The Majesty of the Horse: An Illustrated History. Tamsin Pickeral
Small, quality head with intelligent, kind eyes and a well-shaped neck. Long through the back with muscular hindquarters and a sloping shoulder. Deep and broad through the chest with sturdy legs and feathering around the fetlocks.
COLOR
Predominantly black though can be brown, bay, or gray.
APTITUDE
Riding, light draft, packing, showing, dressage, jumping, competitive horse sports
THE FELL, ALONG WITH ITS CLOSE RELATIVE the Dales, is one of the more unique and beautiful native ponies, with an often jet-black coat and a particularly majestic bearing. The breed traces its roots back to the time of Roman occupation in Britain, which first began when the Romans, under the directive of Julius Caesar, landed c. 55 B.C.E., bringing their horses with them (though sustained occupation is generally dated from 43 to 410 C.E.). The Romans constantly battled along their northern border with the fierce Picts, who lived in what is now Scotland, and in 122 C.E. the Roman emperor Hadrian ordered the construction of a massive fortified wall to keep the Picts at bay. The wall would traverse the northern border of England from coast to coast, and at intervals of a mile along the wall there would be sentry stands and armed guards. It was an enormous undertaking and a significant historical event; it also marked a most important development in the establishment of the Fell breed.
The native ponies of that time were small and originally descended from a Tarpan-like pony that bore much in common with the Exmoor. Along the northern and western edges of the Pennines and the open moorland country of Westmorland and Cumberland in the north of England ranged ponies that had developed from these prehistoric ponies and the now extinct Galloway. The Galloway was in effect one of the “superhorses” of history and was the sure-footed and tireless mount of marauding Scottish warmongers and cattle drovers. The Galloway was bred in the Mull of Galloway, the southernmost part of Scotland, and was renowned for its very great trotting ability. Although no longer in existence, the Galloway contributed significantly to a number of breeds, including the Fell, the Dales, the Highland, and, indirectly, the Thoroughbred and the Canadian Newfoundland.
The diminutive size of these ponies roaming along the northern border made it difficult for them to transport the loads required in the construction of Hadrian’s Wall. As a result, when building began, around six hundred men from Friesland were sent over to help, and they brought with them their large, black, distinctive Friesian horses, which were crossed with the local native stock. It is thus the indomitable Friesian horse that was most significant in the development of the Fell, and today the stamp of the Friesian is still most evident of all those that influenced the breed. There was the occasional influence of other foreign breeds imported by the Romans, particularly the Arabian and other European horses, but after the Romans withdrew from England, approximately one thousand Friesian stallions were left behind in the northern territories. These horses continued to breed with local stock, thereby consolidating the characteristics of the Fell. Little further outside blood was introduced to the breed, with the exception of the Galloway, and as such it has remained almost untouched genetically.
Fell ponies are very strong for their size and able to carry and pull heavy loads. Because of this, they were greatly suited to riding, driving, and being used as pack animals, and they were used extensively in the north of England for transportation. Roads were few and far between until the eighteenth century, and the Fell was perfect for traversing the difficult terrain at speed and with a very smooth pace. By the nineteenth century, the ponies had started to be used less and less for transportation and in agriculture and instead became popular in trotting races. Today the Fell makes a fantastic riding or driving pony suitable for children and small adults alike.
FRIESIAN
PREHISTORIC – HOLLAND – UNCOMMON
HEIGHT
15–16.2 h.h.
APPEARANCE
Majestic horse with fine, quality head set to an elegant and upright neck. Large, kind, expressive eyes and small, neat ears. Compact and muscular through the frame with powerful quarters and sound, feathered legs.
COLOR
Black
APTITUDE
Riding, light draft, dressage, classical dressage, jumping, competitive horse sports
THE MAGNIFICENT FRIESIAN HORSE is one of the less well-known breeds and also one of the most majestic. There are truly few breeds that can match these stunning black horses, which combine an extraordinary regal air with showstopping movement and unmatched temperament. They are descended from prehistoric roots and have remained extremely pure and true to type throughout their history. This history has seen their fortunes greatly fluctuate, and although they are strongly supported today, numbers of purebred Friesians remain unnervingly low.
The breed originated on the northern tip of the Netherlands in the Dutch province of Friesland, which was first properly settled around 500 B.C.E. Horses existed in this part of Europe many thousands of years before this, gradually evolving along separate lines. Excavations in Friesland have uncovered a variety of prehistoric horse bones of differing sizes that could plausibly belong to prehistoric types such as the Asiatic Wild Horse, the stout and heavy Forest horse (Equus caballus silvaticus), the Tarpan, and the large Equus robustus (big horse). There is no way of telling to what extent these horses crossbred, but based on type and frame alone, the Friesian is most commonly believed to have developed from the Equus robustus, a large animal with substantial bone.
During its early history the Friesian, as with most ancient breeds, was used in all capacities from farming and transport to packing and war. Records show they had been exported to northern England around 122 C.E. along with laborers to work on the construction of Hadrian’s Wall, where they influenced local breeds such as the Dales and Fell. They were the favored mount of Friesian mercenaries because of their excellent agility and self-carriage, and by the fourth century they had carried their warring riders to Carlisle in Cumbria, northern England. The presence of these horses at such an early date in the British Isles was most significant in the development of a number of British breeds, including the aforementioned Dales and Fell, the now extinct Old English Black, and the Lincolnshire Black, the last two of which were crucial in the development of the iconic Shire horse. Further Friesians arrived in England during the sixteenth century when Dutch engineers came to drain the fens in East Anglia and brought their beloved horses with them.
During the Middle Ages, the Friesian proved its worth as the mount of knights and was in widespread use in the military, which brought it into contact with horses of eastern origin, particularly the Arabian. It was used again during the Eighty Year War (1568–1648) and came into contact with Iberian horses such as the Andalusian. Both of these breeds had a greatly improving effect on the Friesian and contributed to the development of its characteristic free, high-knee-action trot and the magnificence of its bearing. Other than this, the Friesian has remained very pure genetically and rather than being influenced itself has instead been a significant contributor to a number of other breeds such as the Mérens of the Pyrenees, the German Oldenburg, and the North American Morgan. It has also had a decisive influence on trotting breeds such as the North American Standardbred, the Russian Orlov Trotter, the British Hackney, the Norwegian Døle (Gudbrandsdal horse), the North Swedish horse, and the Finnish Universal.
By the seventeenth century, the Friesian had made its way into the French and Spanish riding academies for classical riding, making its mark alongside the better-known Andalusian, Lippizzaner, and Lusitano, with a number of engravings from this period depicting what are clearly Friesian horses. William Cavendish (1592–1676), one of the preeminent equestrian masters of his time, wrote that the Friesian was very qualified for dressage and High School riding. The breed was also gaining