By Kim J. Harmon

Some 2,500 years ago, the gradual rising of the seas in what is now known as the Netherlands forced the Frieslanders to build mounds (about 1,000 are known to exist) on which they could construct their houses and protect themselves against floods.

Back in 1927, the bones of large horses – equus robustus – were discovered within these mounds and scientists now know that the Friesian horse (which resembles the ancient western European horse and the knights’ horse called destrier) is descended from equus robustus.

During the 16th and 17th centuries – maybe earlier – the blood of Arabian horses was introduced into the Friesian line (giving the horses that high knee action, the small head, and the craning neck) but for the last 200 years Friesians have been bred pure (with the government making sure that good breeding practices were followed).

Historical mentions of the Friesian horse can be found in texts more than 700 years old. According to the chronicle of Dubravius, King Louis II of Hungary used a heavy Friesian stallion when he battled the Turks in 1526. And drawings of a Friesian horse from the stables of Don Juan of Austria have been dated to 1568.

Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Friesians were used as trotters and would become the focal points of popular horse-racing events in Friesland – but this practice would soon fade away because of the introduction of Russian and American horses, which were bred and used for racing only.

Later on, in the 1930s, the Friesian horses became popular as circus performers.

Now, Friesians – which stand about 15.3 hands high on average and weigh about 1,300 pounds) are versatile animals and are equally as successful simply riding for pleasure or in competition.

Back in 1879, the first studbook in the Netherlands was created to register Friesian horses. But because the standards were lax and registration was open to many other types of horses with even some Friesian blood, The Friesian Horse Society was formed in 1913. The society helped to improve the Friesian horse and two years later the studbook was split into an ‘A’ and a ‘B’ book – with the ‘A’ book for Friesians and the ‘B’ book for so-called upland horses.

Today, Friesians are bred almost exclusively black (the only white allowed is a spot between the eyes). Some 30,000 Friesians are registered worldwide, with about 2,000 of those registered in North America.

Although the Friesian horse was imported to North American sometime in the 17th century, crossbreeding virtually eliminated the breed and it was not reintroduced until 1974.

Since then, Friesian horse has become a popular breed once again with Friesian Horse Associations in places like Alberta (Canada), Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oregon, California, Washington and Idaho.