Friesian horses are famous for their stunning beauty with a long and smooth mane, along with a flowing tail. Most Friesian horses have mysterious black fur. So, it might surprise many people to know that they are not only black. So what Friesian horse colors do we know? Let’s find out.
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3+ Friesian Horse Colors
Black
As introduced, you will easily come across the black Friesian horses everywhere. This is because they are entirely black without any other colors. About 80% of Friesian horses are black. That is why many people mistakenly think that black is the only color of Friesian horses.
Registered Friesians may have a tiny star. But they must not have other markings like strips or socks or white markings on the face.
Their black color can be reddish or dark blue, depending on the horse’s health and the time of year.
Black Friesian horses are often preferred. Because many people believe that the black Friesian is a thoroughbred, in good health, and has all the great characteristics of this breed. Meanwhile, the chestnut Friesian horses could be crossbred.
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Chestnut
Black is considered the official color of the Friesian breed. However, in reality, there are still purebred Friesian horses born with chestnut color.
One explanation for this is pairs of parent horses, both heterozygous for the red gene, can produce maroon-colored offspring. As a result, about 25% of the born ponies will not be black like their parents but have a chestnut color.
These horses are still considered purebreds, but many racecourses have adopted color testing measures to ensure that horses are born black. That is because chestnut Friesian horses are not eligible for registration with any of the Friesian horse registries.
White
During an exhibition event at Equitana in 2007, Nero, a white Friesian horse, excited many people. But, as we all know, Friesian horses are usually black, and very few are chestnut, and no white Friesian has ever been recorded.
So why could Nero, a Friesian horse, be white?
That can be explained that Nero is not a purebred Friesian. It has 25% of Arab blood in it as having a gray Arabian horse as a parent.
So, the Friesian thoroughbred horses cannot be white. In other words, the percentage of purebred horses born to be white is 0%.
Other colors
You may come across many other colored Friesian horses like piebald, blue Grulla, blue roan, chocolate, and buckskin. These horses have the same characteristics and shapes as Friesian horses, but they are mostly crossbreds, not purebreds.
By breeding Friesian horses with other breeds, it is possible to create horses that have the appearance of a Friesian horse but with more colors.
Close The Subject
As such, it can be said that most Friesian horses are black. Only a few others can be chestnut. Other Friesian horses of different colors are crossbred. These crossbred horses, which were bred for specific purposes, may have several characteristics different from the Friesian horses.
