Our Friesian Friends come to America

Back about 7 or 8 years ago we met a young Friesian man named Auggie when we were in Canada picking up our mare Hiltje. The next year Auggie came from Friesland to the farm and worked the horses for a month or so in preparation for the keuring. Most of the pictures on our website where the horses are pulling a carriage have Auggie as driver. Over the years we have become friends with Auggie, his parents, and his two sisters Anneke and Hedwich (who we call “Happy”).

This year Anneke and Happy came to visit America and stayed on the farm during the month of August. Both of these young women are good horsewomen and they reveled in being able to ride the mares every day. Happy had been here before and ridden Dahlia’s mom Matsje. This year she and Anneke were able to ride Dahlia. Both also rode Cori, who was first ridden when brother Auggie was here years ago. And both rode Hiltje, who has always been Happy’s favorite.

While they were here, Anneke and Happy visited Washington DC, a winery, a horse trailer manufacturer, a zoo in North Carolina, and various other small places in SW Virginia. But I think maybe they were most content when they were with the horses. I was thrilled to have them helping these green broodmares learn basic gaits and signals. “Do not worry”, Anneke told me, “we will teach your horses”. And so they did.

One weekend soon after they arrived, I came to video Anneke and Happy as they rode the mares, with little Wikke frantically trying to figure out what was going on. It was a wonderful day. These were broodmares, barefoot and right out of the pasture. Dahlia and Hiltje pregnant. Cori nursing a 2 month old. Happy and Anneke worked with them on learning to canter and with just being comfortable. After a bit of work, each horse got a nice hug of appreciation. I asked Anneke – are you teaching them with your seat, or legs, or hands. Or what? “I use my weight and my stem she said”. “Stem?” (I still do not know where that came from. Maybe the crop?). “Mostly”, she said, “I talk to them. ” Indeed, the horses had the ears pointed to the riders, obviously listening intently as two young Dutch women whispered Friesian words to them. Our horses usually seem content, but I believe they were even more content during August when they got the chance to be with their new Friesian friends. I suppose in a way it was like going back to the motherland.

Here are more photos of the Friesians – Friesian horses, Friesian people.