Mochi: The Horse That Built Me

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 Association are all participating organizations!

A young adult and a reserved young Friesian gelding invested in each other, and their deliberate and steady training program is paying dividends in and out of the ring.

By Finn Kriess

Mochi was never supposed to be my horse.

In fact, he was what I jokingly call my mom’s “shopping cart” purchase — the kind of horse you find while casually browsing and somehow end up buying sight unseen. He was originally meant to be hers. About six months later, though, I completely fell in love with him, and you could say I stole him. Thankfully, she was fine with it — she happily got her Friesian back — and Mochi became mine.

Our partnership did not begin as some instant fairytale. Although I adored him from the start, he was quiet, reserved, and somewhat shut down. I would stand in his stall talking to him, grooming him, loving on him, and he would simply stand there. He wasn’t reactive or expressive; he felt guarded. Looking back, I realize now that we were both figuring things out.

For a long time, I don’t think Mochi chose me — I chose him. The shift didn’t happen in the show ring. It happened in the quiet moments. He started meeting me at the gate. Instead of waiting to be caught, he would walk toward me. Under saddle, he began offering more energy and engagement. He wasn’t just going through the motions anymore; it began to feel like he was invested. That’s when I realized he trusted me.

In many ways, Mochi is my “first” horse. I had ponies before him — including a $700 Craigslist pony named Sir Lance A Lot — and I rode my mom’s Friesian, Raven JRB. But Mochi was the first horse whose development rested entirely on my decisions. When I officially took him over, I was around thirteen years old. He didn’t know much, and honestly, neither did I. We were both green.

As I learned how to ride correctly — how to create connection, how to develop true throughness, how to ask for collection without tension — he was learning too. There were no shortcuts. I couldn’t rely on an already-made horse to carry me through my mistakes. If I were unbalanced, it showed. When I was unclear, he hesitated. If I rushed, the work fell apart. Mochi forced me to become technically correct.

He is the first horse I’ve trained up through Third Level, and every piece of that progression was built deliberately. From the basics at Training Level to developing consistent lateral work and the collection demanded at Third Level, we focused on understanding rather than speed. All of his scores contributed to earning my USDF Bronze Medal, which makes that accomplishment especially meaningful. Our best scores — a 66.458% at First Level Test 3, a 75.833% at Second Level Test 3, and a 71.875% at Third Level Test 3 — reflect steady improvement and growing consistency. Those percentages weren’t isolated highs; they were proof that our training system was working.

While my other boy, Francis HW, helped me earn my Silver Medal, Mochi laid the technical and mental foundation that made that accomplishment possible. Without Mochi, I would not have developed the feel, timing, and patience necessary to ride at the FEI levels.

What makes Mochi different from my other horses is that we truly grew up together. With some horses, you step into an established program and refine what is already there. With Mochi, we built the program ourselves, together. He may not have the natural elasticity or flamboyance of some warmbloods, and mechanically, he requires thoughtful riding. But what he does have in spades is heart, and a strong work ethic. If I am crooked, he tells me. If I am tense, he tightens in response. But, when I ride with clarity and balance, he gives me everything.

Because I have been the only one riding and training him since he was four, our communication has become subtle and specific. I can feel when he is about to offer something before he does. That kind of partnership is invaluable, especially as the work becomes more demanding.

We are now on the cusp of Prix St. Georges (PSG). Our focus is on developing confirmed, expressive changes, and maintaining quality in the collected work. I am not interested in rushing into the FEI ring simply to say we did it. My goal is to produce a correct, competitive horse with strength and longevity. Long-term, I want to take him as far as he can go. Whether that means getting truly solid at PSG or continuing to strengthen and refine the work to continue moving up the levels, I want to do it right and keep him confident and proud in the ring. 

My greatest accomplishment with Mochi is not a specific ribbon or medal; it is that everything he knows, we built together. His education has been consistent, thoughtful, and shaped by one rider. That continuity has created a depth of understanding that cannot be replicated.

Mochi taught me patience when I wanted quick results. He taught me responsibility when I wanted progress. He taught me that correct training is slower — but stronger. Friesians are often recognized for their presence and personality, and Mochi embodies both. Once he gives you his trust, he is completely invested. He brings energy, expression, and partnership into the arena. If someone is looking for a dressage partner that offers not only talent but connection, a Friesian can be a remarkable choice.

Mochi was not a carefully selected prospect with a detailed five-year plan in mind. He was a sight-unseen purchase that could have gone any direction. Instead, he became the horse that built my foundation, sharpened my competitiveness, and shaped the rider I am today.

And we are not finished yet.