# Are friesians good all rounders?



## myfatpony (8 January 2011)

im thinking about getting a friesian as i just adore the thought of having one but i was wondering if they make good all rounders? or are they mainly used for dressage or showing or carriages?


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## Nakita (8 January 2011)

Hi there 

I researched in to this subject alot before I bought Emma my friesian filly as it was an all rounder I was looking for.
I think they are, yes. I'm planning to do a bit of everything with Emma; hacking, dressage, jumping, endurance, cross country, showing ... it all! Her dam is an old fashioned type and her sire is a more refined modern type, however Emma looks like she is going to be a big chunky girl herself! 
Due to there shape Friesians are not natural jumpers it is a fact, it is not there strong point, that is not to say though that they can't jump! However I don't plan on competing seriously in show jumping, so that didn't bother me much!
If you youtube friesian jumping there are plenty of vidoes showing friesians jumping perfectly well


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## Jeska (8 January 2011)

I sold my fresian in november. He was beautiful to look at but he had a temper on him! Not sure if this is common in fresians but definately something to watch out for. Also fresians are prone to sweet itch so take this into consideration when looking.

They can make fantastic alrounders but they are better at dressage than jumping or cross coutry.

Best of luck in your search


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## ischa (8 January 2011)

Friesians are commonly used for a family pleasure horse and they excel in the sports of Driving and Dressage. During the history of the Friesian horse breeding, they were never bred with jumping in mind. The angles and weight bearing in the shoulder and neck make them unsuitable for jumping. Some owners jump their Friesians for fun, but constant jump training would put and excess amount of pressure on the fetlock and hock joints.
So really they are only breed for dressage and driving 
But it doesn't mean you can't have a jump


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## Queenbee (8 January 2011)

Jeska said:



			I sold my fresian in november. He was beautiful to look at but he had a temper on him! Not sure if this is common in fresians but definately something to watch out for. Also fresians are prone to sweet itch so take this into consideration when looking.

They can make fantastic alrounders but they are better at dressage than jumping or cross coutry.

Best of luck in your search
		
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On the other hand, I have a Friesian x TB and she is fab to school/ dressage, showjump xc and hack, a damn good allrounder, but needs a confident rider, because she seems like a 'lot of horse' she is fantastic but with the sensitivity of the temprament be sure that you have the experience behind you to produce the correct balance of gentle and firm with a horse like this, if you have, you could go no better   P.S. If you are looking for a youngster there is a filly down my way for sale (sports type)


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## meandmyself (8 January 2011)

They tend to have a problem with heat tolerance. Some aren't good jumpers because of their conformation. Judge the horse though- not all are the same!


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## jumptoit (8 January 2011)

queenbee said:



			On the other hand, I have a Friesian x TB and she is fab to school/ dressage, showjump xc and hack, a damn good allrounder, but needs a confident rider, because she seems like a 'lot of horse' she is fantastic but with the sensitivity of the temprament be sure that you have the experience behind you to produce the correct balance of gentle and firm with a horse like this, if you have, you could go no better   P.S. If you are looking for a youngster there is a filly down my way for sale (sports type)
		
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My 14HH Friesian x Arab goes BE up to PN/BE100, SJs 1m 10 + and is just easy to ride compared to most competition ponies tbh. There's a stud local to me that breeds loads of Friesian x TBs and if I wanted a youngster I would definitely consider one .


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## hairycob (9 January 2011)

There are some gorgeous fresian crosses that really are good alrounders. We have a fresian x traditional cob. Eye catching & a good jumper, loves XC


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## Alexart (9 January 2011)

Oooh Hairycob isn't he a smart chap!!
I've bred friesians for years and their crosses, I don't anymore but still have my stallion Wessel and a couple of others.  I'd say they are not really novice horses, most are very nice natured and laid back, however they are being bred purely for the show ring more and more now so the trot is pretty much all they want, and they are becoming quite hot tempered - some lines more than others, they also tend to be very smart so will take the mickey with an inexperienced owner!  
The modern sort can be very long backed so not really suitable for most things as they can't collect themselves very well - but it depends on what you are wanting to do and to what level.  
Also try riding one first as their trot in some horses can be quite unnerving as it can be rather explosive, some also are hard to get to canter properly because of the collection issues and because the trot is so ingrained in them, reversing can also be a problem as they stand on their tails if left to grow long!!!

Just make sure when you do look at one that is broken in - ask when it was broken in - most that come from holland are broken in at 2, and often very quickly so need to be restarted from scratch and really should be left for a year until they are actually old enough to be backed - they don't stop growing till they are 7 or 8 so there is no rush!  
Get a full 5-stage vetting with x-rays done - they are very prone to OCD and as so many are being broken in before they are 4 their joints get permanently damaged.
Do your research if buying from the UK - most of the horses sold here tend to be poor quality ones they don't want in Holland - don't be fooled by a piece of paper - thousands are bred every year in Holland so they are not as rare as you think!  Alot of dealers have jumped on the bandwagon here and import anything that is black and has FPS papers with a premie, and then sell on for a bomb just because it is a friesian, despite looking like several horses glued together!  A well put together well trained horse will cost you money and are hard to find like any other breed - so do your research!

Also do your research on the genetic problems so you know what you are letting yourself in for and know what to look out for - they are very pain tolerant so serious colic's/lameness are easily over looked as they rarely show much in the way of signs so you need to be vigilant with them.  
Sweet itch can pop up in the breed - I think it's noticed more because they should be really hairy - but as their gene pool is very small it does seem to pop up fairly often.  Most of the other problems they have though mainly affect the breeding side of things like poor fertility, retained placentas, deformities etc, or are picked up early, the only ones you can't predict in the adult and just have to keep your fingers crossed with are mesenteric colic, I've lost 2 from this, and aortic rupture - both fatal - make sure you have insurance!
If you get a good one then they are very sweet horses and do tend to bond more with one person and they can be very good all rounders - just don't expect a badminton horse or the next long distance champion!!


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## JessandCharlie (9 January 2011)

My friesian X is! He has SJ to Newcomers, does a lovely drg test, although I don't do much of this, does lovely lateral work etc and recently got the fastest clear XC buy a minute in a hunter trial I did, and I have an irrational fear of solid fences! Have schooled him XC up to a meter. He is great to hack... you get the picture. BUT not sure about a full bred. jumptoit, out of interest where is that stud? Could you PM me some details please? X


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## Queenbee (9 January 2011)

jumptoit said:



			My 14HH Friesian x Arab goes BE up to PN/BE100, SJs 1m 10 + and is just easy to ride compared to most competition ponies tbh. There's a stud local to me that breeds loads of Friesian x TBs and if I wanted a youngster I would definitely consider one .
		
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I'll tell you, I have ridden some sports horses and I find them (Friesian x TB) fantastic, had I not fallen for ben and had him purchased for me by my ex last christmas I would have looked to get another one.  

TBH I had the most tears and frustration with ebony that I have had with a horse, but she was 7 when I got her, she had done nothing but the odd hack!  She took a long time to develop in mind and ability but in the end she turned out fantastic and versatile. She hunts as well as any of the others, she is always up front and taking obstacles that others wouldn't, she jumps like a stag, will predict the moves on a dressage test on the second run!  She has such a presence but is the sweetest gentlest mare.  When I was training her I would often teach her something new and she would just sort of fry her brain and not get it.  I would turn her away for a couple of days, bring her in and she would behave like a tit until she had been allowed to show me that she had learnt the 'new thing'  She has an ego, she has to do something easy and get praised for it at the begining of a schooling session and ten she is putty in your hands.  She has been ridden by a 7 year old on the 'cool down part of the hacks, a 16yr old in school showjumping, a chap who could barely walk and trot, and me.  She tailors herself to her rider.  She doesn't stand fools or idiots, she gives people a chance and then gets mardy if they don't trust in her.  She is now teaching benney the ropes. (loads of pics in my album of her)

She is fantastic, and I love her, can you tell?    I would reccomend one if you ever want a damned good tallented sports horse, but you have to be confident and believe in them, they are quite sensitive little souls


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## smudge99 (9 January 2011)

I had a full bred one years ago before they were popular and I dont know if I would have another one. She was very sharp and didn't suffer fools gladly.  I have a x cob on loan now and he is great, I just hack and school but daughter jumps him and he is a star bless him.

Brago







Liz


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## Vixen Van Debz (10 January 2011)

Hairycob - I WANT him! If I had to draw my ideal horse, I'd pretty much come up with your boy!

The Fresians I know have all been baroque type and late maturers as already stated.  They were friendly though - often too much so. They seemed to think they were big dogs so were a bit bargy, but like any horse they have the ability to learn manners and stop it.  I've never had the joy of riding one, but they are bouncy as they've been bred to have high front leg carriage as driving horses.  There are lots of well-bred Fresians doing dressage, but there's still a lot of discrimination against atypical types (non-WB) at least in higher-end dressage I've found, even the Iberian and Arabian horses which to my knowledge are still more common than Fresians.

Popping over a few small fences for fun isn't a problem, but they're not built to take the strain of frequent and high jumping.

All that said, I still dream of owning my own big black Fresian some day...


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## Lollii (10 January 2011)

I looked after one last year that was here on livery - yuck!

He was bargy, big and bolshy! He would attack (double barrell) the other horses, he had to be kept on his own.

When ridden he just stuck his head in the air, he looked really uncomfortable.

I know that all of them are not the same but he was bad enough to put me off ever thinking Friesians were 'good' horses!


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## TallyHo123 (10 January 2011)

I haven't come across one which is a good jumper, they are not really my cup of tea.
My friend had one who was brilliant at dressage though and he was stunning  a bit grumpy though!


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## UnaB (10 January 2011)

My young mare hasnt done as much as i'd like due to some personal problems this year, but I got her backed and started over the year so thats something!

She has lovely natural technique jumping, she makes a very nice shape over a jump and is very careful.  She has only jumped once undersaddle and was brilliant, took me into the fences and jumped really nicely despite having my weight on her back!  We're still working on collecting in canter whilst on hacks, but im in no rush so that will come as she matures.  I hope to do some lower level BSJA and eventing with her in a couple of years when she is a bit more mature.  A friesian certainly wont compete at the top level jumping, they dont have the build, speed or agility to compete seriously with the warmbloods, but as a fun, beautiful allrounder who is willing and honest, I couldnt ask for more from my mare.

This was her first time jumping with me on board, TINY jumps as i wasnt sure what she'd make of it all!  We did go up to an upright at the full height of the black bins (gotta love homemade jumps!!) but I was videoing it as i had no one to take pics and hadnt realised i'd run out of memory on the card so missed it lol!  I dont think she did badly for a recently backed 4 yr old and her first time jumping ever!


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## hairycob (11 January 2011)

Vixen Van Debz - tough, no way is he going anywhere! LOL.

He does tend to get noticed, though, wherever we go. Last year as we were walking back to the trailer at one show a car drove up & a steward lent out of the window & said "the judge asked me to have a word with you". Son wondered what he had done wrong, but all they wanted to know was his breed! He loves XC & usually goes up to metre quite happily. Often he is the only hairy in the class & they don't come much hairier


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