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The Knabstrupper
 Once, when kings and queens ruled the lands of Europe, a new breed of white and spotted horse emerged in the country of Denmark, though it can be traced back to the age of the Vikings.. This horse was like no other and was quickly made a horse upon which royalty rode. The Knabstrup horse, sparkling white and dotted with brown or black became a symbol of the joy and decadence of the aristocracy. And for a brief time the versatile Knupstrap enjoyed a well deserved popularity.The first Knabstrup or Knapstrupper horses can be traced to the era of the Napoleonic Wars. In 1812, a butcher by the name of Flaebe acquired a spotted mare that is said to have had some Spanish ancestry; perhaps descending from Meklenbourg in Germany, where the Spanish were stationed before they came to Denmark. This mare was known for her fine temperament, speed and her excellent endurance. The horse 'Flaebehoppen,' meaning, "Flaebe's Horse," was eventually sold to Judge Lunn who took the mare to his Knabstrup Estate. There the mare was bred to his Frederiksborg stallions where she founded a long line of spotted horses largely through her grandson Mikkel, creating a flashy spotted horse that, although lighter than the Frederiksborg, maintained the breed's riding and carriage horse qualities. At the turn of the 19th century the Frederiksborg (the oldest Danish horse breed) was a somewhat heavy, but extremely versatile horse that was used for everything from pulling carriages to carrying men into battle. The Knabstrup horses descended from the original breedings also became quite popular as circus and 'stage' and 'carousel' horses. Being extremely intelligent and tractable they were easily trained to do tricks to amuse audiences. The Knabstruppers even proved adept at learning and executing the movements of High School dressage, and although they were for a time used as mounts of Danish officers, the use of Knabstrups in battle usually proved detrimental to their riders. The sparkling white coats and wild color of these horses easily caught the eye and drew the fire of enemy gun-men. Unfortunately, by the 1870's, the limited number of Knabstrupper had resulted in problems due to inbreeding and the continuation of the breed was in jeapardy. To compound matters, in 1891 there was a fire in the Lunn stables that killed 22 of the top breeding horses. The future of the Knabstruppers was bleak and it was only due to a few dedicated people that the breed was not lost altogether. By 1947 breeders were outcrossing to European warmbloods with the the stud farm "Egemosegaard" leading the way. Outcrossing continued to improve the breed, and in 1971, three Appaloosa stallions were brought to Denmark to strengthen the color.  During the 20th century heavier Knabstrups were briefly bred for agricultural work, though the spotted patterns of most Knabstrups meant that they were not usually sought after carriage horses. People wanted 'matched' teams and finding identically patterned Knabstruppers was nearly impossible; though some horses were born and remained entirely white and were greatly sought by some aristocrats to pull their carriages. After the Second World War, there was even attempts made to create a racing line of Knabstrups. However, he desire to create a racing line was met with much derision and the need for 'agricultural' working horses has all but disappeared. Unfortunately for the Knabstrupers the ever diminishing number of traveling circuses also meant a shrinking job market during the latter part of the last century. Thus it became important for current breeding practices to focus more towards developing versatile riding animals.  The modern Knabstrup is likely more refined than the original horses of this breed. They have substance, more quality and a greater range of colours than earlier representatives, typically standing between 15.2 and 16 hands. A kind and intelligent expression is favored by the breed's fanciers. They are long backed horses with good muscling in their rump. The Knabstrup's coat is usually white and marked from head to striped hooves with black or brown spots, but a completely white or roan coat is not uncommon and is also acceptable according to the Knabstrup breed standards. The early Knapstrups were white with brown or black spots of varying size, occurring all over the body and legs, though the modern Knapstrup can often look more like the Appaloosa.Today, these horses sparkle in the arenas, and on the trails like rare and beautiful stars in countries around the world and can be found in three "types." The Baroque type is a shorter, broader horse resembling the original carriage and war horse. The Sport Horse type excels in dressage, eventing and show jumping and is the result of the specific and controlled outcrossing with the Warmblood breeds, particularly the Danish Warmblood and the Trakahner. The Pony type is smaller and combined with a gentle and agreeable nature, makes a favored child's mount. Their tractable and gentle natures make them ideal for many different disciplines and their potential remains limited only by the dreams and ambitions of their handlers. Bibliography: http://wwww.ansiokstate.edu/breeds/horses/knabstrup/index.html http://wwww.breeders.co.nz/breedersco/pages/horses/horknab.html http://www.horsedirectory.com.au/horsresourses/horsesofworld/knabstrup.html http://www.ansiokstate.edu/breeds/horses/frederiksborg.html Written by Angela Zimmerling A special thanks to Dr. Melyni Worth for providing information and pictures for this article. Dr. Worth is a breeder of Knabstrup horses, you can visit her website for Knapstruppers at www.knabstruppers4usa.com.  |
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