Friesians are fairly sound animals. Some of the more discussed Friesian ailments seem to be that they are slightly more susceptable to getting colic and that their symptoms tend to be not so easily spotted... but as with all breeds, it varies. I also know that Friesians are prone to getting "scratches", due to the feathers.
As with any horse, the area in which you live has a lot to do with health problems and feeding. For instance, or horse that lives in a more moist area is more prone to scratches than a horse who lives in a dry region.
Same goes for feed. I keep my Froesian at pasture in the summer months, with little if any supplimental feeding, then I start her on Timothy grass and sweet feed (no corn) in the winter. The only special note on feed that I can think of is alphalpha. For some reason, this seems to make Friesians a bit "nuts". I know of people who do feed alphalpha, but they use VERY little, and only to supplement regular hay which may be lower in nutrition.
Posted on Dec 1, 1999, 4:51 AM from IP address 192.58.199.174