Friesian Horse Training??!!?
I want to start training my friesian but don’t know what way to go what other disciplines do they do well at other then dressage, saddleseat and driving? Can they do well in regular english classes against say quarter horses or tbs? And is dressage hard to train for if not??
I know how to train him, and It’s my first friesian everyone starts out somewhere! I’ve been riding and training for 12 years so it’s not like I have no clue what I am doing I’m just new to the breed. I just don’t know which way to go with a friesian as far as where I live there is more just open shows and didn’t know whether or not it would work out for a friesian to show in say english pleasure. And I can spend as much money on a horse that I dream of:) I am simply asking if anyone has had any experiance with friesians in the show ring with other breeds and how well they do. Thanks!
We have a baroque-type Friesian stallion whom we have trained in dressage and driving. Personally, I don’t feel dressage is hard to train for until you start getting to the high levels, which won’t be for a while. Friesians can perform in English pleasure classes just fine, but what I have heard is that some open show judges who are unfamiliar with Friesians (such as those in small, rural towns like where I’m from) can have a hard time judging them next to more familiar breeds. They don’t know what Friesians are and are not capable of, and so don’t know how to take such things into consideration.
In many (bigger) shows, Friesians are given special exceptions, such as being allowed to have their mane and tail free-flowing at a driving events (where other horses are required to have their mane and tails braided). They are also often allowed to go "a natural" and not be clipped the way other horses are required to be. A small open show would probably not give Friesians any sort of special exceptions. I would say give it a try, and if you don’t like the results, you can always change disciplines.
Yes they do great in other disciplines. And yes dressage takes alot of work. for both you and the horse but it is well worth it and teaches you both to feel eachother
Friesians CAN make good lower-level eventers. It depends what there build is and how tall they are. They are also fantastic western mounts. You just don’t see them as often in western.. I have watched a friesian in a western pleasure against QH’s and he took 2nd out of 10 riders. You want to ride your friesian to breed standards though. So if you where to show it with QH’s you should not make it look like a QH with a low headset and such. Make it look like it’s breed is supposed to with a high arched neck and head.
Lower training level dressage is basically just groundwork. It still takes time and skill to train for but there are no difficult movements like a piaffe or pirouette. Your horse should know basic extensions and collections for any dressage test. Taking some dressage lessons might help understand the discipline more.
Well they are best at what you have down. But If you are talking about Hunter english classes. then usually no. they need to carry themselves long and low and not a lot of action. Dressage is just a term like western pleasure or saddle seat. Each horse and rider go into the arena one at a time and do a pattern and are judged on how well they execute it. There are lower levels of dressage and then it goes to upper levels. I have 7 and 8 year old kids riding in the lower levels on a regular QH , and on a Arab, and also on a 1/2 percheron. Sign up for some lessons and find out if that is what you want to do.
I own a 3/4 friesian, 1/4 paint mare. I bought her from a lesson barn when it went out of business. I competed her in western and english classes, including in hand and some lower level jumping (the most we jumped was a 3’3" oxer). We won just about all our classes, except western ones because she bucks with western saddles. I took her to ride dressage at a new barn, and she began having behavior issues and unpredictable /uncontrollable spooking (bolting to be specific) but when I took her back to jumping she hasn’t done much other than a little spook. There are two other friesian horses at this dressage barn, and they seem to be very nice horses, and will do great in dressage.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I have found friesians to be a fairly versatile breed. I think that whatever your horse is best suited for, he or she will do well in.