Ailea's Friesians

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Ailea's Friesians Ailea’s Friesians is located in MN. We breed Friesian horses focusing on quality over quantity.

Winter feeding tips ❄️
25/01/2025

Winter feeding tips ❄️

WINTER WEATHER FEEDING TIPS ✅🐴

Horses need more hay in cold weather because their energy requirements increase. The amount of hay a horse needs depends on the temperature, the horse's body weight, and other factors.

HOW MUCH HAY TO FEED? 🤔
🔹 Rule of thumb: Feed an extra 2 lbs of hay for every 10°F below freezing.
🔹 Body weight: Horses should eat 1.5–2% of their body weight in hay daily. For the average 1,200 lb horse, that equates to 18-24 lbs of hay per day.
🔹 Winter weather: Hay needs can increase by 30–50%. For the average 1,200 lb horse, that can increase daily hay requirements up to 23-31 lbs.

WHY FEED MORE HAY - WHY NOT GRAIN? 🤔
🔹 Forage is a better source of energy than grain because it produces more heat through bacterial fermentation.
🔹 Fiber should be the first thing in your horse's diet to increase during cold weather because microbes in the hindgut produce heat when breaking down fiber.
🔹 A sudden large increase in grain/carbohydrates can cause an imbalance in the hindgut and lead to issues like colic or colitis.

WHAT ELSE TO FEED? 🤔
🔹 Salt: To ensure adequate hydration, horses should have access to loose-free choice trace mineralized salt or, alternatively, top dress feed with salt. More info: https://www.fenwayfoundation.com/post/salt-an-ounce-of-colic-prevention
🔹 Water: Horses should have access to unlimited ice-free water. More info: https://www.fenwayfoundation.com/post/winter-water-consumption-impaction-colic
🔹 Supplements: If horses can't maintain weight, you can add higher-calorie supplements like grain-based concentrates or high-fat supplements
🔹 Oils: Supplemental oils provide more calories via fat per gram than carbohydrates. Tip: choose oils with a balanced omega 3/6 ratio.

12/07/2024

RESEARCH SIMULATES BREEDING STRATEGIES TO REDUCE INBREEDING IN FRIESIAN HORSES

While the current inbreeding rate is below 1%, researchers recommend that the studbook implement additional strategies to further reduce inbreeding rates below 0.5% in the Friesian horse population.

To accomplish this goal, researchers recommend that the KFPS adopt a strategy based on mating quotas for approved stallions tied to their individual average kinship compared to the population's average kinship.

Read the Full Article Here:
https://www.fenwayfoundation.com/post/research-simulates-breeding-strategies-to-reduce-inbreeding-in-friesian-horses

The 2024 inspections will be here in no time!
07/07/2024

The 2024 inspections will be here in no time!

📣 The 2024 Inspections will be fast approaching and the excitement is beginning to build!

📌 We are reaching out to all participants with a reminder to register your horses for the Inspections by the deadline date. Registrations received after the designated date will be charged a late fee.

Owners need to be an active member with a full membership for this event. Please refer to the FHANA website under the Inspections page for detailed information.

𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐘 𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐈𝐓
𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐈𝐓 1-𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 1, 2024: New England, New York, British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario

𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐈𝐓 2-𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 29: Tennessee, Central California, Pacific Northwest, Kansas, and Iron Springs Farm

𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐂𝐔𝐈𝐓 3-𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 29: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Texas
Circuit 5-October 1: Frankfort Kentucky

Photo Credit - Michelle Franke Photo Design

31/05/2024

Colic is a prevalent and potentially life-threatening condition that can occur in horses at any time, including during a mare’s postpartum recovery period. Various factors can increase the likelihood of colic in postpartum mares, such as dietary changes, stress, and limited mobility during the rec...

05/02/2024

The one and only Alwin 469 Sport Pref AAA is coming to the US!!!!

02/02/2024

Teun 505 Sport AAA 😍

30/01/2024

2024 Inspection Schedule for North America

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Inspection schedule is posted on the Inspection tab of the Friesian Horse Association’s website. For background, Inspection applications from potential Site Hosts are due October 15 for the following calendar year. These Site Host Applications can be found on the Inspection page; the website has applications for public venues and for private venues. The following outlines the review and approval process that was conducted following the Site Host application due date.

o Site Host applications were reviewed by the Inspection Committee following October 15. The Inspection Committee reviewed:
 The geographical area of the proposed Inspection site;
 The proximity of other Inspections in that geographical region;
 And the projected number of horses anticipated at the site.
• Note - Up to last year twenty horses were needed to cover the costs of the Inspection logistics including judges’ flights, ground travel, hotels, meals and the like in the past. Now, due to inflation and the high costs of travel, this benchmark had to be increased in 2024 to twenty-four horses in order for a site to be financially feasible.
 If there was an Inspection held in that area in prior years, past entries are also reviewed for trends to determine if there is a pattern of the entry numbers.
o Participants’ feedback if the applicant hosted Inspections in the past;
o Cost (fees) for attending the Inspection;
o And the feedback from the KFPS as it relates to the judges’ availability to travel to and tour across North America.
o The Finance Committee reviewed the anticipated Circuit costs along with the projected Inspection revenue to predict if the Circuits are financially feasible.
o The Board of Director reviewed the proposed Inspection sites and Circuits, made recommendations to the Inspection Committee when adjustments were needed, and approved the final Inspection plan for North America.

This year, sixteen sites were approved based on projections to meet the twenty-four horse threshold, historical entry trends, and members’ feedback. Reducing the number of sites approved in 2024 was a very difficult decision for the Inspection Committee and the Board of Directors. However, we need to be responsible stewards of our association’s finite funds. We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience or frustration these decisions has caused our members affected by this decision.

Moving forward we do encourage members to apply in 2025. For those not meeting the twenty-four horse threshold, having one year off may lead to a larger number of entries in the 2025 Inspection cycle. The Inspection Committee and the Board are also considering other options for hosting and as these are developed, we will provide periodic updates to our membership. This includes but is not limited to consolidation of adjacent sites or approving Inspections at a low volume location every other year. While the Inspection Committee and the Board has historically approved low volume sites on a every other year rotation (or three year), these sites are considered solely on the fact that they are very remotely located from other Inspection sites.

The Inspection Committee and the Board of Directors would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of our hardworking Inspection site hosts and volunteers, our generous sponsors and donors, all of our Inspection participants and attendees, and we would like to extend our gratitude to the KFPS Judges and Jury who make these events possible.

Inspection Committee Members: Marq Laude, Chair, Tiffany van der Kooi, Rick Butts, Annie Muilwijk, Carrie Blair, Julie Karpus, Annette Carpenter, Jason Tice, Executive Director, and Jo Clough, Board Liaison.

When to blanket!
22/01/2024

When to blanket!

Did you know?
20/01/2024

Did you know?

FUN FACT FRIDAY! Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice, good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.

Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

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Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 19:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 19:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 19:00
Thursday 08:00 - 19:00
Friday 08:00 - 19:00
Saturday 08:00 - 19:00

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