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Opinion on Freisian and Quarter horse cross?

41K views 100 replies 36 participants last post by  kartmom67 
#1 ·
I have been thinking about doing this for a while and would value opinions. I am planning to breed my 14 year old quarter horse mare:


She has a very quiet disposition and is an amazing horse. Very smart and will do anything the rider wants no matter the level.

Her parents were palomino and red roan.

I am planning to breed her to a gorgeous 16.3 hand black freisian. I don't have a picture of the actual stud but, for those unfamiliar with what a freisian looks like, here is a random picture off google:



Opinions Please? Do you think the cross will be good? What color do you think it would result in? I have a lot of positive responses from breeders who are really intrigued by the idea and very curious on the results.
 
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#3 ·
Ehh I really don't think the results will be good.... I find the breeds so different and I just don't think the mix will even be that pretty. I say find yourself another really good QH or maybe a TB if your interested. Just my opinion, but really it's your choice.
 
#4 ·
Deffinately a negative on the TB. Lol

And yes this is a very different cross. And I imagine this is the reason so many of the breeders are curious about the results. The woman, who owns the freisian stud, was the one who gave me the idea and told me she has bred to many breeds and has seen some odd breedings but they have all turned out very well.

But ths is just an idea... and that is why I am asking around as much as possible. I know for a fact I want to breed her though. Just trying to decide if I want to see her with a freisian.
 
#6 ·
Deffinately a negative on the TB. Lol

And yes this is a very different cross. And I imagine this is the reason so many of the breeders are curious about the results. The woman, who owns the freisian stud, was the one who gave me the idea and told me she has bred to many breeds and has seen some odd breedings but they have all turned out very well.

But ths is just an idea... and that is why I am asking around as much as possible. I know for a fact I want to breed her though.

Sorry for double post, we posted at same time..

But what's so bad about a TB?
 
#7 ·
"real-life" QH x Friesian? You say that like I am the only one who has ever had the idea. I am not the only one nor will I be the last. Google could show you pictures of QH/Friesian cross.

And I am not going to breed her with a TB. And as for realistic? This is a realistic decision. Logical, I am not sure on. That is why I am asking for opinions.

I would like to know why they wouldn't go well with one another though
 
#9 ·
Breeding a quarter horse to a Freisan wouldn't be something I would choose.

I would think you would have better luck breeding her to another quarter horse or a TB.....its hard to tell as I can see a conformation of your horse.

I have a quarter horse, clyde cross that I breed to a Holstiener that turned on really nice.

I do know that Freisans cross quiet well with the saddle bred horse.....

here is a link Grande Isle Farm breeder of Georgian Grande Horses


Super Nova
 
#100 ·
Then forget about the TB find a good QH stallion who will compliment your mare. If you are looking for something different then go out and buy one.

Have you stoped to ask yourself that if all these other "Breeders" think this is such a good idea and good cross why are they not doing it?

I have been breeding Reg. AQHA horses for almost 2 decades and this is not a cross I would ever consider. Love Freisans but would never consider cross any QH on one.
 
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#11 ·
Here is my opinion. Take it for what it is worth. You want to breed simply because you love your horse. Pretty much all of us think our horse is sweet, smart, etc...yadayada. What would be her accomplishments? What would a Fresian add to her conformation, abilities to do the discipline you are hoping for with the foal.....etc. I have a feeling you see the pretty black horsey and want one like that.

Grade horses are great. I have 2, so I have nothing against them. However-breeding them is a total crap shoot. You may get something totally hideous in conformation and looks that gets all the worst traits of its parents. Or, they can be spectacular. You just don't know, and with the glut of horses right now why not just get yourself one you like. It will be cheaper and more predictable than breeding one.

I would also suggest you lose the defensiveness that I read in your last post or 2-you will most likely be flamed here for wanting to be nothing more than a back yard breeder.
 
#21 ·
Grade horses are great. I have 2, so I have nothing against them. However-breeding them is a total crap shoot. You may get something totally hideous in conformation and looks that gets all the worst traits of its parents. Or, they can be spectacular. You just don't know, and with the glut of horses right now why not just get yourself one you like. It will be cheaper and more predictable than breeding one.
+1 on this!! My gelding is as grade as they come. He's a Percheron/paint cross. Not generally something I'd expect to see (except from a PMU farm, maybe). He came out with the best traits of both. The Percheron build and size with the lovely paint markings, and the nice draft horse personality and intelligence. His half-sister (same fugly paint sire) didn't fair so well. She's long-backed, her neck ties in funny and is just weirdly built in general, her legs are a mess, and as a coming-3yo she's about 6" butt high (a solid 15hh at the withers and 16.2hh at the butt). Not only that, she's not the sharpest tool in the shed and she's honestly a bit hot. They came from the same sire (APHA stallion Little Bit of Black) with nearly identical Percheron dams (both big, typy black Percheron mares).

Looking on Google at the Friesian/QH crosses, it looks like it can be a really good match or not so much. My question is this: what if you don't get the good side of the match? What happens if you get all the worst traits/qualities of both in the foal?
 
#13 ·
They are two VERY different breeds, that generally, would not compliment each other. If you want something different, why not buy it rather than breed and hope for the best?
I would also be concerned that the stud owner is willing to put his stud over your mare, and that they are so open about all of the 'odd' breedings they have done.
Most genuine stud owners, will only breed to approved mare that will make their stud look good as a sire.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I personally wouldn't do it...I'm also a firm believer in not breeding horses because "It's my horse, she's great, I love her and want a piece of her." That is not a good idea at all and no reason to breed. Second, the foal would be grade, while that isn't terrible it isn't exactly good either...There are just way too many horses out there that need homes and people are giving these horses away now. Why?? Because of over population and over breeding.

Say you breed the pair..What exactly are your plans with the foal? Do you have everything necessary for a pregnant mare and soon a foal? Are you financially capable of paying numerous vet bills? Are you going to be able to keep up with the mares well being and health while pregnant? A pregnant mare have different and more tedious needs/care than just a regular mare. Do you have enough pasture/area for separating the two when it comes time to wean the foal? If it's a colt are you going to be able to geld him?...Lastly are you prepared to risk the life of your mare? and the foals life? It is VERY possible they BOTH can die during foaling. If the mare dies are you willing and able to be constantly with it to feed it and take care of it? Since it's a grade foal it won't have near as much value as a registered foal..What if something happens and you have to sell the foal? Producing grade horses is just breeding for the kill pens. When breeding you want to give the foal the absolute BEST chance at a good life, with or without you.

I've said it many many times on the forum..Breeding horses should be left to the breeders. If you are truly set on having a foal..look around you, there are soooo many young horses that need homes.

I have an appendix QH/TB mare, and she is my best horse. The QH and TB breed compliment eachother and the different traits blend well...I just don't see where the two breeds you are wanting to mix, who are SO vastly different, will produce a nice foal.
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm going to agree with everyone else, and say don't do it. If you really want a cross, go with something that is a little more closer to the same class as your mare. Thoroughbred, Saddlebred, Paint, Warmblood maybe.

And... for giggles. xD





This horse doesn't look quiet right to me...


I do not believe they would compliment each other due to one is a draft and the other stock. QHs are just to lean for me to be able to picture a cross coming out well porportioned and conformed.
 
#18 ·
A quarters horse built to have very solid quarters, flat, short paces etc.
A friesian is a cart horse. Built uphill, with very high stepping action.
They are very, VERY different horses.
If you're going to breed, cross two horses that are fairly similar in basic conformation, and with conformational features that will compliment each other.
 
#19 ·
I have a QH that is an angel... so a few years ago tried to decide whether to breed her to a gaited stud, so as to get a gaited horse eventually. My idea was that I'd raise up the baby and have a replacement horse ready to ride by the time my QH mare was retired.

Well, I was advised that the odds were stacked against getting all the attributes I wanted - attitude, looks, conformation, gaitedness, etc. In fact, I had the same high odds of only getting all of the attributes I didn't want -- mismatched conformation, not gaited, or choppy gaits, clonky head from gaited horse bloodlines, etc. If you knew what types of babies the Friesian threw, and what their dams looked like, and also had an idea of what your mare produced when crossed with certain types of sires, you might have an guesstimate of what you could expect. In my mare's case, she was bred by different owners and always threw her pretty head and attitude, but the conformation and color and coat came from whatever stud she was bred to. It really depends on what type of QH bloodlines and sire prepotency you're working with. If that's what you want, I would suggest looking around and buying that cross - you get to pick sex, color, and make sure the combo of attributes is what you're looking for.
 
#26 · (Edited)
I wasnt trying to represent an interesting breed. She wanted to see a picture and I found one.

I'm not a huge fan of the conformation on that first one. Something about his hind end looks...off...to me. In the second actual confo pic, where he's not standing all stretched (not quite parked), his hind legs look terribly posty to me. And his shoulder looks fairly steep, indicating a rougher ride.

As for the second one...that is a horrible pic to get even a remote idea of how that horse is built. In fact, I don't even find the horse particularly attractive in the stance he's in.

Like franknbeans said, cross breeding anything is a crap-shoot. My dog is an australian shepherd/saint bernard mix. He combines the best of both breeds. Google the same mix and not all of them are as good-looking or well-built as he is. In fact, some of them are just plain odd-looking.

I wasnt really commenting on his overall body, I just liked his colour and star. I don't know a thing about the proper comformation for a cross .

Elysium Farm, Pembroke Ky

heres a Mare, When I look at her.. all i can see is that skinny neck and that head..and she's listed as a dark buckskin??

Im not saying that she should cross the breeds or anything like that, I just wanted other people to see what the cross can turn out to be. Since this is actually the first time I've ever googled the cross! :)
 
#27 ·
Ok..I'm being really serious as I say this so yes, you can laugh and agree with me..The mare posted above looks like one of the horses on the horse game websites. Like the little games you can "design" your own horse but you can NEVER get it to look even remotely close to looking like your horse..The odd, never right, colors and awkward stances of the horses...Yeah right, my horse never looks like those little graphics that non-horse people THINK my horse looks like..

Am I the only one that thinks that?
 
#34 ·
I think its an odd cross that can go either way, although I don't think you have the best reason for breeding.

I knew there was a Frisian x QH cross for sale Id seen in my searches
Friesian/ Quarter Horse - Beauty
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I'm hoping they just didn't get the best pics of the mare 'cuz she does not look like she got the best of any world. :-|

Ah i see, I've been reading lots of the posts in the conformation threads and have been noticing what people are pointing out. it's really interesting, but from what I've seen looking at this cross, I dont like at all. Some look smooshed then some look stretched out, think necks big heads.
This is just my observation on this particular cross, but I think it varies so much because QHs are so varied. You've got your halter-bred QHs, your working QHs (heck, there's even a lot of variation in looks between your cow horses versus your running horses), and your "average" run-of-the-mill QHs. So, that lends itself to the crosses to a horse that is very standardized (you can look at a Friesian, ANY Friesian, and say "Why yes, THAT is a Friesian") being all over the place as far as looks goes. Could be wrong, but that's what I'm seeing.

Also, if you've ever taken biology, you've done the little boxes determining genes and all that (can't remember what they're called...biology was a while ago lol). Anyway, when I took Biology 181 in college, we did the boxes with coyotes. Mountain coyotes (taller, gray, smaller ears) mixed with lowland coyotes (shorter, tan, big ears). The variations that were possible within one litter were amazing. Now, apply that to horses taking a horse that's (generally) shorter, boxier, built like a tank, with long low gaits for stamina, and cross it with a horse that is tall, longer, a bit heavier, but still elegant, with high-stepping cart/carriage horse gaits, but you can only have one of those potential outcomes (instead of being able to display all potential outcomes, like you would in a litter of coyotes) and it's even more of a crap-shoot.

ETA: Just looked at the link you just put up...he is in DESPERATE need of a trim on those fronts. Eep! :shock:
 
#37 ·
I honestly don't think it is a necessarily "bad" cross. Personally, I love draft crosses-I have one. I just think Fresians are somewhat of a new "fad". The "designer horse" of the time, so to speak (just like they are breeding mutts and calling them "designer dogs" like my "morkie"...lol) That was all I could think of when I saw that "quaresian" site. YIKES!

But-like I said before-you are basically throwing genes into a hat and pulling out willy-nilly. You have NO idea what will come out. Truly. Some are pretty wonky.:wink:

I also think we have lost the OP-guess we have lost another new member who didn't like what we had to say, and that we didn't agree that they had a "special widdle poneh," who should be reproduced.:wink:

Oh-and sidebar My genetics example-my daughter and I both have "morkies". TOTALLY different. Hers looks more like a dachshund cross with yorkie fur, SMART!.....mine-solid black (out of a yorkie and white maltese?)-dumb as a box of rocks.:wink:
 
#38 ·
Franknbeans, my mom's maltipoo is the same way! People think maltipoo and they think fluffy, white, looks kinda poodle-ish with the more maltese soft fur. We call DD our reject. Her front legs are about 3" long and her back legs are about 6" long, and she's build like a friggin' bulldog. She looks like neither a maltese or a poodle (okay, her face might be a little poodle-ish, if it wasn't for one of her bottom incisors being crooked) and she's the color of a dust bunny. She looked like a Tribble when she was a puppy because of how much fur she had. Smart as heck, though.

As for that "quaresian" site...the whole site (Equiworld, I think it was called) reminds me of this site for dog "breeds": dogbreedinfo.com .
 
#40 · (Edited)
Don't get me wrong, Evansk. I have a draft cross and he is absolutely AMAZING! He is my once-in-a-lifetime horse, no question.

What amazes me is that this sexy beastly (this is him last summer...he looks too much like a wooly mammoth for me to put up winter pics :-p):

is half-brother to this unfortunate filly (yes, she is THAT butt-high...it's even more pronounced now...these were taken this past summer):



They share the same unfortunate sire:

 
#41 ·
Don't get me wrong, Evansk. I have a draft cross and he is absolutely AMAZING! He is my once-in-a-lifetime horse, no question.

What amazes me is that this sexy beastly (this is him last summer...he looks too much like a wooly mammoth for me to put up winter pics :-p):

is half-brother to this unfortunate filly (yes, she is THAT butt-high...it's even more pronounced now...these were taken this past summer):



They share the same unfortunate sire:

Your horse is gorgeous! He looks so muscular and shiny.. Its amazing how much he looks different than his half-sister, but its show what you explained.

These are some pictures of my TB Perch. Cross, She passed on two years ago but she was the best horse I ever had. great disposition and what not.. But when i looked through her pictures it seems she didnt have the best conformation, but I guess i:Dt didn't matter since she put up with me for 15+ years haha!



 
#42 ·
Another thing you'd have to think about, OP, would be special tack or trailer requirements of the foal. Some Friesians can top 17hh. If I remember correctly, standard horse trailers are suited for horses just barely over 16hh. Not sure how tall your mare is, but depending on who the foal takes after, you might need to buy a bigger/taller trailer. A perfect example: Aires' sire, who I pictured, is 15.1hh. Aires is already 16hh (16.1-16.2hh at the butt...yay for growth spurts) and a long two-year-old, so he's definitely taking after his Percheron dam. He's also built like a tank (it's like riding a barrel), so he's wider than a "normal" horse. His half-sister (pictured) wears a large horse halter. Aires has to have a small draft (our bridle is draft sized as well). We're already into FQHB for saddles...by the time he's done growing and filled out, we'll need draft saddles.

What I'm getting at is that you'd be crossing your relatively normal-sized mare with a draft horse (albeit a light draft, but a draft nonetheless). Are you prepared for the extra cost associated with buying tack and equipment...and feed...for a (potentially) larger horse? And trust me, draft tack is MUCH more expensive than regular-sized horse tack and, depending on where you live, harder to find.

Evansk, your mare was beautiful. I love her head. :) But yeah, her conformation wasn't the greatest (not that Aires' is, but it's definitely better than his half-sister's or his sire's...and our trainer absolutely loves him).
 
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