Horse
Pronunciation:
ˈfrē-zhən ˈkrȯs
Breed Description:
The Friesian Cross breed of horse is a Friesian crossed with another breed. Friesian Cross horses are also sometimes called Friesian Sport Horses, but they are not the same breed as the Friesian Sporthorse. The Friesian Cross breed of horse may be considered either a pleasure horse or a sport horse. As a sport horse, it is typically well-suited to dressage, combined driving, eventing, and jumping. The Friesian Cross breed of horse can be any color, type, or size. They tend to retain the most notable traits of the Friesian horse, such as its even temperament, luxuriant mane and tail, and leg feathering. They often inherit some of the flashier, high-stepping movement of the Friesian, as well.
Temperament:
The Friesian Cross breed of horse generally has a gentle temperament.
Height:
Most members of the Friesian Cross breed of horse are fairly tall -- at least 15 hh -- given the height of the Friesian.
Weight:
The Friesian Cross breed of horse varies with regard to weight, depending on the cross breed. They tend to be heavier horses, however.
Health Problems:
The Friesian Cross breed of horse has no breed-specific health issues. Sometimes cross-breeding mitigates some of the problems associated with the Friesian bloodlines, such as OCD related to rapid growth.
Grooming:
The Friesian Cross breed of horse requires regular grooming. Routine grooming includes cleaning the horse's coat, combing out its mane and tail, picking out its hooves, and keeping its dock, eyes, muzzle, and nostrils clean with damp sponges. A hard-working, stabled Friesian Cross may require a thorough grooming each day, while one kept in the pasture may require only a light going over with a dandy brush.
Origin:
The Friesian Cross breed of horse is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the United States. Crosses are sometimes used to make a more economical or smaller horse that still has many of the Friesian qualities. Popular breeds for crossing purposes include Andalusians (a Friesian/Andalusian cross is known as a Warlander), Arabians, draft horses such as Percherons), Morgans (a Friesian/Morgan cross is known as a Moriesian), Paints, Saddlebreds (a Friesian/Saddlebred cross is known as a Georgian Grande), Thoroughbreds, and Tennessee Walkers (a Friesian/Tennessee Walker is known as a Friewalker).
There are a number of registries for the Friesian Cross breed of horse, with varying requirements, but most registries require a Friesian Cross to be at least 25% Friesian. For example, the Friesian Sport Horse Registry recognizes all horses proven to be 25% to 100% Friesian. 