These horses were originally bred as "war horses" in the days of knights and armor. As armor got heavier, bigger horses were needed and the Freisian almost became extinct. They are back and are one of the prettiest horses in stature as well as having a beautiful gait.

If you like horses, you’ll probably like this four-minute video:

https://www.youtube-nocookie.c...ed/Y5XJbSqwriM?rel=0

That really is a prancing pony.

Beautiful horses

My favorite model of horse. I see them at the Ky Horse Park sometimes.

We have some friends that breed them. Here's my daughter from a couple years ago riding one (Pagi):


Here's our friend competing on one of her Friesians at the Horse Park - coffeeaddict and daughter are there 3 or 4 times a year to compete in shows:

Watching that reminds me of the line in Scotland's national anthem (Scotland the Brave) that says, "but see how proudly her war steeds are prancing."

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
We have some friends that breed them. Here's my daughter from a couple years ago riding one (Pagi):

She has a good seat, but where is the saddle horn?
 

I've wondered how trainers teach a gait to a horse. I don't have the faintest idea how they go about it.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
We have some friends that breed them. Here's my daughter from a couple years ago riding one (Pagi):

She has a good seat, but where is the saddle horn?
 

That Friesian wouldn't know what to do with a Western saddle on her!

However, my daughter is at home on any saddle, or none at all. She's been riding since she could walk. She's done Western pleasure, ranch, all the showmanship/halter classes, trail, barrels, poles, all the flat hunt seat and jumpers up to 3'6", 3 day eventing...I'm sure I'm forgetting some. For the past couple of years she has focused on dressage. She's worked with a bunch of trainers and clinicians, her favorite is a Grand Prix Dressage trainer/rider in Lexington. She spent a month and half working and living with her from the first of January thru the middle of February. Her trainer comes down to Knoxville to give clinics/lessons every month, so she has gotten really attached. She and coffeaddict spent this past week staying with her Lexington and are showing in Ohio this weekend.

Here she is in Western garb:

Beautiful yes. But that horse when trotting looks like an awful punishing ride!
Compare it to the smooth ride of a natural gaited Tennessee Walker when trotting.

I know which I'd rather ride all day LOL!
Skip to 6:20 in the vid.

https://youtu.be/dj1NWAg7NC8

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:
Beautiful yes. But that horse when trotting looks like an awful punishing ride!
Compare it to the smooth ride of a natural gaited Tennessee Walker when trotting.

I know which I'd rather ride all day LOL!
Skip to 6:20 in the vid.

https://youtu.be/dj1NWAg7NC8

I went to school with someone whose family raised TN Walking horses. Remember him laughing about the things they did to get them to "walk" like that.

quote:

I went to school with someone whose family raised TN Walking horses. Remember him laughing about the things they did to get them to "walk" like that.

Oh yea, I know all about the training of the Walking Horse. Just to be clear... that's not what I am referring to.

I was born and have lived my whole life in Bedford county TN. "Home of the Tennessee Walking Horse". It's absolutely criminal what they do to them.

I said " Natural gaited Tennessee Walker" as in their normal untrained gait. Smooth is the word most often used to describe them.

Thank you!
Really enjoyed the video!
Check out "Ladyhawk" and "Tall Tales" for Friesians on film (the former carrying Rutger Hauer as a knight and the later carrying cowboy Patrick Swayze in a western saddle no less!)

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
However, my daughter is at home on any saddle, or none at all.

My wife is the same (but now retired). She never rode in competition, but she grew up bareback, and learned English and Western early on. When she was a horse-mounted officer, her department used what she called a cross between an Australian Stock Saddle and a Dressage Saddle. As Park Police, they had to jump fences at times. Here's a pic with her trying to introduce Wille to a "MoonBounce" but you cannot see the saddle all that well.
 

 

Thanks for sharing. I'm from Friesland, the most northern province of the Netherlands. These are beautiful horses, big and impressive. Most of that video is shot in Friesland and it brings back good memories. Thanks!

Thanks for posting. Beautiful movers for sure. Notice when the motorcycle went by that neither horse flicked an ear in the direction of the bike?


Silent

quote:

Originally posted by FlyingFrisian:
Thanks for sharing. I'm from Friesland, the most northern province of the Netherlands. These are beautiful horses, big and impressive. Most of that video is shot in Friesland and it brings back good memories. Thanks!

Thanks for the info – glad to know that. And glad to have you as a SigForum member!