The Friesian cross is a horse breed

Horse breed

Horse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...

 produced by crossbreeding the Friesian horse

Friesian horse

The Friesian is a horse breed originating in Friesland, Netherlands. Although the breed's conformation resembles that of a light draft horse, Friesians are graceful and nimble for their size. During the Middle Ages, it is believed that the ancestors of Friesian horses were in great demand as war...

.

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

Sport horse

Sport horse, or Sporthorse, is a term used to describe a type of horse, rather than any particular breed. The term generally refers to horses bred for the traditional Olympic equestrian sporting events of dressage, eventing, show jumping, and combined driving. The precise definition varies...

s (suitable for the sports of dressage, combined driving, eventing, and jumping), or they may be considered pleasure horse

Pleasure riding

Pleasure riding is a form of equestrianism that encompasses many forms of recreational riding for personal enjoyment, absent elements of competition. Pleasure riding is called "hacking" in British English, and in parts of the eastern United States and Canada...

s.

Some popular crosses include Friesians crossed with draft horse

Draft horse

A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...

s (primarily Percheron

Percheron

The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Perche valley in northern France. Percherons are usually gray or black in color. They are well-muscled, and known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Although their exact origins are unknown, the ancestors of the breed were...

s), Morgans

Morgan horse

The Morgan is one of the earliest horse breeds developed in the United States. Tracing back to the stallion Figure, later named Justin Morgan after his best-known owner, the breed excels in many disciplines, and is known for its versatility....

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

Andalusian horse

The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE , is a horse breed developed in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ancestors have been present on the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century, and its conformation...

 (Friesian/Andalusian is known as a Warlander

Warlander

The Warlander is a horse of Baroque type, produced by crossing Andalusian and Friesian breeds. The ideal Warlander combines the Andalusian's intelligence, facility for collection, flexibility, and powerful hindquarters, with the Friesian's tractability, dramatic leg action, "bone", and strong...

), Paints

American Paint Horse

The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colors. Developed from a base of spotted horses with Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred bloodlines, the American Paint Horse...

, Saddlebreds

American Saddlebred

The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving, including pleasure...

 (Friesian/Saddlebred is known as a "Georgian Grande

Georgian Grande Horse

Georgian Grande Horse is a new horse breed being developed from crossbreeding the American Saddlebred on the Friesian horse and assorted draft horse breeds. The aim of the breeding is to create a Saddlebred-like horse that adds the best qualities of heavier breeds...

"), Thoroughbred

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...

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

Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

, eventing

Eventing

Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...

, and driving

Driving (horse)

Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...

, 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