Breeders Group Health in Progress is a study group of fans and breeders of Friesian horses. We love the breed, but are also more and more aware of the limitations that are presented to us by the inbreeding history. Together we are looking voor creative ways to move forward.
The breeders who participate in 'Health in Progress' are well-known within the Friesian community. Several members have bred model mares and approved studbook stallions or have set up beautiful lines. We have members who were inspectors for the KFPS for many years. In addition, a renowned veterinarian is involved in our breeding group.
Thinking ahead
What we have in common, is a love for the Friesian horse combined with a serious concern about the future of this unique breed. Because a good breeder anticipates the next several generations, we have joined together to discuss the future of the Friesian horse, looking beyond the closed population and the current breeding policy. Should genetic progress in the closed Friesian population level off too much due to the narrow base of the breed, expanded Friesian breeding - as an addition to closed breeding - is the best 'insurance' for the survival of the Friesian horse in the future.
No 'breeding backwards'
As horse breeding is a long-term endeavour, we did not want to postpone action any longer and started our study group in 2019. Not only did we determine that there are concerns about the health of our horses, but we also found that we are limited in our own breeding by the current closed breeding population. For the top mares, it is almost impossible to find a stallion that is suitable in terms of inbreeding and can also produce offspring that can provide further improvement compared to the mare. Some of us feel like we're 'breeding backwards'. This applies not only to champion mares with a high relatedness, but also to lower-related mares for which we would want to preserve that particular aspect but improve the horse at the same time. All of these breeders encounter a lack of choice within the existing stallion population. In addition, we want to look beyond the current KFPS breeding policy, which does not seem to respond to the situation as we experience it.
Two-pronged approach
The members of our Breeders Group (want to) experiment with the use of foreign blood (outcross), but at the same time also breed with full-blooded Friesian horses, within the existing closed studbook. We believe that one does not exclude the other. We welcome the sharing of ideas and would love to tell you more about our plans, considerations and findings.
Members Breeders Group 'Health in Progress'
Henny Vloedgraven
Frank Houterman
Anita van Kempen
Luciel van der Kooi
Bauke de Boer
Karin Hendriks
Harrie Draaijer
Jan van Weperen
