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 rider from Region 8 tells us about the lifelong partner she found in a Friesian mare, and the many goals they’ve achieved together.
By Allie Donovan
My name is Allie Donovan, and I have been riding dressage since I was 8 or 9 years old. Watching Steffen Peters ride Ravel in the 2008 Beijing Olympics on TV was when I knew I wanted to ride dressage.
In 2010, we were in search of a new horse for my mother, sister, and me. My mom had always loved Friesian horses, and so we went to look at a three-year-old filly in Vermont. Mind you, my sister and I were 10 and 8 years old at the time, so we definitely didn’t think a three-year-old filly was going to be the right fit, but thought, “Why not check her out?”
When we first met Willomena, “Willi,” we were in awe of her beauty and calm nature. We all took a turn sitting on her, and after we all rode her, the barn owner told us that was the fifth time she had ever been ridden. We all fell in love with her and decided to take her home. And so, our journey began.
Willi and I started taking dressage lessons from day one and started showing Introductory Level in 2014. Once Willi and I learned how to canter, we moved up to Training Level. Willi and I consistently qualified for the Great American/USDF Regional Championships, but in 2016, we were able to go and compete in the Junior/Young Rider Training Level Championship.
Fast forward to now, I am 26 years old, and Willi will be 19 in a couple of months. Over the years, our partnership has only gotten stronger. While Willi may never be a Grand Prix master, she has always given her all every time we enter the dressage arena. The 2026 show season will be Willi’s last show season, as she has definitely earned a retirement where she can spend her days on the trails or playing in the surf at our local beaches. Our goal this year will be to qualify for Regionals, where we hope to compete in a Second Level Freestyle.
When Willi and I are not training for dressage, we can be seen playing with working equitation, trail riding, beach riding, or even, in October, playing the headless horseman in our town. Over the years, Willi has maintained her calm nature, making her perfect for friends to ride and kids to take pictures or hang out with.
Willi has shaped me into the rider I have become, giving me the confidence to try anything with her and showing me what a true connection with a horse can look like. Willi will always be my rock, and she is a horse I can always turn to. It doesn’t matter if you are having a bad day, because Willi won’t feed off of that – she will just help you change it.
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