Friesians trot into big ring

Keith and Suzy Johnson of Shelbyville took Messor out for a test drive before he got cleaned up for his Celebration debut. The big black Friesian is one of two owned by the Johnsons. Both were exhibited in fine harness at the show Wednesday night. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Seeing a rider on a big black horse on the Celebration grounds is hardly unusual -- but this horse was. Instead of the familiar running walk, this 3-year-old gelding was floating along in an extended trot called a passat -- and everybody knows walking horses don't trot!

Or they're not supposed to, anyway ...

They also don't usually have long hair called feathers covering their hooves, wavy manes and tails, and they aren't often as big and burly as this horse was.

Obviously, the animal trotting down the path in the midst of the biggest walking horse show in the world was not a walking horse.

"He's a Friesian," said Keith Johnson of Shelbyville, who owns the horse with his wife, Suzy. "We've had walking horses all our lives, but I've always wanted a Friesian."

Keith saw the breed for the first time at Equitana, an event that showcases different breeds of the world. This one as held at the Horse Park in Louisville, Ky.

Since then, Keith has purchased not one, but two of the big black horses. The one being ridden by his trainer, Arnold Warmels of Leiper's Fork, is called "Tomas" and was bought as a 2-year-old a year ago. His registered name is about 40 syllables long in a foreign language.

"Tomas is a lot easier to say," said Keith, laughing.

The Johnson's second is Messor, a 4-year-old, imported in May from the Netherlands. The Johnsons got to share their new breed interest with their friends in the walking horse world Wednesday night, when Tomas and Messor were the featured breed exhibition.

Friesians are native to Friesland, a province in the Netherlands. Considered a "warmblood," the Friesian is somewhere between the cool blooded giant draft horse, whom it resembles, and the lighter hot bloods, such as thoroughbreds.

The Friesian has traits common to both sides. It has the heavier build and the feathered feet of its draft horse cousins, but the agility of its speedier, lighter kin. Because of that, it can go both in harness and under saddle.

That versatility is one reason the Johnsons enjoy their Friesians.

Both horses drive in fine harness and Tomas has been started in dressage, a complex display of walk, trot and canter that highlights the teamwork between horse and rider and has been called the ballet of the horse world.

"He's already won first place," said Keith.

The Johnsons are used to driving horses. They've shown Tennessee Walkers in fine harness and often drive around the family farm.

"I've still got a lot to learn, " Keith said. "You never learn it all."

One thing he has learned, however, is that the Friesians are easy to work.

"They're remarkable to work with, they always listen. They're intelligent and calm," he said. They have a totally positive attitude and they love to show off! They're hams."

Recently, he got to find out just how much they liked attention. The Johnsons took one of them to Breyerfest, a convention put on by the makers of Breyer model horses.

"It was the middle part of July and we're standing outside in the hot sun for an hour and half with people taking pictures of our horse."

The horse, he said, loved it.

Several times, Friesians have come close to dying out. According to the Friesian Horse Association of North America, the horses were used during the early days of chivalry and mounted combat, but as the armor grew heavier, the horses had to be bigger. Relegated to farm and light draft duty, the breed almost died out again with the advent of the automobile, but gas rationing during the two world wars brought them back into common use,

After World War II ended, an increased interest in pleasure and show riding revived interest in the breed. Since then, the AHAA notes, breed registries have grown around the world, even drawing the attention of celebrities such as Martha Stewart. Friesians were used in the movies "Ladyhawke" and "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe."

The Johnsons still have their beloved Tennessee Walking Horses, of course. In fact, Suzy's Mr. Kamikaze is competing this year and has brought home blues all summer. But they've come to enjoy their Friesians as well, and the attention they bring.

"People always come up and say, 'Oh, a Friesian! I always wanted one,'" said Keith. "Just like I used to."