Buyers Guide

Signature Friesians

The Buyers Checklist

We have put this page together, specifically, for the Buyer. Please take the time to read this page and then you can take it for what it is worth. We hope it helps you in your quest to find the Perfect Friesian Horse for you. We wish you the best.

First and foremost, we would say take your time and don't buy on the spur of the moment. Too many times we have seen people buy without researching the horse or seller and then are very unhappy in the end. Go and see the horse if possible. Don't let a seller pressure you into buying, we believe, if the horse was meant for you than he/she will be yours. ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT THE PERFECT HORSE IS FOR YOU, NOT THE SELLER!!!
Buy from somebody that has a "true interest" in the Friesian "a reputable Breeder" that is doing it for the right reasons, NOT somebody just doing it to make a quick dollar. If the person only sells for the money than he or she would more than likely not be totally honest about the horses. One way you can check up on a seller is to check the local Better Business Bureau in their area.
If you find the horse of your Dreams and you think this is the one for you- make sure and have a license Veterinary look at the horse, preferably one you pick. If the seller says the horse is clean/good on x-rays ask that a vet can take a look at them. Like in all horse breeds, there are some Friesians, that will not have clean/good on x-rays. It is important to make sure this will not limit the horse's career and health especially if the Friesian will be used for sport. If the horse does not have a current set of x-rays pay the extra $500.00 and hire a vet to take new x-rays. What is $500.00 on a $20,000.00 horse. This could save you a lot of heartache in the long run.
What is a full pedigree? When somebody refers to a full pedigree this means the Mother, Mother of the Mother and the Grandmother of the Mother all at least have the title of Ster, Model or Preferent. If one of these 3 horses mentioned does not have one of these three titles the horse is not considered a full pedigree horse. Full paper means the mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother, ALL, have one of the above mentioned titles.
What is a Stallion Candidate? In most cases a colt/Stallion with a full pedigree is considered a stallion candidate. Although just because a horse is not full pedigree does not mean they can't become an approved stallion, but this is very very rare. In most cases, Approved Stallions come not only from Full pedigree mares but also from proven motherlines. Horses that have many preferents in the motherline have a greater chance. The FPS wants to see that the ancestry is producing well and the preferent title tells them that. So, look at the total picture of the horse if somebody tells you they are a stallion candidate. Don't let anybody tell you this horse is an Approved stallion or throws any guarantees at you, nobody knows this because it is so hard. All they can say is that he is a Stallion candidate and has as good of a chance as any other and of course you need to have a little bit of luck.
Microchips. All Friesians after 1997 will have a chip number in their neck. We believe, it is a good idea if you have purchased a Friesian to make sure the chip number is on the contract. When receiving the horse, whether you pick the horse up or have a shipper pick the horse up, the minute you get your hands on the horse you should make sure the chip number matches the papers of the horse you have purchased. Most vets will have a chipper- if not- you can rent them from FHANA. We have known of people who have purchased a horse and they have come to find out that they had received the wrong horse but right papers, so this is very important.
Dressage. Many people advertise that this Friesian can go 4th level and higher in dressage. Well, that is crazy. Since the studbook has been breeding the Friesian Horse more towards sport they have been getting better and better in dressage. But by me saying this, it also takes a very special Friesian to be able to go higher than 3rd level dressage and "be successful." A lot of Friesians get stuck in 3rd level and will never be able to go higher for different reasons. Also, if you are purchasing a Friesian that is being "shown", in any level, ask for/about their show records. If the horse is coming from Holland ask for a show record by the official registration, KHNS, they collect all the show records of every competition (horse and rider) so this way you can see how the horse has preformed how many shows he has competed in and also that he is scoring above 60% consistently.
Ask the seller questions: There is no such thing as a stupid question. Ask questions about Friesians in general. Make sure they know what they are talking about. If they have a hard time answering questions --that is probably a "red flag".
How to measure a Friesian. You measure a Friesian the same way you measure any other breed of horse!! With the way they are built and their neck set, some sellers think they are taller than they really are. A good way to find out the height of a older horse, 3 yrs or older, is to ask for a copy of their papers. If they have been shown for the FPS Studbook they will have the height on the papers.

Average Height for a Friesian Mare is 155cm to 160cm

Average Height for a Freisian Stallion/Gelding is 158cm to 163cm

Make sure there is no mis-representation of height!
FHANA, The Friesian Horse Association of North America, is great tool for you to use. It is the sister registry to the FPS (Mother Registry) in the Netherlands and can answer many of your questions. We urge you, even if you do not own a Friesian horse, to become an associate member of FHANA. This way you can get their publications and be able to stay up with the latest and what is going on. www.fhana.com
GO SEE THE HORSE FOR YOUR SELF!!! Pictures tell you a lot about the horse's conformation and looks but NOTHING about the character of that horse.

Signature Friesians

Importing and Shipping Quality Friesians all over the World.

Pam and Matt Gish

Baldwin City, KS

785-423-4024

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