Name: Barock Pinto Studbook (BPS)
Website: https://barockpintostudbook.com/
Founded: 2008
The Barock Pinto is a modern breed born in the Netherlands from the 1960s onwards. Breeders aimed to combine the baroque presence and power of the Friesian with the colorful elegance of piebald horses. This crossbreeding sought to create a spectacular horse, suited both for shows and for sporting disciplines such as dressage and driving.
Official recognition of the breed was achieved in 2008, with the founding of the Barock Pinto Studbook (BPS). Today, the Barock Pinto is regarded as a modern equestrian symbol of the Netherlands, blending Friesian heritage with chromatic originality.
The Barock Pinto maintains a strong Friesian genetic influence (at least 37.5% Friesian blood is required by the studbook). This helps preserve and spread the Friesian’s qualities:
Unlike the Friesian, which is limited to a black coat, the Barock Pinto introduces chromatic diversity through piebald genes (tobiano, sabino). This diversity contributes to:
The Barock Pinto plays a key role in conserving baroque-style horses adapted to modern practices:
By combining Friesian blood with piebald influences, the Barock Pinto enriches the European genetic heritage. It represents a bridge between tradition and modernity, ensuring the preservation of a rare prestige type while meeting today’s demand for diversity and originality.
The history of the Barock Pinto begins in the Netherlands in the 1960s–1970s, when Dutch breeders started crossing black Friesians with piebald horses. The goal was to create a horse that retained the baroque presence and Friesian gaits, while adding the chromatic diversity of piebald coats.
Over several decades, these crossings produced spectacular horses, particularly used for:
Breeders worked to establish a harmonious type: a powerful, elegant, and colorful horse, distinct from the classic Friesian but equally recognizable.
Official recognition came in 2008, with the founding of the Barock Pinto Studbook (BPS) in the Netherlands. The studbook set clear admission rules:
From the 2010s onward, the Barock Pinto grew rapidly, driven by its visual uniqueness and versatility. Horses were exported to Germany, France, and later to North America, Australia, and the Middle East.
Today, the Barock Pinto is considered a young but promising breed, blending Friesian heritage with the universal appeal of piebald coats. The studbook continues to refine its selection to ensure genetic stability and guarantee the future of the baroque-colored type.
The Barock Pinto inherits the docility and reliability of the Friesian. It is a calm, attentive, and easy-to-handle horse, naturally inclined to cooperate with humans.
Although naturally composed and balanced, it has a controlled energy that makes it ideal for dressage and driving. It can perform with spectacular presence when trained, while remaining manageable in everyday use.
Sociable and with a good temperament, the Barock Pinto integrates easily into a herd. It forms stable relationships with its peers and adapts well to outdoor living.
“A horse spectacular for its coat, but endearing for its gentle and cooperative nature.”
The main breeding and selection center of the Barock Pinto is in the Netherlands, particularly in the regions of Friesland and Gelderland, where the official studbook (BPS) is based. This is the cradle of the breed and remains its strongest development zone.
The Barock Pinto quickly expanded to other European countries thanks to its visual appeal and aptitude for dressage and driving. Today, active breeding exists in:
Since the 2010s, the breed has seen global growth, largely due to equestrian shows and the international trade of baroque horses. Barock Pintos are now found in:
Despite this international spread, the Dutch studbook remains central: only horses registered with the Barock Pinto Studbook are recognized as true Barock Pintos. This ensures rigorous selection and the preservation of the original baroque type.
The Barock Pinto is gaining increasing interest in the equestrian world thanks to its visual charisma and sporting versatility. Its striking piebald coat, combined with the baroque style of the Friesian, attracts a growing number of leisure riders, dressage competitors, and show performers.
With the rise of equestrian shows, artistic performances, and international exhibitions, the Barock Pinto is especially sought after as a show horse. Its stage presence makes it a powerful ambassador for promoting horsemanship to the general public.
There is a growing increase in exports to North America, Australia, and the Middle East. This expansion strengthens the studbook’s recognition and leads to the creation of new satellite breeding programs, while confirming the Netherlands’ role as the breed’s birthplace.
The main challenge ahead is maintaining a genetic balance:
The studbook already enforces strict criteria to prevent the drift towards horses that are either too refined or excessively heavy.
The future of the Barock Pinto looks promising: it is moving toward greater international recognition, with a strong position in artistic dressage, prestige driving, and equestrian shows.
The Barock Pinto benefits from the solid constitution of its Friesian ancestor: a strong bone structure, good stamina, and notable longevity. Overall, it is considered a hardy and reliable horse.
However, certain hereditary sensitivities from the Friesian may occur, including:
The Barock Pinto may also be prone to:
Proper management reduces risks:
