I’m so sorry for your loss, he was a truly beautiful soul. I didn’t know that fresians have a shorter life spam, I didn’t meet many but now that I think about it I never met and old one whilst it’s quite common to meet 20 and something horses on the trails (even our haflinger turned 20 this week and she is in full activity and great shape)
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Braam looks like an amazing horse, so sorry that you had to lose him so soon.
Must say, this information is helping me feel a bit better about the death of a friend’s Friesian at the age of 18. Friend had an injury and I rode him fairly frequently for her for a couple of years, before she moved. He was such a cool horse and a fun ride. He did have health issues that she was always treating and I never understood, but was otherwise an enthusiastic riding horse. I heard long-distance that he had passed away, and was very sad that he had not had more time. But from this info, that was a ‘normal’ Friesian lifespan. Sorry you did not have more time, Jorah.
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I’m so sorry for your loss, KBC
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I could not say it better than this.
I am so very sorry for your loss of beautiful Braam, he was indeed a very special horse.
I have no personal experience with Friesians, but one of my repro vets worked with them a great deal, and he reported issues with breeding, and foaling problems, which in his opinion was linked with the very small gene pool.
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There is an organization called the Fenway Foundation. One of their missions is exploring genetic causes of megaesophagus, aortic rupture and gastric rupture in Friesians. It isnt uncommon from what little i know about it. Maybe contact them.
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It does not apply to ALL the larger breeds. For instance, Percherons often live into their 30s.
Also, I am pretty sure the Guinness World Recod for the oldest horse (60+) was a draft horse.
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Agree that many drafts live forever. I’ve known a few that were at least in their late 30s before they passed and all were healthy and even working until the day they died.
It would not surprise me if Friesians have a shorter life expectancy because of the very small gene pool. Seems breeding Friesians may not be sustainable.
KBC, so sorry for the loss of your friend.
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So sorry for your loss. I’ve only known two older full Friesians, and both passed due to colic in their late teens.
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I am so sorry for the loss of your friend.
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I am so sorry for the loss of your horse!
Yes, Friesians do have a lower life expectancy than other breeds, largely due to genetic factors. I only know one who has lived into his 20s, but not without major health issues. He’s colicked a number of times, has anhidrosis, and numerous severe allergies and chronic respiratory issues. His owner spent more time taking care of his issues than riding him, despite his lovely temperament.
There is a foundation that has been doing research on the breed, that might have some updated information. I don’t remember the same, but my friend used to have the little charms of her horse’s halters for donating money.
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That was the case with my friends wonderful Friesian gelding. She dedicated her life and spent immense amounts of time and money addressing his health issues. The riding time was amazing but limited.
At one point a vet had told her that he needed a lot of exercise. But at the same time he easily overheated. There was simply no way to balance his need for exercise with his need to stay cool.
Especially in a hot climate when he did not cool down easily.
I suggested rehoming him to a much more northern location. She said he would never survive the trailer trip.
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Fenway Foundation
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I’m so sorry you lost your boy Braam. He was so beautiful.
I had heard that about Fresians, though have not much experience with them, only tangentially with the one or two at the barn where i take lessons.
I have 8 or 9 horses over 20. Most are mustangs, and my expectation for them is to go til 30. The others are Arab, Percheron, bigole mule, and an Akhal teke sporthorse. I do not know who will be next (i had to put down my Cushings Morgan mare a couple of months ago and she was only 24)
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I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved horse. My limited exposure with 2, both mares, who had a host of medical issues, died before the age of 15 due to heart-failure. The gene pool is so limited. The cross breeds seem to do better.
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From 2013 but has a clear explanation of the health issues found in Friesians.
https://www.dvm360.com/view/trouble-with-friesianshttps://www.dvm360.com/view/trouble-with-friesians
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So sorry to report - link is to “article not found”, 404 page error.
ETA: Wait, here it is! Thank you! 
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Sorry. I usually check the link to make sure it works, but didn’t do so this time.
Glad you found it.
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Thank you!
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Oh no…I’m so sorry to hear this. Braam looks like a gorgeous, loving boy.
I just lost my heart horse, a Friesian, last year at the ripe old age of 27. We called him “old ironsides” because NOTHING made him sick, colicky, or anything…the only thing that ever really happened to him was a couple of hoof abscesses. He ended up developing a heart arrhythmia and passing very quickly and peacefully in his pasture.
On the other hand, some good friends of mine who bred Friesians have never had a mare live past 20, despite their best efforts (seriously, their horses lacked for NOTHING and they bred as carefully as they possibly could, given the breed’s gene pool situation) and they’ve had to endure their fair share of colic surgeries (few of which ended up being successful due to post-op ileus situations, sadly). This breed can be so heartbreaking, but it looks like Braam had a beautiful life with you. Sending you all the hugs from another Friesian lover <3
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I still don’t know if I am a Friesian lover, or a Braam lover. I had a major accident off a big black horse 11 years ago, and always put Friesians in my “impressive looking, but so NOT for me”
Then I rode Braam, and became an addict.
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