You could say I was practically born among Friesian horses. Here comes a little
background story.
IT RUNS IN THE BLOOD
My grandfather, Auke Frankena, began
breeding Friesians at a time when the breed was nearly extinct due to
industrialization. Tractors had replaced them, and farmers no longer needed
horses for field work. Thankfully, the studbook and dedicated breeders,
including my grandfather, revitalized the breed, bringing the population to its
current numbers. Another Friesian enthusiast was my father, Pieter Haijtema,
who spent his youth either riding or driving horses. When he married my mother,
it was only natural that he gradually took over my grandfather's breeding line.
FRIESIAN ROOTS
Growing up at home, surrounded by farm
animals in a traditional Friesian farmhouse (Friese stelpboerderij), Friesian
horses were always nearby Working with the various farm animals was, and still
is, my greatest joy. As a young girl, I loved training and competing with my
pony. As I got older, I focused more on training and show driving with our
Friesians. At eighteen, I became a show driving champion with our stallion,
Joep.
ADIENE
The first Friesian I bought was Adiene, a
mare foal from Cees van den Akker. With Adiene's offspring, we started the J&H
family. From the beginning, we have aimed to breed strong, kind, and somewhat
luxurious Friesians, suitable for dressage and show driving. When choosing a
stallion, we don’t just look for the one with the best results or the winner of
the stallion show. Instead, we choose the stallion that can improve our mares'
shortcomings. We even consider the stallion's lineage, including his mother and
grandmother. Nowadays, breeding strong and long-lasting mares and stallions is
crucial to us, as we aim to eliminate diseases and ensure our horses live
happy, long lives.
