The Friesian cross (also Friesian/x and Friesian Sport Horse) is a

horse breed A horse breed is a selectively bred population of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a broader sense to define landrace animals of a common phenotype located within a lim ...

produced by

crossbreeding A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. ''Crossbreeding'', sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism, While crossbreeding is used to main ...

the

Friesian horse The Friesian (also Frizian) is a horse breed originating in Friesland, in the Netherlands. Although the conformation of the breed resembles that of a light draught horse, Friesians are graceful and nimble for their size. It is believed tha ...

. The breeding of Friesian Crosses has become increasingly popular in the United States, with various registries often being created to recognize certain specific crosses. Friesian crosses may be considered

sport horse A sport horse or sporthorse is a type of horse, rather than any particular breed. The term is usually applied to horses bred for the traditional Olympic equestrian sporting events of dressage, eventing, show jumping, and combined driving, but ...

s (suitable for the sports of dressage, combined driving, eventing, and jumping), or they may be considered pleasure horses. Some popular crosses include Friesians crossed with

draft horse A draft horse (US), draught horse (UK) or dray horse (from the Old English ''dragan'' meaning "to draw or haul"; compare Dutch ''dragen'' and German ''tragen'' meaning "to carry" and Danish ''drage'' meaning "to draw" or "to fare"), less often ...

s (primarily

Percheron The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Huisne river valley in western France, part of the former Perche province from which the breed takes its name. Usually gray or black in color, Percherons are well muscled, and ...

s), Morgans (Friesian/Morgan is known as a "Moriesian"), Arabians,

Andalusians The Andalusians ( es, andaluces) are a European ethnic group, native to Andalusia, an autonomous community in southern Spain. Andalusia's statute of autonomy defines Andalusians as the Spanish citizens who reside in any of the municipalitie ...

(Friesian/Andalusian is known as a Warlander),

Paints Paint is any pigmented liquid, liquefiable, or solid mastic composition that, after application to a substrate in a thin layer, converts to a solid film. It is most commonly used to protect, color, or provide texture. Paint can be made in many ...

Appaloosa The Appaloosa is an American horse breed best known for its colorful spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the influence of multiple breeds of horses throughout its history. Each horse's colo ...

, Saddlebreds (Friesian/Saddlebred is known as a " Georgian Grande"),

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

s, and Tennessee Walkers (Friesian/Tennessee Walker is known as a "Friewalker".) Other crosses include Warmbloods and other sport horse types.

Characteristics

Friesian Crosses can be any color, type, or size. They tend to maintain some of the characteristics of the Friesian (such as the temperament, long manes, and feathering), and often inherit some of the flashier movement of the Friesian. They are popular for a variety of uses, including

dressage Dressage ( or ; a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined b ...

eventing Eventing (also known as three day eventing or horse trials) is an equestrian event where a single horse and rider combine and compete against other competitors across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. Thi ...

, and

driving Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a vehicle, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, and bicycles. Permission to drive on public highways is granted based on a set of conditions being met and drivers are required to fol ...

, as well as family and pleasure horses.

External links

Friesian Horse Society
North American Friesian and Part-bred Registry with International UELN for the Friesian horse in North America
Friesian Heritage Horse and Sporthorse International
Friesian Heritage Horse and Sporthorse International
Friesian Sport Horse Registry
Friesian Sport Horse Registry
Friesian Blood Horse Registry
Friesian Blood Horse Registry
American Friesian Association
American Friesian Association
International Georgian Grande Horse Registry
International Georgian Grande Horse Registry
Moriesian Horse Registry
Moriesian Horse Registry
International Warlander Society & Registry
International Warlander Society & Registry
Friewalker Registry
Friewalker Registry {{Equine, state=collapsed Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in the United States