About the breed (source cf. Wikipedia) The Friesian (also Frisian) horse originated from Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. The Friesian horse is most often recognized by its black coat color. Friesians have a long, thick mane and tail, and "feather"--long, silky hair on the lower legs. The breed rarely has white markings of any kind. The Friesian horse's average height is about 15.3 hh.The breed is known for a brisk, high-stepping trot. Friesian horses are considered willing, active and energetic and also gentle and docile. A Friesian tends to have great presence and to carry itself with elegance. The breed has powerful overall conformation and good bone structure. Friesian horses have long, arched necks and well-chiseled, short-eared heads of "Spanish type". Their sloping shoulders are rather powerful. They have compact, muscular bodies with strong sloping hindquarters and a low-set tail. Their limbs are relatively short and strong. There are two distinct conformation types today: The baroque type has the more robust build of the classical Friesian whereas the modern, sport horse type show a finer bone structure. However, conformation type is judged less important than correct movement, and both types are common, although the Modern type is currently more popular in the show ring than the Baroque Friesian. Friesian horses are good allround-horses, used for showing, dressage, driving, and general riding, and are also used as circus horses. |
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