# Friesian Critique- possible buy



## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

My husband is in love with friesians (I also think they are lovely, but have no desire to ride one). I have found one in my area, at a price I can afford, but I don't know much about the breed. If you have the time, can you please critique this mare for the use as a husband horse, plodding around on trails with me. Is she worth the price? Is she breeding quality if it was something we were interested in? Is her conformation nice? I don't want to spend 10k on a bottom barrel horse just because it's a Friesian. Thanks in advance.

VERY GENTLE, 16.1 REGISTERED FRIESIAN MARE, 0.59%!!!! | Buy this Horse at Equine.com


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Beautiful mare.
As far as confo goes, she is rather nice.
Shoulder angle could be a _tin_y bit steeper
Nice neck, though in some photos appears to be set a little high
Good front legs. Good pasterns and not a bad hoof angle
Back looks maybe just a tad long and again in a couple pictures she appears bum high, though in others she doesn't??
I like her hindquarters and there doesnt appear to be anything seriously off with her hind legs either
All in all, i think she is a rather nice looking horse, however i cannot say much on price or breeding quality, as i am not a Friesian expert. I do know that they can get pretty expensive, so her price is probably a good one for a wellbroke horse.


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## teamfire (May 27, 2011)

I'll be honest, I don't like her for that price. She looks fairly downhill (and this breed is usually pretty level or uphill) in some pictures and looks a little strange. Her front doesn't always seem to match her hindquarters?


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## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

She seems bum high, and a touch long in the back. Honestly, I would not pay that much for her.


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## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

No worries about being honest, I know next to nothing about this breed. I am an Arabian lover, and I still defer to some of you guys on them. Thanks again!


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Friesians are meant to pull things, not as riding horses. So as a generalization for the breed they are strong in front and tend to pull and be heavy in the hand. Some horses are getting bred more towards riding and more specifically dressage but they are mostly unsuitable as they move "out" behind and do not bend at the hocks and carry as much as is needed to make a successful dressage horse.

This horse is NOT a good Friesian type for riding, or breeding, or anything really. And why are they breeding it?? Just because it's registered doesn't mean its uterus needs to be occupied....
For $10,000, you can find yourself a nice, well trained, broke to death, black Quarter Horse that's going to be sound sound sound and super safe on the trails. Just let his mane and feathers grow out and he'll look almost like a Friesian 

Good luck!


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## DressageDreamer (Feb 29, 2012)

From what I saw on the ad...it is probably a scam anyway. I read the comments at the bottom of the ad page.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

From what I can see, you're paying for the papers that say "Friesian." I would keep looking.


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

they're clearly asking that price solely based on her breed and not the individual horse itself. :/


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## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

My husband went to look at her today, they said 9,000 and that includes two saddles, blanket, and haters/bridles. She really wants to sell her locally. I'd love input on friesians from owners. How are their gates as riding horses? Do you think a friesian, if conditioned to finish a 25 mile endurance ride (non competitve, dead last is okay, again I appreciate anyone's opinion. Her personality was to die for. Easily the sweetest Horse I've ever let .
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

christabelle said:


> My husband went to look at her today, they said 9,000 and that includes two saddles, blanket, and haters/bridles. She really wants to sell her locally. I'd love input on friesians from owners. How are their gates as riding horses? Do you think a friesian, if conditioned to finish a 25 mile endurance ride (non competitve, dead last is okay, again I appreciate anyone's opinion. Her personality was to die for. Easily the sweetest Horse I've ever let .
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I'm guessing he didn't like the TWH. Shame.

I don't know Friesians but judging from her comfo.. don't think she'd be conditioned to go many miles with that long back anytime soon. But I could be wrong.


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## Annanoel (Mar 29, 2011)

I do agree with almost everything said here, from what I read and understand Friesians are cart/carriage horses. They aren't meant for heavy (long riding) and are considered light draft horses also know as, "Belgian Blacks." They are GORGEOUS, but I think people get way to into the looks of them rather than what they're bred to do and what the breeds history holds. I do enjoy watching them in dressage the few times I have seen them. I have yet to see one on the trails, but who knows? They did use to carry knights into battle, lol. Although I do think that price is high, conformation wise there are a few minor things and you are basically "paying for the papers." A pretty expensive trail horse if you ask me. If you could get her for a lower, more reasonable price in this market it'd be more realistic.

I do wish you luck though in whatever you decide to do! Keep us posted. I'd love to see her on the trails if you get her.


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## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

Wow I messed that post up. Haters? Let? Ha ha. My husband really loved the Tennessee walker. She was even his favorite color- chestnut. His problem is that she is in Tennessee. He is firm on not buying out of state, unless it a breeder who focuses on one breed and there reputation is very good. We are going to look at the Palomino perch/saddlebred cross, although I agree with you guys that she appears swaybacked. The friesian has a back that looks odd in some pictures, and I'm not sure how she would look if she was in shape. She looks fat too me. Maybe it is just the breed. I'll post a couple pictures. We are defiantly not sold. Just tempted. Sorry to keep bugging you guys, I just really enjoy having the opinions of so may experts.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

A couple pictures, I was trying to get her to stand square.


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## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

Oh, and I convinced him to go for a ride with me last night... He rode my 14.3-15 hh Cremello quarter horse mare. He looked a little big on her, but not to the point of ridiculous in my opinion. She also carried him with ease. She did not even get sweaty. She is a stout little thing though.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

christabelle said:


> My husband went to look at her today, they said 9,000 and that includes two saddles, blanket, and haters/bridles. She really wants to sell her locally. I'd love input on friesians from owners. How are their gates as riding horses? Do you think a friesian, if conditioned to finish a 25 mile endurance ride (non competitve, dead last is okay, again I appreciate anyone's opinion. Her personality was to die for. Easily the sweetest Horse I've ever let .
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 If you want an endurance horse you should look at endurance breeds. Friesians are not bred for endurance and they do not do well in the heat


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Meh. I've seen MUCH better friesians, even where I live (and they're relatively rare in Arizona, that I've seen).

I don't like her back. It just looks...weak, to me. It is a wee bit long, as well.

She's pigeon breasted, unless that's just fat. I also don't like her neck, but then again, I don't like most friesian necks.

She looks like she toes out pretty severely in the front, too. It may just be the shadows, but her right front hoof looks a little clubby to me, as well.

I don't know. I just don't like the way she's built. She also doesn't look like she'd be up to carrying your husband (if that's him in the photo) over any distance for an extended period of time, even well-conditioned.


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## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

It is him in the photo. He is very tall. Most endurance breed horses are very small as well. I wish we could find a tall gaited horse in the area, some of them get pretty tall, and they are passably good at endurance.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I know the problem of height all too well. My ex-husband was 6'5" and solid (weighed 280lbs when we got married, about 240lbs when we got divorced). We were looking into trail horses for him for a little while, but we lived in Tucson, AZ (desert), so there weren't many draft crosses available and he didn't want/like smaller horses.

What about a big arab? My friend's Bask-bred arab gelding is pushing 16hh (not even joking...we're talking he's centimeters away from being 16hh) and can go for days. There's a guy who is at least 6'3" at our barn that has a 15-15.1hh arab gelding and they're fine together. Jim is even starting to train endurance on Mo. Heck, our BO is about 6'4" and all he rides are stocky QHs. He makes them look like ponies, but he rides them just fine. lol I don't think one of his horses (that he rides) is taller than 15.1hh.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

you have much more to select from and find a better mount if you expanded your radius of distance
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

The mare looks very sweet but for endurance or any kind of long distance trail riding? No.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Friesians are generally not good endurance horses because of all the energy they expend with their high knee action and dramatic gaits.


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## christabelle (Feb 13, 2011)

levi
My husband found this guy and he really likes him!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I do like Levi, but then again, I'm a sucker for the gaited horses! ;-)


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

That horse makes more sense. Would have thought a young horse like that might have been more in the 5K range though.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Just make sure you ask or take some squared up pictures!



christabelle said:


> levi
> My husband found this guy and he really likes him!


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## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

How about looking into quarabs? My horse that just passed away was a quarab, and he was a perfect, strong endurance horse. Before his semi-retirement due to a knee injury, when he was being ridden more often, he went on a fifty mile endurance ride (non-competitive), spring time in AZ, and he barely broke a sweat under his saddle. We rode all day. He was 15.2 or so, and easily carried my mom's ex-boyfriend who was over six feet tall. I've never had someone over 200 on him, but when he was fit, I'm sure he could have carried them all day. That's my suggestion- look for a well-crossed quarab. With the many variations in body type of qh's and arabs, I'm sure you'll be able to find the perfect one- as crosses, they can literally range from almost completely arabian-like to almost completely qh-like, in all aspects, build and temperament.


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## Chopsticks (Mar 11, 2012)

going to disagree about the friesian mare, don't think her back is long at all. I think she's a nice example of the breed, but sounds like she's not in the mare book so as a breeding prospect (which you're not after) i would question. but they are pricing her as a broodmare. 10K for a trail horse I wouldn't pay but I don't know your financial situation, if you can afford it, more power. but agree that this is not an endurance horse. this is a 10 mile breed typically, always exceptions. if you want endurance, the walkers and large arabs are a better bet. also agree with soenjer, quarabs are AWESOME. my boy is a quarab and can carry large men (i wouldn't do it to him all the time because I want him to live forever but...) and he can go for EVER without sweating. Find a large quarab and you might have a perfect match.


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