Friesian dressage studs for TB cross?

[beowulf]

@JB

:yes: :yes: Inspectors have said several times how much of a good cross he is on, specifically, TB mares.

I happily admit being completely wrong about him - my initial impression was I thought he was nice, but not my cuppa… what’s that about horses liking to prove us wrong?! :winkgrin: there is one mare by him local to me that I am just in love with but she’s some 10k out of my budget lol!

@colorfan

Very informative thread. I have seen a lot more Friesien crosses available just in the past year. Some very good points in this thread to keep in mind as I look around.

@colorfan they are becoming more popular in my area, too. There are several FriesianxTBs or FriesianxMorgans at my eventing barn, which has about 30+ boarders from Tadpole to Intermediate level. They aren’t UL material, but they are really coming through as good amateur mounts for the older riders at my barn that just want something safe and uncomplicated for BN. My trainer just came back from horse shopping down south a few years ago with another one for one of her clients.

[JB]

@ThatBayHorse

The majority of fresian crosses I have seen have been 100% fugly and non functional. I would really reconsider this cross. Plus fresians are a bit batty and TBs can be a bit batty (kind of arab-saddlebred crosses… WHY). There are 100 better crosses IMO.

I think it’s a bit - ok, a lot - unfair to call either of them batty. Same with the NSH - Arab x ASB.

Of course there are always “batty” individuals in every breed. But as a whole, none of those breeds, or crosses, are any battier than any other breed as a whole. Sure, train an Arabian or ASB or NSH to be always up and on alert and on edge, and you don’t have a laid back ammy-friendly horse. You can’t have batty Arabians owning the endurance world. You can’t have batty TBs and TB crosses tearing up the Eventing world. You certainly didn’t have batty TBs owning the Hunter world back in the day.

A horse who, as a breed in general, or an individual in particular, may be a lot more spicy than someone can handle. That isn’t batty. The breed or individual who is very forward thinking, and forward moving, is not batty.

[weixiao]

Is height an absolute requirement? If not, a bit out of the box, but what about North Forks Cardi? He would check a lot of your requirements and seems to have some really nice TB and WB X offspring. He is also a proven performer, appears to have a great mind, and has hair!

[Xanthoria]

We had a Friesian x TB gelding. He was 17h of solid inertia :lol: Great trail horse for hubby, v hard to get fit, “clinically clumsy” per the vet and a demolition derby of a jumper. Took a year of dressage to get his 4 best canter strong enough.

Huge impossible to fit withers. Hard keeper. No leg feather. Nice tail tho!

For me? I’d never breed one, but if you want that cross buy a started 4 yr old or older so you know what you’re getting.

[MysticOakRanch]

@ThatBayHorse

The majority of fresian crosses I have seen have been 100% fugly and non functional. I would really reconsider this cross. Plus fresians are a bit batty and TBs can be a bit batty (kind of arab-saddlebred crosses… WHY). There are 100 better crosses IMO.

You just haven’t seen quality horses. The Friesian is known for its kind and gentle character - I’ve never known one that is “batty”. Of course, I hear that about Arabians too, and if you get away from halter bred (aka American breeders who destroy anything they touch in the name of money), the Arabian is an incredible horse. So - when I hear someone dismiss an entire breed (or type) of horse, I can pretty much guess the person has only seen a few bad representations, and has jumped to a thoroughly inaccurate conclusion.

I use to breed Friesian crosses - none were batty or fugly. Interestingly, the one that was probably least attractive (big head, short neck, but adorable personality, great legs and feet, strong back, not fugly at all), was an awesome low-level eventer, and is now about ready to hit the FEI dressage ring.

One of my stallions is in his 20s now, and still doing FEI work with a young rider. He showed through GP. One vet said he was the most beautiful horse she’d ever seen. Another vet asked if she could use his xrays (mid teens at the time) as an example of desirable xrays for long term soundness. People use to STEAL his photos all the time, even a regional magazine stole his photo for their ads. He was an extraordinary horse.

One of my youngsters was USDF HOTY AA Rider at 2nd level - not all breeds, but ALL horses. A very well known clinician offered to buy him if he was a stallion (he was not), said he was an extraordinary horse.

Several of them are happy mid-level AA horses. All are attractive, not fugly. You probably wouldn’t even realize they are FX - they look like old style Warmbloods (good bone and feet, stocker then the modern WB) with excellent necks.

I also know people who ended up buying Friesians and FXs after giving up on Warmbloods - too much horse, too much drama, too difficult, too intimidating - and found horses that were much better suited with that cross. A kinder, gentler, more tolerant horse.

While my position isn’t great here, this is an example of an FX - no one could call him batty or fugly. A stallion that you could trust around children, that an AA, then later a YR rode and learned on.

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[GreyDes]

Not quite the same cross, but remember the recent “Behind the stall door” about Adiah HP? This says she’s 3/4 Friesian & 1/4 Dutch. https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/behind-the-stall-door-with-adiah-hp