Friesian horse: Difference between revisions

 

Poll - The point where the head meets the neck, just behind the ears.  

Bridle Path - An area at the start of the mane, commonly shaved to accommodate bridal straps.  

Crest - The top portion of the neck, generally more pronounced in studs.  

Withers - The highest point of the back, just above the shoulder blades. Horse height is measured at the withers.  

Loin - The area just behind where a saddle sits, the space from the last vertebrae to the croup.  

Hip - The hip joint is the topmost portion of the rump.  

Croup - Begins at the top of the hip and extends down to the dock where the tail begins.  

Dock - The point where the rump and the tail connect.  

Point of Buttock - The rounded edge of the rump.

Hock - The bending joint (corresponds to the knee on the front legs) on the hind leg.

Gaskin - The large muscle just above the hock on the inside of hind legs.  

Stifle - The joint where the hind legs connect to the body.

Flank - Area where hind legs meet the barrel just past the stifle and just before the ribcage.  

Barrel - Body of horse, essentially the area enclosed in the ribcage.

Elbow - The joint where the front leg meets the body of the horse.  

Chestnut - A horny growth on the inside of each front leg.  

Ergot - A horny growth on the back side of the fetlock joint.  

Fetlock - The “ankle” joint (although really closer to the ball of the foot in anatomy) connecting the hoof to the leg.  

Hoof - The foot, Hard on the outside and softer on the inside. The hoof is a harder version of our fingernails.  

Coronet - Ring of soft tissue around the top of the hoof where it meets the skin.  

Pastern - The space between the coronet band and the fetlock.

Cannon - The long, slender space between the knee and fetlock joints.

Knee - The bending joint of the front legs.

Forearm - The area between the knee and the elbow of the front legs

Heart Girth - Or girth The area just behind the elbow, where the saddle girth sits. Should be the largest diameter of the horses barrel.  

Point of Shoulder - The frontmost part of the horses chest.  

Shoulder - The space between the withers and the point of shoulder

Throatlatch - Where the windpipe meets the jaw. Often where the strap of a bridle lays.  

Jaw - The bottom circular portion of the horses face.  

Muzzle - Chin, mouth and nose are all parts of the muzzle.  

Forelock - A section of the mane which grows at the top of the forehead.

All horses breed asexually. Birth of the baby, or foal, occurs live; making the horse a viviparous animal. They are seasonal breeders, meaning there is only a specific season in which a horse will mate. Most mares give birth in the spring to a single baby (foal), sometimes twins. The mare carries her foal for 11 months, and produces milk for their young and will feed them for several months. When the foal is born it only takes1 – 2 hours for it to be able to stand up and walk.

*'''Fertilization'''

When trying to attract a mate, the female horse (mare) urinates by raising her tail and revealing her vulva. When a male horse (stallion) notices her he approaches with a high head and tail and his ears drooped backwards. He will nicker, nip, nudge her, and then sniff her urine to determine her sexual maturity (973 days; average).

This behavior stimulates the mare's secretion and the stallion's erection. If both the mare and stallion are satisfied with each other, he will mount her and copulation will occur. Often they will periodically repeat courtship and breeding.  

*'''Mare and Foal'''

Giving birth normally takes place at night or in the early morning, and is usually over in 15 minutes. Once the foal is out, the mare will chew on the membranes/placenta to prevent the foal from suffocating and then lick the foal to help blood circulation. In fifteen minutes, the foal will attempt to stand and get milk from its mother. When foals are born their legs are almost the same length as they are when they are fully grown; their legs are so long they find it difficult to reach down to the grass to eat. Foals can focus with their eyes almost as soon as they are born.  

The foal is born without teeth, but they cut their first teeth within a week. As it gets older, the horse grows teeth. By the time the foal is six to nine months the young horse has all of its milk teeth. At five to six years of age, the horse replaces its milk teeth with permanent teeth. Horses are fully grown by 3 - 4 years of age.

[[Image:example.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Description]]

Horses are a needed animal in nature. Their fesse fertilizes whatever ground it touches and their use for humans has gone throughout history. The Frisian horse, in ancient times was mainly used as a draft animal; meaning it would tow a plow or carriage for humans as either transportation or to help with food products. Now it is used mainly for show, riding, and breeding. Its cool temperament and devoted loyalty toward it's owner are traits that it passes on to its foal. However, its attitude is not the only thing sought by farmers and performers. What makes the Frisian significant is it's physical appearance. The Frisian has been used and breeded for centuries as a draft horse and because of this it has developed a powerful strength. It is a perseverant horse as well as strong, making it a good choice for farmers all around the world. As a wild horse the Frisian is very sturdy and still maintains its gentle attitude, but, as with other horses, if threatened it will defend itself viciously.

Horses in modern times have been demoted to mere enjoyment. Whereas in the past horses were used for many purposes. Their first use was food. The horse was hunted by men and could provide food for about a month, if good sized. They were later used as transportation and then as draft animals. Horses were most important during wars, especially in medieval times. The horse went from being food to man's best friend. They are loyal and useful and smart animals.

The horse's fesse was, and still is, used for many purposes. One of the most common uses is fertilizer. Though not as common as the cow's, horse dung is more potent and, when the animal is fed the right things, lasting. Since horses eat grasses and grains, and because they digest them differently then cows, when used for fertilizing the dung not only helps plants grow taller, but spread further. This could be most helpful for farmers. Unfortunately not a lot of fertilizer is made with horse dung, at least not all by itself.

The Frisian horse is one of the oldest breeds in Europe and has had an influence on a number of other breeds. Its homeland is in the northern Netherlands in Friesland, where its ancestor is believed to have been found. Being introduced to the Netherlands during the time of the Crusades had a great effect on the breed as did many other horses. Because of this the Frisian is what is called an all-rounder; meaning it can work in the fields as a draft horse, pull a carriage through the streets, recreational or sport ridding, and show. The Frisian is very useful as a riding horse because of its desirable high trot. This led to the horse being interbred with other high trotting horses during the nineteenth century. Thus its build became lighter and the Frisian became less suitable for a farm horse. By the beginning of the World Wars the original breed's numbers had been greatly reduced. However, due to lack of fuel during WWII, the breed was revived as its fortunes as farming horses returned.

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