The Friesian horse is a rare and noble breed of horse. Friesian horses are native to the province of Friesland in the northern Netherlands. The Friesian horse breed faced extinction on several occasions, but was saved in 1913 by a dedicated group of breeders in Friesland. At that time there was only three studbook stallions left in the world. Today there are over 80 fps-approved stallions in the world.

The Friesian horse has been used in a verity of ways over the years. Friesian horses have been used as war horses by Friesian soldiers fighting with the Norman armies and by knights during the crusades. The breed has been used to farm fields but this is no longer a common activity for them. They are a popular horse among the English royalty for riding and pulling carriages. The Friesian horse is also very popular as a circus horse and for dressage.

The Friesian horse breed standard is pure black with the possibility of a small white star on its forehead. Typically Friesian horses have a long heavy mane, tail and fetlocks. The Friesian horse is very strong and muscular it stands between 15 and 16 hands. Friesian horses are known for their excellent disposition. They are extremely friendly and intelligent horses.

This summary is more background information then a true history of Friesian horses. To get more detailed information on Friesian history, please try the links below. You will find many great pages with excellent information. So go ahead and enjoy.

Friesian History Links:

Wikipedia: Friesian Horse: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia