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Friesian crosses

39K views 77 replies 25 participants last post by  Rocky13 
#1 ·
I just had the chance to see a great musical ride that had purebred Friesian horses in it, and it was beautiful to watch. After the show, I started to wonder how many Friesian crosses there might be out there?
I've always preferred purebred bred horses BUT could their be some great benefits to cross breeding Friesians with other breeds of horses? Friesians have such a different gate and a little different confirmation than most breeds out there.
I would love to see photos of Friesian crosses if we have any of you know of some.


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#5 ·
Friesian crosses are an interesting "breed" because there really isn't a certain trait that people are necessarily breeding for. Or at least, everyone crosses them for a different reason. The biggest problem with Friesian cross breeding is there are way too many backyard breeders that reason "I need to breed my mare to a Friesian stallion because anything with Friesian in it is worth a lot of money!" Nope. They usually end up with a wonky looking foal because the mare had no business being bred to a Friesian (or more often than not... any horse...)

As you'd expect, the more "Friesian" the cross looks, the more they cost. I have seen some 1/2 and even 3/4 Friesians that don't really have that look to them. They look more like the other breed or a Friesian with really bad conformation.

Obviously I am biased but I love them. My baby is 2/3 Friesian and 1/3 Appaloosa and I love her. She is starting to get some color on her. So it'll be interesting to see how she turns out. You can see some of her sire's offspring at the link below. Lots of crosses. His babies are all beautiful, he really is an exceptional sire.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GraceandBeautyFarms/photos/?tab=album&album_id=302875499895328
 

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#35 ·
Friesian crosses are an interesting "breed" because there really isn't a certain trait that people are necessarily breeding for. Or at least, everyone crosses them for a different reason. The biggest problem with Friesian cross breeding is there are way too many backyard breeders that reason "I need to breed my mare to a Friesian stallion because anything with Friesian in it is worth a lot of money!" Nope. They usually end up with a wonky looking foal because the mare had no business being bred to a Friesian (or more often than not... any horse...)

As you'd expect, the more "Friesian" the cross looks, the more they cost. I have seen some 1/2 and even 3/4 Friesians that don't really have that look to them. They look more like the other breed or a Friesian with really bad conformation.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GraceandBeautyFarms/photos/?tab=album&album_id=302875499895328
...and thats what my feelings have been this far. It seems to me IMO that its luck of the draw if you're going to end up having a nice looking horse when you start cross breeding to friesians because their conformation and necks are just so different from most breed. Its difficult to gage in which situation you will get a nice offspring. I don't have any experiences with it personally thats why I wanted to see and hear what others have seen or done. I do feel Friesians are gorgeous animals.
 
#6 ·
I am buying a Friesian X foal in August, these are purpose bred Friesian Xs and they're bred as sport horses to much more athletic breeds such as QHs, TBs, WBs etc every single one I have seen come from them is amazing and has gone on to do almost every discipline. They have this beautiful paint X that does dressage and hes amazing! I love him haha to bad he isn't for sale!
 
#11 ·
I have not met one owner of a friesian or friesian cross that has said, "Yeah, I thought I loved them but after owning one I've changed my mind". There might be one or two out there but I have not met them.

My 1/2 friesian mare is very athletic and so is her sire. I really can't think of any breed that is not athletic. Maybe the akhal-teke. They do not look very athletic to me but I really don't know that as I've never experienced them.

I can also find really poor examples of any breed in about five minutes time that had no business hitting the ground in the first place. With some breeds these badly conformed specimens are actually being shown and bred.

Honestly, I've ridden other horses that are supposed to be great examples of the breed and comparing riding them to my mare is like comparing riding in a jeep wrangler in the outback to a cadillac sedan on the open highway. Also, Friesian horses from my experience have gentle souls with a great work ethic. My mare can be lazy at times but I'm not doing much with her right now and she's out of shape, so I can't really blame her for that. Yet, she stills loves to go, she still loves to figure out what new thing I'm asking of her, she still has beautiful movement, and she still has a great attitude.

In my opinion, friesians are wonderful horses and they are beautiful. They have a bold and majestic way of moving that I find very inspiring. And, they would still be beautiful if you shaved them bald.
 
#15 ·
I really can't think of any breed that is not athletic. Maybe the akhal-teke. They do not look very athletic to me but I really don't know that as I've never experienced them.
Akhal Tekes are ridiculously athletic. They are like TBs, but with a healthy dosing of cat. Check out their history and you'll see why, everything from war horses to racing. I've wanted one for a while.
 
#16 ·
Friesians are, as a breed (individuals are going to vary of course), famous for poor stamina, genetic problems, difficult gaits, and lack of excellence at any discipline. To me, that could be called "not athletic". Other types that are "not athletic" would be lines of horses bred for looks alone, like halter bred Arabs and Quarter Horses.

Akhal-Tekes are just about the dead opposite -- they look the way they do because of the work they were bred for (distance and speed in desert conditions). I agree they are weirdly extreme looking but that's because they were bred for extreme performance in extreme conditions, not because somebody said, we like this look.

I have a big animus against Looks First breed selection, because I come from the dog world where this is a ubiquitous practice, and I've seen the horrors. Breeding for looks in that world is well advanced in the process of destroying the 'sport' of purebred show dogs. This isn't hyperbole; the American Kennel Club registry numbers have been in free fall for the past decade and show no signs of changing trajectory.

Okay, now I'm really leaving this thread.
 
#18 ·
Form follows function in all breeds whether you are talking horse or dog.

I own my arabs for one purpose... my friesian for another very different purpose.

I happen to really love the baroque high school dressage look of old tapestries... a gorgeous cubby horse with a laid back shoulder, ability to collect and higher neck set.

I have done dressage with warmbloods, draft crosses, iberians, friesians and friesian x's.

Now the pure Friesians do tire sooner, so you need to alter you training meathods, but they tend to have such an amateur friendly temperament that they are SO fun to work with and play with. They just give and give if you know how to ask. I just find it can be easy to overface them and skip steps which can get you in trouble because they as such good sports but need the full education and you shouldn't speed through even if you think they are absorbing everything.

The friesian crosses I have worked with have been purpose bred to increase heart size/endurance and athletic ability. (Arabs and warmbloods) The crosses tend to have good mind, more bone and breadth of body and the other half still comes through.

There is nothing wrong if a person likes a "type" of horse. I like many types of horses! They each serve a different purpose.
 
#21 ·
Ive never been a Friesian fan. I've never been particularly attracted to their looks, gaits, or how they ride. I don't dislike Friesians, I'm just not drawn to them. I've ridden a few and crosses but they're not really my cup of tea. However from what I've seen/experienced they are very amateur friendly and overall very affectionate with their people and love attention and can be sweet.

Most of the crosses I've ridden (georgian grande, tbxfriesian, paint x friesian, etc all different friesian sires) were dumb as a post or had serious health problems and a lateral canter. Does this go for all friesians and friesian crosses, no because every horse is an individual but for me they weren't sharp enough mentally or physically. I didn't enjoy the ride, I like a quicker thinking, sharper horse.

Ive also seen a few friesian crosses Ive liked who were quite athletic, eager to please and smart. It just depends. Every horse is different and depending on the cross and the mare/stallion used can produce vastly different results.

But they are good horses, it just depends on the rider, what they like, their goals and what they enjoy.
 
#22 ·
I haven't found them dumb at all. I find them much more biddable than the tbs and warmbloods I work with all the time. They are colder working and need a bit more time for information to go from question to response than a modern horse. But the modern friesian lines are much faster thinking horses than the baroque style.

There is a reason that trick trainers and entertainment loves them. They pick up tricks and enjoy working with people.

I love all of my horses. My arabs are my first loves. But I have had a love affair with the friesian breed since I was a little girl and they are FUN to ride and work with!!!

The body type, the MIND and the attention you get;)
 
#26 ·
"Pure" breeding is nothing but a 19th century Victorian livestock marketing concept taken up by the rising middle class craze for "showing" animals (which was a development of rural fat stock shows). The problem is that flies in the face of genetic science. There is obviously great value in human selection and recording of breeding stock, but that is quite separate from an organization-enforced "breed purity". I've done a lot of reading on the subject.
 
#27 ·
@ApuestoT;

So you got me to looking at Akhal Tekes and the first thing that came to my mind was "I never had a childhood fantasy of riding black beauty but I always did think it would be really cool to ride a fire breathing dragon" lol this is as close as it would get. Look at that face. I love it. Their body style is odd to me though but not in a bad way.

And, to not totally sabotage the thread, I don't think these guys would cross very well with a friesian.
 

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#28 ·
The Friesian is a 'light draft' horse that is strong, gentle, and willing, making it a good carriage horse or battle horse. It wasn't intended or designed to be a using horse. Because of their fancy look, though, Hollywood couldn't resist glamorizing them through movies like Zorro.

Xs, on the other hand, are often the best of both worlds, especially if breeding for purpose. Breeding to a Vanner would just be producing a heavier boned, hairier, possibly black horse. No gain. Bred to a TB or WB, you have a potential athlete with the bone structure to withstand cross-country or jumping. Bred to a Morgan, you get a steam-engine. The potential crosses, and the reasons for them, are boundless, which is why they call those crosses Sport Horses.

I love the look of the Friesian, but would never buy one to use as a cow-horse or trail horse. That's not what they are. I would gladly buy a matched pair (if they weren't so over-priced) for my sister's carriage company. What would be fancier than a Friesian team pulling an antique hearse or a wedding carriage? I wouldn't turn away from a using horse/Friesian cross if it had the aptitude and stamina of the using-side of his breeding.


As an aside to the thought of breeding an Akhal Teke to a Friesian? I'm not sure what you'd get. The Friesian is short backed and compact. An Akhal Teke is long-backed and supple and designed for distance. Chances are you aren't going to get the happy medium; one parent's genes will win out in each instance and the extremes of each are just too far out there. Not a breeding I'd be willing to gamble on (especially considering the price of either breed!).
 
#31 ·
A Teke fresian cross would he a frankenhorse. It would have probably get a long back and weak hind quarters, and a messibe shoulder.

A lot of the modern sport Tekes are looking like tbs. Have you seen Kambarbay? Omg...

I want a buckskin. I actually live a couple hours away from one of the bigger north American breeders, and a days drive from another one.
 
#32 ·
I just googled him to take a peak. He is not what I envision when I think of a Akhal Teke. Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who has no knowledge what so ever about them. It would be interesting to see what the original horses of the nomadic peoples who prized them so much really looked like.
 
#34 ·
Now I'm very confused - on top of looking Thoroughbred-y, these stallions also remind me of some of the PREs. I may have fallen in the same trap as people often do with Arabs, thinking that the dished face showy type is the norm.

This is one of the sales sites in France: https://www.equirodi.com/annonces/chevaux-a-vendre/akhal-teke.htm

And to the original subject. In France we a have studbook for Arabo-Frison, which is Arabian x Friesian. Here is one breeders: Arabo Frison : Elevage des Brumières » Chevaux de l?élevage - I love their black Arabian stallion.

One of the colts we had: SF x Friesian
 
#41 ·
I mean.
No Friesian will ever be a 4*-Eventer or a perfect endurance horse but they have never been bred for that.
They were both driving horses on one hand and noble and easy riding horses who, thanks to their Iberian ancestry, have always had a good will to please and a talent for dressage.
But even then, you can still jump them or go on a short endurance ride, every healthy and properly trained horse can, so 80% of english/german style equestrians would be absolutely fine with a Friesian.


There is only one big problem I see with pure-bred Friesians, the focus on the black color and thus the massive inbreeding, which is why I am in favor of professional cross-breeding.
 
#47 ·
I know right! They are a beautiful breed. Some things I dont like about them but generally speaking they are a beautiful breed of horse. What worries me is how difficult it can be to have a good cross. I havent seen a lot of cross bred Friesians that havent turned out nice:-? and dont get me wrong it might just be I've had bad luck with the ones I've seen, but thats what worries me.
 
#48 ·
I know right! They are a beautiful breed. Some things I dont like about them but generally speaking they are a beautiful breed of horse. What worries me is how difficult it can be to have a good cross. I havent seen a lot of cross bred Friesians that havent turned out nice
and dont get me wrong it might just be I've had bad luck with the ones I've seen, but thats what worries me.

Not trying to be mean or anything and this may not offend anyone this is just my opinion.

The crosses that I have seen in America can be really concerning, I'm not saying the ones in Australia are top grade either but I wouldn't buy any of the ones I have seen for sale in America. I have see some amazing ones in Australia though that have gone on to compete and win in dressage and go all the way to Grand Prix but in saying that it really depends on so many factors.
 
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