Outside of Townsend, at the end of Maggie Ladd Road, are the Friesians. What are Friesians and what are they doing in Vermont?

Friesians are horses, but to say that Friesians are horses is to say that a Rolls Royce is a car. Friesians are rather large (up to 17 hands at the top of the shoulder) horses with a colorful history.  The breed originated in the Netherlands. During the Middle Ages they were used as war horses capable of carrying a knight in armor. At several times in its history, the breed almost became extinct.

Friesians are recognized by their shiny black color, long, thick mane (often braided!) and tail, and what are called “feathers” (long black hairs left uncut on purpose) on the lower legs. However, when they are born, their coat is a brown, almost down-like and fuzzy in texture. This coat eventually changes and becomes the classic black. The Friesian walks and canters with an elegant and distinguished gait – reminds one of a Tennessee Walking Horse or a Spanish “Caballo de Paso Fino”.

Many people may have seen these horses without recognizing them. Friesians have appeared in several movies (e.g., The Mask of Zorro, Alexander, The Chronicles of Narnia). Most recently they had an appearance in The Hunger Games Tribute Parade.

So how did they get to Vermont? Robert Labrie was in the construction/road maintenance business. 15 years ago, he and his wife Laurie sold that business and started exploring what to do next.  They had a small farm with three stalls and Bob decided to get into the “horse business”. He went to the Equine Affaire, and fell in love with the Friesians he saw there. The rest is history. To quote Laurie, “The three stall venture now has 88 horses” and is called “Friesians of Majesty”.

The star at Friesians of Majesty is Othello. He has received the highest award for a Friesian Stallion (FPZV 1^st Premium Approved Stallion) and is a beautiful but also very gentle animal. He stands 17 hands tall, a dark black color with a striking mane, tail and feathers. Watching the horse walk and canter is like watching a concert pianist playing a Beethoven piece – full of energy while moving gracefully over the ground, feet rising and falling in cadence.