The fairytalesque Friesian! Throughout the month of February, we are featuring Friesians and Friesian crosses.
Did you know… dressage riders who compete with a member of this stunning breed are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program? The Friesian Heritage Horse & Sporthorse International, Friesian Horse Association of North America, Friesian Horse Society, Friesian Sport Horse Registry, and Friesian Sporthorse Associationare all participating organizations!
After being romanced by the magical Friesian breed in the early 2000’s, a dream was brought to life by a gentle stallion, creating a once-in-a-lifetime partnership.
By Jen Lowe
Hendrik was a dream come to life for a young girl fascinated by the magical, medieval-looking Friesian breed. The romance of the Friesian is world-renowned, and in 2002 everybody I knew wanted one. When we decided to get into breeding, we knew we needed the perfect stallion; one that not only looked the part, but had the temperment and was safe enough for us to manage as first-time breeders and stallion owners. That journey took us to see over 10 stallions in the USA, and one in British Columbia, Canada.
His name was Hendrik.
We received Hendrik’s video first and loved it, but due to him being located internationally, we pushed him off to the end of our search. We wasted our time, as he ended up being the perfect fit for what we were seeking. I had all but given up on making that “romantic” connection – a notion a lot of girls make when searching for their horse. Hendrik caused a spark in me instantly, beginning our once-in-a-lifetime partnership.
Our journey became one of learning, and lots of training. We read everything we could find, and worked with every trainer we could get to. We started with Parelli baby steps, as many did in the early 2000’s, with a wonderful young trainer named Jeanie Bonine. As Hendrik got older, we began working with Mario Conteras, the head trainer of the Medieval Times franchise. I was determined to not only ride dressage, but to also enjoy doing things other than just English or Western riding.
As you’ll see in many of Hendrik’s pictures, costumes were a must!
Hendrik came alive in 2004 at the Illinois Horse Fair and Midwest Horse Fest, playing the horse of Zorro. With Mario riding, and I playing the lady in the red dress on the ground, Hendrik made his Midwest show debut. At the time, he was the only Friesian stallion in the area producing Friesian Sporthorse offspring, and was becoming known as the famous “Hendrik the Magician”. He headlined with talented horses like Rothrock Andalusian’s Santiago, giving the fests a spectacular nightly event showcasing both stallions, a black and white dichotomy.
Hendrik’s home life was like any other horse; he was never alone. We decided early on that he should be turned out with geldings or with in-foal mares to teach him manners. He went camping, standing tied all night on a picket line with other strange horses without fuss. Hendrik didn’t have naughty tendencies, being that he was not offered for live cover, and he proved to be an easier breeder, with me collecting him by myself when he did. We built the Illinois Equine Breeding Service facility in 2004 for stallion collection and mare AI/foaling services.
In the years to come, our family got into mounted shooting, and that’s the one thing Hendrik would not do. While he was trained for it and accepted it, he didn’t enjoy it. I found another shooting horse, and started doing mounted archery with Hendrik instead. Hendrik is perfect for that.
Beyond mounted archery and shooting, we did medieval reenactments and games, working with lances and swords, as well as parades, working equitation, pole work and other events.
Hendrik is also the model for Nene Thomas’s paintings, figurines, and puzzles. If you see the black stallion in her work, it’s him. Even my checks feature him!
I fully believe that being so well-rounded in his training and being exposed to so many things has made Hendrik the excellent dressage horse he is – which has in turn forced me to become the rider I am. I was a very nervous rider when I got Hendrik, and working through that with him long ago has made our bond one of soulmates. I thank all my trainers for pushing both of us to have the partnership we have now. At the time, I hated when Mario took my stirrups and reins away riding Hendrik… but his guidance (and my frustration) helped me find my confidence and seat!
What does the future hold for us? Well, I have been on a sort of medical leave, and completed a cross-country move. We’ve been getting settled in a new elevation, in an western-only world. This won’t do, so we started the South Dakota Dressage Association to bring dressage to the area.
2026 is the beginning of getting back to it for us. Of course, we are both much older now, with Hendrik turning 24 this year and me 50… but thanks to The Dressage Foundation, we were awarded a grant to get back to training. We will be working with Shari Wolke-Masi virtually and, hopefully, in-person and locally, and with Mimi Stanley, Gwen Ka’Awaloa, and Courtney Graf. Let’s hope they will be gentle with us old (and slightly magical) folks!
Note that USDF strongly recommends all riders wear protective headgear when mounted.
[…] By Jen Lowe […]