 (0)512 351570The address for the Breeding association "Het Friese Paard" is:
Wolvega e.o. Secretary Mr. M. de Jong Aengwirderweg 306 8458 CK Tjalleberd Tel.: +31 (0)513 529870(The other Dutch ones)
Peize e.o. Secretary Mr. R. Arends Eursing 7A 9411 XA Beilen Tel.: +31 (0)593 524661The address for the Breeding association "Het Friese Paard Midden-Nederland" is:
Ermelo e.o. Secretary Mrs. I. v.d. Broek De Witte Swaen 53 3732 EZ De Bilt Tel.: +31 (0)30 2204081The address for the Breeding association "Het Friese Paard in Noord- en Zuid Holland" is:
Secretary Mr. J.J.F. Hoogervorst Aderweg 8 2371 AH Roelofarendsveen Tel.: +31 (0)71 3313993The address for the Breeding association "Het Friesche Paard" Zuid Nederland is:
Secretary Mrs. C. Simons Engelseweg 1B 4756 SE Kruisland Tel.: +31 (0)167 532740The address for the Breeding association "Het Friesch Paard Limburg" is:
Secretary Mr. B. Peeters Herenvennenweg 35 6006 SW Weert Tel.: +31 (0)495 536236
Equiworld Equestrian Information
The International Museum of the Horse
Shadows of the Past Histrical Reenactment
Old West History Articles American History
Visit the Fresian Web Log
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Please Note: I constructed this page purely out of my own interest in the breed. I do not own a horse. I do not have any contacts or information for this or any other breed other than what you see on this page. I try to update it from time to time with information that other horse lovers provide me, but my schedule doesn't always allow for this to happen regularily. Thank you for your understanding.
Last Update: July 11, 2000
