Friesian-Cross Registries

Hi! I am new to CoTH, and I’m almost afraid to ask this question, since it’s the kind of issue that can bring out the worst in us horsepeople. But, it would be really helpful for me to get people’s opinions.

I am getting an Friesian-Andalusian filly, and I’d like to register her at one of the Friesian registries that accepts cross-breeds. The problem is that there seem to be lots, and lots, and lots of these registries, and apart from the fact that some of them obviously hate each other, I can’t really tell much about them at all. Which ones are more “serious” than others, which ones have larger memberships, which ones have better/higher/more respected standards, which ones have better reputations, etc.

Does anyone have any opinions about the Friesian cross registries, or any experience in dealing with them? Is there one that you have more confidence in or less confidence in? Is there one that you think would most add to your expectation of quality in a horse registered through it?

The Friesian cross registries I have found so far (and I’m sure that there are more) are:

The Friesian Horse Society (FHS)
http://www.friesianhorsesociety.com/

The Friesian Sporthorse Association (FSHA)
http://www.friesiansporthorseassociation.com/

The Friesian Sport Horse Registry (FSHR)
Now know as
The Friesian Heritage Horse and Sporthorse International
http://www.friesianheritage.com/

The Friesian Blood Horse Registry (FBHR)
http://www.friesianbloodhorseregistry.com/

The Canadian Friesian Horse Association (CFHA)
http://www.canadianfriesianhorse.ca/

It’s all pretty confusing, and it would be really helpful if someone could give my their opinions about these organizations.

Thanks!

Hi There! I have a friesian sporthorse whom I registered with the Friesian Sporthorse Association and they are great to work with and really do alot for the breed. I would contact the director and I’m sure she can fill you in on the ins and outs of the registries. She is an active breeder and stays heavily involved with the breed.

Agree with Onthebuckle: Friesian Sporthorse Association

Hands down the Friesian Sporthorse Association. They’re the ONLY cross-bred registry that has ANY standards at all! :yes:

Does anyone have any experience with the International Warlander Society & Registry?

Thanks everyone for the views. I am surprised that with so many registries, there seems to be agreement around the Friesian Sporthorse Association.

Does anyone have any direct experience or sense of the reputations of any of the other registries? I had been getting a good feeling about the Friesian Heritage Horse and Sporthorse International. Any thoughts?

To answer HorseBreederDirect’s question, I have written to the International Warlander Society and Registry, but I haven’t received a reply. I am also a little suspicious about the fact that their web site doesn’t list a telephone number, and that they don’t seem to be affiliated to or recognized by any international or national equestrian groups.

I wonder if they have become inactive? They have not posted anything at their Facebook page since April, and their last “news” at their web site was in November 2010.

I register with Friesian Heritage Horse (HH) and believe they are a very active, supportive registry with good morals and standards and excellent customer service. Selecting a registry is a personal decision - all registries offer something to someone - and the horse owner and breeder need to decide which registry meets their needs.

Very few HH members and directors are on COTH - HH has an active Facebook page and email group - and you’ll see more members interacting there, as well as at various equine Expos and shows. I don’t think any of our members are really active on this forum.

HH offers optional inspections and educational activities, USDF awards and other show and discipline awards, fun photo contests, high point awards at individual shows, and is generally a pretty active, friendly, inclusive, registry, with members and horses in all disciplines and at all levels, from happy, loving pleasure homes all the way to FEI competitors.

[QUOTE=jdeboer01;5772085]
Hands down the Friesian Sporthorse Association. They’re the ONLY cross-bred registry that has ANY standards at all! :yes:[/QUOTE]

I think this statement is a bit unfair and definitely inaccurate. Like MysticOakRanch, I am also a supporter of the Friesian Heritage Horse and they too have standards. Matter of fact, they have standards that are very intelligent, and take into consideration the vast array of outcomes that are possible when crossbreeding. It takes many, many generations to create a “true breed type” and the Friesian Crossbred is a long way off yet from being “consistent in type.”

Particularly when crossbreeding, it is possible to breed the same mare to the same stallion and get a different result each time – even get two completely different suitability types from the same parents. For example, I have a Friesian/Thoroughbred that is very carriage-type. She is lovely for carriage work, but, reality is, she would fail miserably as a sport horse! Yet, she has a FULL brother who is doing very well in dressage. He has a completely different build and completely different movement! These are both very nice horses, they are just different. So, who should decide which one is the “better horse?” A person who likes dressage or a person who likes carriage?

I like the Friesian Heritage Horse, because their philosophy is to look at each horse as an individual, regardless of breed mixture, and judge that horse for quality and suitability of purpose, based on the horse’s own distinct merits and accomplishments. To some of us, sporthorses are great and I am all in support of developing Friesian crosses in that direction! But let’s face it, not ALL Friesian or Friesian crosses are sport-type. Many of them are not, even when they are intended/bred to be so. And, many riders do not need or even want a sport-type horse. Some people want park horses and others want pleasure horses. With the development of the IFSHA show platform, (International Friesian Show Horse Association), there is a growing demand for Park/Carriage type Friesian crosses. There is also definitely a place for nice, all-around horses with nice temperaments and nice movement, who do not have gigantic, sport-type gaits, so that the average, amateur rider can comfortably ride. If you look at the overall statistics of riders, most are not professional or anywhere near upper level in any discipline. These people need help and support in choosing/breeding their horses too. So, I like the Friesian Heritage Horse, because they have standards in place for all types and give credit where credit is due. It does not matter what type the horse is. What is important is that the horse has quality for its intended purpose and that the suitability type is correctly identified!

Furthermore, speaking to standards, the inspections that the Friesian Heritage Horse offers judge the quality of the canter! The quality of the canter is often a weak spot in the Friesian breed and is a critical component of a quality sport-type horse. The Friesian Heritage Horse specifically DOES NOT accept USDF In-hand scores or AWS inspection scores alone, for suitability designation, because neither of these programs addresses the vital need for a quality canter. It is not uncommon at all for Friesians and Friesian Crossbreds to display a correct trot, or even a great trot, for sport work, and then have a really hard time with a correct canter. This is a particular weakness for the breed and I commend the Friesian Heritage Horse for recognizing this and incorporating it into their standards, making it a special concern to look for and improve.

[QUOTE=OntheBuckle;5771588]
Hi There! I have a friesian sporthorse whom I registered with the Friesian Sporthorse Association and they are great to work with and really do alot for the breed. I would contact the director and I’m sure she can fill you in on the ins and outs of the registries. She is an active breeder and stays heavily involved with the breed.[/QUOTE]

A cross is not a breed…

[QUOTE=Buckingham;5773558]
Matter of fact, they have standards that are very intelligent, and take into consideration the vast array of outcomes that are possible when crossbreeding.[/QUOTE]

The Friesian Sporthorse Association’s purpose is very different from the FHH. It’s goal is more than recording cross-bred pedigrees, and is aimed at a certain “type”. It does not wish to consider a “vast array” of types. It strives to promote and encourage breeding Friesian cross-breds for the Olympic disciplines – namely dressage. It’s philosophy is to combine the Friesian only with breeds that are proven in those disciplines, and breeding stock bloodlines must be from approved registries only (namely Warmblood and TB, but Iberians are allowed too). All other cross-bred registries accept breeding stock (99% of the time the mares) without prejudice (which has landed many a fugly, backyard foals on the ground and tainted the reputation of Friesian crosses as a whole.) Certainly not saying that FHH horses are “fugly” – There are many nice ones out there – it’s just that without breeding stock standards, some people may make some very unfortunate breeding decisions ending up with fugly individuals. It doesn’t reflect so nicely on the FHH horses that ARE nice to be lumped in with them.

So, very different purposes with the registries.

Also, from the FSA website:

The Friesian Sporthorse Association is affiliated with the USDF (United States Dressage Federation) thru the national All-Breeds Awards program. The Friesian Sporthorse Association is also internationally recognized and authorized to issue UELN’s to Friesian Sporthorses registered in the US and around the world.

I appreciate all the answers. I think that I have a better sense of the differences, at least between the Friesian Sporthorse Association and the Friesian Heritage Horse and Sporthorse International.

If I am understanding everyone correctly:

  • the Friesian Sporthorse Association tries to advance Friesian-crosses as successful competition horses, by identifying those that could excel in Dressage and other Olympic disciplines

  • the Friesian Heritage Horse and Sporthorse International tries to advance Friesian-crosses as total horses for many purposes, by identifying horses with strengths across a range of categories

That helps me a lot (if that is a correct summary of what people are saying).

I know this sounds funny, but I like the fact that the Friesian Sporthorse Association is issuing the Universal Equine Life Number. It makes me think they take international standards seriously, and that they’re committed to being responsible members of the global equestrian community.

But I think what decides it for me is that I only have the one horse so I’ll be using her for everything from trail riding to competing to loafing around in the paddock. I think this means that the Friesian Heritage Horse and Sporthorse International is probably the right place for us.

Before I take the jump, does anyone know anything about the other registries: Friesian Horse Society, the Friesian Blood Horse Registry and the Canadian Friesian Horse Association?

Friesian Sporthorse Association (FSA)

[QUOTE=warlander;5771463]
Friesian-Andalusian filly[/QUOTE]

If you chose to register your filly with the Friesian Sporthorse Association (FSA), she would be eligible for the Main Book, which is the first step in registration – to determine the foalbook based on the potential sport suitability of the breeding/pedigree. Friesian/Andalusian is a Main Book accepted cross.

She would also be eligible for the Elite Books (Performance Books) which recognized performance achievement.

And she would be eligible for Breeding Approval

And she would be eligible for the Mare Books (Star and Preferred).

And she would be eligible for all Awards Programs (including USDF All-Breeds)

These various programs can be fun goals to work towards, and can be nice ‘bragging rights’ once achieved, and can add value to a horse whether for future sale purposes, or to add value for insurance purposes, or to add value to any future foals.

Aside from that, I think jdeboer01 has done a good job of explaining the difference between the FSA and the other crossbreed registries. This, from the FSA website, also sums up the FSA’s goals nicely: “Building the reputation of the Friesian Sporthorse thru strict Registration Guidelines, Breeding Approvals, and performance recognition”.

Some of the most successful and best known Friesian crossbreds in the US are actually Friesian Sporthorses: Nico (the famous pinto Friesian Sporthorse stallion), Ducati (Friesian Sporthorse gelding who competed thru Grand Prix dressage), and Lexington (Friesian Sporthorse stallion currently competing at Prix St George dressage). There are also Friesian Sporthorses competing successfully in the Olympic sporting events of combined driving and eventing.

And of course, registration with the FSA doesn’t mean a person can’t still trail ride or loaf around in the paddock wink.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at RiverOaksFarmFL@aol.com, or you can contact the registry directly at FSAFriesianSport@aol.com.

-Gigha Steinman

Why wouldn’t you register her with the IALHA as a half andy then?