The Journal
Notes from the stable.
On buying, training, breeding, and the long apprenticeship of horsemanship. Written by us, from the barn, for anyone who cares about doing it well.
Why Buyers Choose a Friesian Sport Horse Over a Pure Friesian
A sport-cross is 30–50% less expensive than a pure Friesian and often a better match for the average amateur. When the cross is the smarter buy, and when it isn't — from someone who has placed both.
7 min read·Read →
Friesian Temperament: What to Expect as an Amateur
The breed is genuinely sweet, genuinely opinionated, and not for every amateur. An honest breakdown of what the Friesian temperament looks like under saddle, in the barn, and on a bad day — from thirty years of putting them out the gate.
8 min read·Read →
Friesian Genetic Testing, Explained for Buyers
Dwarfism, hydrocephalus, megaesophagus — the three breed-specific genetic conditions buyers should ask about before signing any contract. What the tests actually look at, how to read the results, and what to do if the seller can't produce them.
7 min read·Read →
How to Read a KFPS Pedigree
The pedigree document is the most useful one in the file — once you know how to read it. Predicates, stallion numbers, the Dutch shorthand, and the four things that should jump off the page before you write an offer.
9 min read·Read →
Wellington, FL Friesian Buyer's Guide
If you're flying in to look at a Friesian in Wellington, here's everything we wish first-time visitors knew — which airport, where to stay, which vets to use, and what an estate visit actually looks like.
6 min read·Read →
Inspection Week 2025: A Recap from the Show Ring
Three of our mares earned Ster predicates at the autumn FPS keuring, and one filly took a Premie. Notes on what the judges rewarded — and what they didn't.
5 min read·Read →
Choosing Your First Friesian: What to Look For
A practical guide for first-time Friesian buyers — from temperament and conformation to studbook predicates and the difference between sport-bred and baroque-type horses.
8 min read·Read →
Caring for the Mane: A Friesian Grooming Routine
Long manes and feathers are a Friesian signature — but they need care. Our daily, weekly, and pre-show routine, distilled from twenty years on the brush.
6 min read·Read →
Transporting a Friesian Internationally: The Honest Timeline
From bloodwork and quarantine to the flight itself — what international transport really costs, in time and money, when bringing a Friesian to North America.
7 min read·Read →