The FHCNE has a rapidly growing membership, and meets regularly, roughly 3-4 months. See the Home Page for the next scheduled meeting.
FHCNE Members come from all walks off life, but we share a common interest and love of the Friesian Horse. As a group, we strive to advocate on behalf of the breed, sharing knowledge about health, breeding, showing, and just enjoying the breed. We offer two types of membership, regular voting and non-voting associate. Please see the Membership page for more details.
Member Profiles
This is a new feature for our website. This is a chance to get to know our members and their horses. If you are a member, and do not have a profile here yet, please send me a short letter about you, how you got into Friesians, and, if you own one, how you acquired him/her. Photos are also a great addition!
Lisa Cosco
I saw my first Friesian when I was eight years old in the movie Lady Hawk, and that was the horse I had to have. Twenty years later, I got that wish. My now husband, asked my if I'd rather have a horse or a ring when we got engaged. My answer was, of course, a horse, but not just any horse, I wanted a Friesian.
I found my girl on the internet. Her ad title was "This Friesian Can Jump," followed by pictures of a tiny horse soaring over ground poles. She was beautiful, and had amazing movement on the video clips online. On June 6, 2004 she arrived at my farm, I thought I was going to burst with excitement! This was the best gift anyone had ever given me. My husband does not understand my 'thing' with horses, but he does support me with it. A year after I got my filly, he surprised me with an engagement ring that he had made from the foal pictures of my new horse.
I have owned and worked with many different breeds through out my life, but I have to say that the Friesian is my favorite!
Kelsey
Evans
I first caught the Friesian 'bug' about eight or nine years ago, and since then I've become about as involved as I could in the breed without actually owning one. I have had the good fortune to work at Celtic Cross Farm, owned by John
and Adrienne
St.Cyr, and to be a part of the raising and training of their growing herd of all-star Friesians. I have also had the honor of living and learning (a lot!) at Seacoast Farm with Friesian trainer Jenny Wells, as a working student over the summer for three years.
Around the time my obsession with the breed began, I started a small educational reference website about the breed, as at the time, there were virtually none. Over the years I've added material to the website as I learned more about the breed, from information about health and registry matters to little-known historical tidbits, to community forums. By this time, the site, www.FriesianCrazy.com, has reached a healthy size and I hope to continue to expand and provide visitors with a useful resource on the Friesian horse.
I was the News Correspondent for the NEFHC for three years, so when I was recently replaced, Margo asked me if I would take over the same job for the FHCNE. So any members who have photos or news they would like to include in the monthly Pedlar club article, on the website, or in The Friesian club report, can send them to me at: friesiancrazy@gmail.com. Also, please e-mail me and let me know, as the members, what sort of information you would like to see in the articles. I'll be sending out reminders so everyone will know when to send in their news and photos. I hope everyone is having a good summer with their black beauties, and I hope to hear from you all soon!
Joan Ferrigno
Before Dieneke came into my life, the only other horse I had cared for was my daughter’s competition steed, a now aged Appendix Quarter horse, named Red Sky at Night. Red is a wonderful horse, now 24 years young, but his personality left much to be desired. So, when I began researching horse breeds for a horse of my own, I wanted a horse more personable than Red. The Friesian fit the bill! With every Friesian farm I visited in my search, (if there were Friesians outside), they’d all run up to the car and wait patiently until I got out. Such a personable and loving breed was what I was looking for. Once I decided on a Friesian, my search began in earnest.
I found Dieneke as a 15-month old. She was brought to my barn by her breeder, Bob Gregoire, when she was 18 months old. We’ve had a great time learning new things together. As a three year old, she was sent for driving training. At age four, she began dressage training and is progressing nicely.
I worked for a healthcare company for 22 years before I retired two years ago. I have held the position of Board Secretary for two other organizations – one for five (5) years and the other for two (2) years. When not “playing” with Dieneke, I enjoy gardening and sewing.
Joan Lathrop
I really have to blame my Dutch
fiancé for introducing me to the Friesian breed. Hans, my fiancé (and husband as of June 9, 2007) and I starting see each other about four years ago, and it was not long before I made my first trip to the Netherlands. It was when we visited his sister Els and saw her horses that I felt my breath catch in my throat. My jaw just dropped and when I approached closer, I was actually in awe of these animals. Up to that point, I had been considering getting back into horses; I had ridden in my
youth but had given up the horses to raise my daughter. I had been fooli
ng around with the idea of buying another horse and had actually looked at a couple of thoroughbreds before I saw the Els' s horses. You know that song "Just One Look"?, well that was me. I was hooked. Between their marvelous
temperament and their regal beauty, I knew that I was needed to find a Friesian. We started looking for a young horse because I could not afford an older mare and
with the help of Els and others in the Netherlands, we found my filly. I bought her in the Netherlands and she came over here as a weanling. She is now two and a handful, but she is my buddy and my pal. When Han's Uncle Theo found out I bought a
horse, he said to Hans" "Ein paard is neit paard", meaning one horse is no horse. I thought he was just joking around, but I found out what he meant when a green mare at the place I keep my filly came up or sale. (keep my girls as Celtic Cross Farm and Adrienne Fitzpatrick St. Cry has been a godsend to me) Adrienne was selling her 4 year old mare Ina Pearl, and it just so happened that Ina had been bred just two months before. We, I could not quite afford to but her myself, so my best friend Lindsa Bernardi and I bought Ina and have been working with her, training her and
worrying over her as she approaches her term. So here I am, in little over a year I went from no horses to two Friesians with one on the way and I could not be happier. But I can still blame Hans!
Jeanine Robin
I first became interested in Friesians a few years ago. They are so elegant and have such a presence about them. Their temperament sealed the deal. I was on a mission. And after actually riding one, the mission accelerated.
I acquired Nikolette 2 years ago and she has come a long way. Nikolette is a 10 year old mare from Jildert and O'berta. She is willing to please, level headed, temperament and HAIR to boot. She takes very good care of me. With all my medical issues I needed a smooth ride. She is like riding my couch at home. Her foals are wonderful also. I am bringing her third foal, Kodiak, along. her was backed on March 22. He is a Wander 352 baby and is doing marvelous. He has the flowing trot with suspension and the temperament and heart to go with it. His ride is also smooth. Both are almost bomb proof.