Friesian

About the breed

The Friesian is a black horse from the Dutch province of Friesland, known for its abundant mane, long tail and long hair on the lower legs. The KFPS studbook, founded in 1879, registers only completely black horses. A breed that came close to extinction more than once now numbers 70,000 registered horses in over 80 countries, according to the KFPS, but it also has a narrow genetic base and several well-researched hereditary disorders.

From knight's horse to near extinction

According to the breed history published by the KFPS, Friesian horses were in demand as knights' horses in the Middle Ages: robust, heavily haired and no taller than about 140 cm. In the Baroque period (1600–1750) the Andalusian left its mark, giving the Friesian a smaller, more refined head and an elegant, slightly arched neck; this Baroque Friesian already looked much like today's horse. Later it worked as a trotter, a carriage horse and in lighter farm work.

Frisian landowners and farmers founded the studbook in 1879, yet by 1913 only three purebred breeding stallions were left, Prins 109P, Alva 113P and Friso 117P, alongside some 300 broodmares according to FHANA. The studbook then turned to breeding light and medium-weight farm horses without allowing crosses with other breeds. In 1954 it received royal status (KFPS). After farm mechanisation it had only 645 members and about a thousand horses in 1970; a shift towards sport and leisure saved it, and artificial insemination helped the population grow from about 3,000 horses in 1980 to 70,000 twenty-five years later.

Height, weight and build

The Friesian is a big horse. Under the KFPS registration rules, mares must measure at least 154 cm at the withers to enter the studbook and geldings at least 156 cm; the "ster" predicate requires at least 156 cm for mares and 158 cm for geldings and stallions, and "model" mares must stand at least 160 cm. The breeding goal sets the desired height at around 165 cm. In a Ghent University study, 95 Friesians averaged 162 cm.

The studbook does not specify a weight. In the same Ghent study, body weight was estimated from chest girth and body length: the Friesians averaged 627 kg with a standard deviation of 59 kg, so most weighed roughly 570–690 kg, and they were heavier than the Warmblood comparison group. The breeding goal asks for a harmonious, uphill horse with a rectangular frame, a small noble head, large eyes, a long, slightly arched neck, a full mane, a long tail and leg feathering.

Black only: colour and white-marking rules

A Friesian is always black, because the KFPS accepts only completely black horses into the studbook and the gelding book; the breeding goal asks for a jet-black coat, ideally without markings. The only white allowed is a head marking above the eye line with a diameter of no more than 3 cm, plus white patches on the sole of the hoof. A marking below the eye line, a larger one above it, or white on the body or legs, including the hoof wall, bars a horse from registration. Dyeing the coat and adding extensions to the mane or tail are also banned at inspections.

Temperament: reliable, trainable and people-oriented

The KFPS protects the Friesian's character explicitly in its breeding goal: the horse should be reliable, stable, easy to handle and honest, and also intelligent, cooperative, persevering and willing. Conformation, character and sport aptitude carry equal weight in the breeding goal, and the KFPS describes the breed as friendly and people-oriented. That does not make every Friesian a beginner's horse. A big, powerful horse needs consistent schooling, so a less experienced rider is best matched with a calm, well-schooled individual and regular help from an experienced trainer.

Uses: driving, dressage and performance

The Friesian is a versatile horse under saddle and in harness. The KFPS assesses it at its annual inspections as a riding and driving horse, and its breeding programme aims at dressage under saddle and in harness, combined driving and other driving sport. Friesians once pulled the light two-wheeled sjees in which families drove to church on Sundays, and later Friesian four-in-hand teams drew international attention. According to the KFPS, the breed can now compete with other breeds up to the highest level of dressage. Its looks make it popular in shows and in films such as The Mask of Zorro and Game of Thrones, as well as for leisure riding.

Friesian or Friesian cross?

A black horse with a long mane is not necessarily a Friesian. A Friesian has its ancestry recorded in the KFPS studbook or with one of its affiliates, such as FHANA in North America; the studbook is closed, so a foal enters the main section only if its dam is registered there and was bred to a KFPS-approved stallion. Other organisations around the world register Friesians and also crossbreds with a Friesian parent; FHANA points out that their rules, DNA parentage verification and breeding policies are not equal to those of the KFPS. The KFPS also keeps two subsidiary registers (B-Books), so when buying it matters exactly where a horse is registered. What sets the Friesian apart from other black horses is its small, noble head, its long, upright neck and its elevated paces.

A narrow genetic base

All present-day Friesians descend from a small number of ancestors, so kinship within the breed is high. The KFPS breeding programme warns that inbreeding causes hereditary defects and reduced vitality, such as lower fertility, disease resistance and longevity. It advises an inbreeding coefficient of no more than 5% per mating, aims for an increase below 1% per generation in the population and limits the number of matings per stallion. A 2024 study from Wageningen University estimated the increase for 2013–2022 at 0.72% per generation and recommended further measures to bring it below 0.5%.

Dwarfism and hydrocephalus: DNA tests for carriers

Dwarfism and hydrocephalus are the best-known hereditary disorders of the Friesian, and both are inherited recessively: a foal is affected only if it inherits the faulty gene from both parents. Dwarf Friesians have short limbs and ribs that bend inwards, while the head and back look normal; a striking feature is flexor tendon laxity, which lets the fetlock joints overextend. In 2016 researchers from Utrecht and Wageningen linked it to the B4GALT7 gene. Hydrocephalus often causes stillbirth and difficult foaling; in 2015 it was linked to the B3GALNT2 gene, and a random sample of 865 Friesians contained 147 carriers.

A DNA test that identifies carriers exists for both conditions. The KFPS does not exclude carriers from breeding, because that would narrow the gene pool further; instead it rules out so-called risk matings of two carriers. Since 2017, mares awarded the "ster" predicate and mares whose foals are presented for registration must be tested, unless both of their parents tested as non-carriers, and the mare owner is sanctioned after a risk mating.

Other breed-specific health issues

Research describes several further conditions in Friesians, and two of them, megaoesophagus and retained placenta, are more common than in other breeds, although the background is not fully understood. Aortic rupture with a fistula between the aorta and the pulmonary artery was diagnosed in 24 Friesians at Utrecht and Wolvega between 1997 and 2010; some horses were found dead without prior signs, while others showed recurrent colic, swelling and a persistently raised heart rate for several weeks; the authors concluded that aortic rupture is more common in Friesians than previously estimated. In a US review of 852 equine necropsies, only 17 of them Friesians, all six horses with megaoesophagus, a dilated oesophagus, were Friesians. Friesians also account for the vast majority of reported cases of distichiasis, in which eyelashes grow from the openings of the eyelid glands and can irritate the cornea.

Insect bite hypersensitivity to Culicoides midges was found in 18.2% of Dutch Friesian broodmares. Chronic progressive lymphoedema affects several heavy breeds, the Friesian among them, and vets link verrucous dermatitis on the back of the pastern partly to the long feathering, which holds moisture and dirt. Retained placenta is more common in Friesian mares than in other breeds: in a study of 495 foalings from 436 Friesian mares, the placenta had not been expelled within three hours in 54% of cases.

How long does a Friesian live?

There are no reliable figures for the average lifespan of the Friesian. FHANA reports that owners often do not return the passport after a horse dies and do not report the cause of death, so the studbook lacks accurate data. The vet-reviewed PetMD guide gives a range of 16–30 years and states that the Friesian's lifespan is on average shorter than that of other breeds, with some living only around 16 years. For horses in general, the Merck Veterinary Manual gives 25–30 years.

Keeping, feeding and exercise

A Friesian needs the company of other horses, daily turnout and a diet based on hay or grazing. The UK welfare code for horses (DEFRA) stresses that horses are herd animals that should be able to socialise with their own species, and that isolation can harm them psychologically. In the wild, horses graze for 16–20 hours a day, so outside work a horse should have almost constant access to forage and continuous access to clean, fresh water. Concentrates should be fed only as far as the work requires. According to PetMD, Friesians may gain weight easily, and obesity can lead to joint problems and laminitis. DEFRA adds that daily turnout may reduce the risk of abnormal behaviours such as weaving and crib-biting.

Caring for mane, feathers, hooves and teeth

A thick mane, a long tail and leg feathering mean more brushing than with most breeds. The feathering on the lower legs is worth checking regularly, keeping the skin underneath clean and dry. Hooves should be picked out regularly, and the farrier should usually trim or re-shoe them every 4–8 weeks. Teeth should be checked at least once a year by a vet or equine dental technician, and older horses may need more frequent checks. A vaccination and parasite control programme should be agreed with the vet; worming should be based on faecal egg counts, with wormers used when necessary.

Who the Friesian suits

The Friesian suits a rider or driver who enjoys dressage, carriage driving or calm leisure riding and has time for more demanding grooming. A calm, well-schooled horse can also carry a less experienced rider or an older child with a trainer's guidance. It suits less well a buyer drawn mainly by its looks: before buying, check the horse's studbook registration and, for a breeding mare, the DNA test result for dwarfism and hydrocephalus. It needs daily turnout, other horses for company and hay as the basis of its diet. With so many appointments, it helps to keep vaccinations, farrier visits and dental checks recorded in one place.

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